Page 37 of Twisted Royals

Twenty minutes later, the world as I knew it was gone, and not just my fellowship.

Condoms that Savva provided… check.

He didn’t let you watch him put on that first one, did he?

Waiting to start a sexual relationship until I was at the most fertile point in my cycle… check.

Bet he convinced Eliza to take a vacation too. Maybe his mama was in on it.

A prenatal appointment ready and waiting for his clueless little hick bride…

Check.

The man I’d promised to marry in less than a week was a fucking rat bastard, and I needed out.

SAVVA

Scowling, I tossed my napkin aside and rose from the table. Damaris had never missed one of our scheduled meetings. It was rare enough we got time to ourselves, and considering we had only a few days until the wedding, I couldn’t imagine what might have been keeping her.

I’d tried texting her, but the messages remained unread, and my calls went straight to voicemail.

Leaving my meal uneaten, I strode to Eliza’s office and went in without knocking. “Have you seen Damaris?”

She pinned a card to the seating chart for our wedding banquet and turned to face me. “No. She missed her dress fitting as well, so when you find her, let her know she’s not to leave the palace without my permission.”

I arched my brow and was unsurprised when it didn’t cow her. “All right. Let me know if you see her, please.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” She turned back to her seating chart, clearly dismissing me.

Deciding to check her suite, I ascended the staircase. Although I usually tried to stay away from the temptation of her bedroom, I was growing worried. It simply wasn’t like Damaris to vanish without telling someone where she was going.

To my surprise, a maid was tidying her room. She dropped the pillow she’d been plumping and curtsied. “I’ll be done in just a moment, Your Highness.”

“No, it’s fine. Have you seen Damaris?”

“Why, yes.” She retrieved the pillow and placed it correctly on the bed. “I do hope the future princess is well.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“She was feeling ill, and I sent her to Dr. Wolter, the physician who cares for Princess Valeriya.”

My stomach hollowed and I laid a hand on the dresser before I fell. “No.”

Ignoring her concerned shouts, I raced from the room. How could I have forgotten something so important? I’d scheduled a prenatal visit for her when she began work in the palace in early June, assuming she’d be carrying my child by now. The doctor would have told her of the appointment, and…

“You!” I shouted, pointing at a security guard at the main entrance. “When did Damaris leave the palace?”

The guard snapped his heels together and saluted. “Three hours, twenty-five minutes ago, Your Highness. She was with Mr. Lawton, and they have not returned.”

“Were they carrying luggage?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Without replying, I sprinted through the palace to Eliza’s office. “Have the pilot file a flight plan for Texas. I’m leaving as soon as it’s ready.”

“Your Highness!” She held a thin hand to her chest and stared at me with wide eyes. “The wedding! You can’t just?—”

“Fuck the wedding. Get it done now.”

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