Page 137 of My Five Daddies

He breaks off slowly and grins at me. “My, my, princess,” he says softly. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d guess that you likedthat.”

I smack him playfully on the chest. “Get back to work,” I say, and pick up my shovelagain.

The day passes pretty easily, although we really are doing some serious digging. I plant close to twenty trees, and Nolan probably does twice that amount. The press wanders off as soon as we’re finished, and the volunteers all thank us profusely for bringing awareness to theircause.

Frankly, when it’s all over with, I feel good. I’m glad we got involved with that. I haven’t had many opportunities to donate my time to important causes because I’ve had to work my whole life. But now that money isn’t an issue, I realize that I can help otherpeople.

Nolan takes me by the hand and we walk away from the volunteers that are packing up the vans and trucks. We pause in the shade of a nearby tree, this one fully grown, and Nolan leans up against thetrunk.

“You did good today,” he says tome.

“Thanks.” I lean next to him, our shoulderstouching.

“I don’t think it’s always going to be this simple, though,” he sayssoftly.

I turn my head toward him. “Why do you saythat?”

“I’ve been gathering allies,” he says slowly. “Putting out feelers. Bribing where I have to. But I’m getting a lot ofresistance.”

“Why?” I ask him, genuinely surprised. “It seems like everyone hates Julian and his agenda. Why are people supportingit?”

“He has blackmail on them for sure. But I think they’re just afraid ofchange.”

“You have to show them a better way then,” I say, surprised by my own seriousintensity.

He smiles at me. “I know, Hazel. I’m goingto.”

I watch him for a moment and I’m surprised that I care so much. I like Polovia a lot, but it’s not my home. I don’t understand its culture or its customs or its politics, so a lot of this seems foreign and strange to me. And yet now that I’m a part of the royal family, I find myself caring a great deal about thiscountry.

And the more Nolan shows me, the more I find to love. Take this charity, for example. Big industry was destroying Polovia’s resources and natural beauty for years, but the people came together and stopped them. Now young people are going one step further and actively trying to put things back together. People are volunteering their time, money, and effort to plant these trees. Most of the people will never see this forest again, unless they come to visit one day in the future, but it’s not like they all live aroundhere.

The youth of this country is full of surprises like that, and I think Nolan can sense that there’s a change coming. The young are tired of the failing policies of the old. People want a change, and Nolan wants to be thatchange.

I reach out and take his hand. I want to explain that to him, make him understand that I see what’s happening. But before I can say it, a familiar face appears, walking towardus.

“Is that Thomas?” I askNolan.

He looks sharply in the direction I’m pointing. “Yes,” he says, releasing my hand and pushing off the tree. “Comeon.”

He stalks out toward Thomas. We meet him halfway, and he bows slightly to both ofus.

“Sir, I have news,” hesays.

“How did you findme?”

“You didn’t make it a secret that you would be here,” he says,frowning.

Nolan smiles at that. “Okay then. What’s thenews?”

“I have a piece of information that I felt is important enough to bring myself,” he says slowly, glancing at me. “Sir, may I talkfreely?”

Nolan waves at him. “You can say whatever in front ofHazel.”

Thomas nods quickly. “Of course,sir.”

“What’s thenews?”

“I found a man… an old friend of Lord Eder’s. He claims to know something about Lord Eder, but will only give the information up for a large sum ofmoney.”

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