Page 59 of The Reluctant Heir

Dad turns to Julien. “You look after your sister. When King Rune and Prince Damek get here, I will be going with them to question the prisoner.”

“I won’t leave Maddie’s side,” Julien promises.

“Good.” His shoulders relax.

“Where is Kaine?” Julien looks around the room. “I figured he’d be here by now.”

“He’s with the prisoner.” Dad looks at his phone. “King Rune and Prince Damek are here. I’m going to go greet them and lead them to our prisoner.”

“I could come—”

Dad cuts me off, giving me a stern look. “You will not be talking with Prince Damek until I do. This could all be an elaborate ploy to kidnap you. For all we know, they have Lucien.”

His words silence me.

I don’t think Prince Damek would be involved in something like that, but I don’t know him well. I don’t know a lot about vampire politics yet, but I do know that through history there has been a lust for political power. A lot of families have tried to move to eliminate the other monarchs and have one ruling family. Each time they try, it always ends in a war that kills countless vampires.

Julien leads me over to the couch as Dad disappears down the corridor. My stomach tightens as I wonder what’s going to happen. I like Damek and I’ll be disappointed if his family is involved in a plot against my family.

“So, you like Prince Damek,” Julien says.

It’s not a question, but I answer anyway. “Yes. I like him quite a bit. I don’t know him well enough to know if I want to marry the guy, but he’s pretty great.”

Julien frowns. “If you marry him then I will end up being heir if Lucien doesn’t come back.”

The words linger in the air between us.

IfLucien doesn’t come back.

I suck in a sharp breath as I recall the events of the day—how somebody snuck in through my bedroom window and tried to… what? Kidnap me? Kill me?

What if Lucien is already dead? Am I ready to be a queen?

“Do I have to be a queen?” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth as I study Julien.

He rubs at his jaw. “If you marry Prince Damek, it’s one hundred percent guaranteed that you will be.”

“But just in name, right?” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Because if I’m with his clan, he’d be the ruler. I’d just be the consort. Like your mom.”

“Is that what you want?” Julien asks. “To dutifully rule at his side and let him make all the decisions?”

“Maybe.” I pull my knees up to my chest and hug them against me. “I don’t know that I want to rule anybody. When I lived with my mom, there were ten people between me and the possibility of ever becoming an heir. I never wanted this.”

“I happen to think you’d make a fantastic queen.” Julien smiles at me, revealing his dimples. “I know you would do a lot of good for the clan.”

“You say that hopingyounever have to take the job,” I tease.

“Absolutely.” He nods his head, making his blond hair flop against his forehead.

“You need a haircut,” I tell him, eying the flopping piece of hair.

He pushes his bangs out of his eyes. “Probably, but it annoys Dad when I keep it this length.”

Meaning he won’t be cutting his hair because he loves to tease our father.

“Why do I have to get married?” I ask. “I could just become an old maid.”

“I’ve told you this already, but I’ll explain it again. You and I look alike.” He raises an eyebrow at me. “And our genes arewaytoo good to not pass down to children. The world needs us to produce offspring.”

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