Page 34 of The Princess Home for Christmas

Chapter 13

All week Thomas did fun things for Dahlia, involving the press, inviting fun and love and the magic of Christmas back into their story. And into her life. Every morning she woke up to the feeling of magic on the horizon, something special was about to happen in her life. And that made her smile. She could thank Thomas for that.

She would. She planned to text him today and invite him to the ice house. It was full of over a thousand ice sculptures from artists around the world, ice slides, and even a room where you could play in the snow. At the very end of your tour, real snowflakes would float down from the ceiling. They would go, and then she would ask if he would still be the king of their royal duo for the tree lighting ceremony.

With those happy thoughts, she hurried on to breakfast. For once, the Valdez family meal was uneventful. For that she could be grateful. Lucan and Anna were planning their wedding. They had videoed in today, both in Spain. Everyone else was doing great. She smiled. When would JC tell everyone she was with child? When would they see the gingerbread house? Perhaps she would have it delivered Christmas morning as a gift to the family. It would look fabulous on a table near their family Christmas tree.

Everything was once again looking bright and hopeful for her and Thomas. So she did not even flinch when Lucan called her.

“Hello brother!” She smiled.

“They’ve found your village.”

Her heart stopped. For one eternal second it stopped, her lungs were paralyzed, and the empty blackness of no air and no beating heart seemed to pause time. Then she gasped, everything speeding up again. “What?”

“Yes, the ministers are furious. Nico is grappling with all kinds of legal issues. They all face deportment and an international organization is after blood. We broke their agreements. They want Torren to press charges.”

“Against who?” She thought of her contacts at the village, the soldiers helping keep watch.

“You.”

She staggered back and reached a hand out on the wall. Of course her. “How did they find them?”

“Don’t be angry.”

“Lucan I am past angry. Was it Thomas?” She choked. How could he have been at fault in this?

“He went up there. I can only guess he was trying to figure something out for them, for you. But the press followed. And then one of the more success-driven types did some research, tracked their trail and exposed the whole group. The article is out today.”

She slid down onto the floor. “What do we do? Are they okay?”

“They are being loaded into buses this afternoon. Torren has no choice but to force them to leave our country.”

“What! We can’t do that. Where will they go?”

“I don’t know, Dahlia. Wherever they can. We are getting some serious international pressure for this. We broke laws, Dahlia. You. Broke laws.”

“I know. But what else was I to do. I tried to get them in here legally but that would have taken two more years.”

“Look, if you want to see them, say goodbye, now’s your chance. I’ll drive out there with you if you want.”

“I’m going alone.”

“I’ll drive out there with you even if you don’t want. But I’m in Spain. So you’re gonna have to wait for me.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“I know. Be careful. You could bring Thomas.”

“Ugh. He needs to just stay far away.”

She texted her assistant, asked her to throw camping and outdoor gear in a bag, and meet her down in the garage. She turned around in the hall and headed there herself.

She couldn’t believe the devastation she felt for these people. Her FaceTime ringed on her phone. Mo’s face filled her screen.

“Hello friend. I heard the news.”

“They are arriving this afternoon. Is it true then? They will kick us out? Because all of us keep saying no way would you let it happen. We know you can find a way.”

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