Page 37 of Guarding the Princess
“You sure about this?”
Lance questions me one last time as I sit at the busy airport, people rushing all around me. I know he thinks I’m crazy, which is probably true. What we’re doing isn’t exactly legal. It’s more in the gray area of the black-and-white laws we swore to uphold back in our academy days.
“Yep, I’m all in. I appreciate you taking care of the flight reports for me.”
“It’s your funeral. I’ll call you when I can’t screen them any longer.”
We hang up and I close my eyes, waiting for my flight to board the airplane. My beard itches my face. I haven’t shaved for a week and it’s grown in thick. Figured it would help with the disguise I needed to get out of my apartment and to the airport without the goons from Regora tracking me down.
The thing is, I’ve decided I don’t care about my job. I can’t seem to scrounge up one ounce of concern about fudging the law, or compromising my professional integrity, or calling in every favor I’ve got out there.
I just want to protect Charlotte. By whatever means necessary.
And that’s how I know I’m one hundred percent in love with her. I’ve never put my job before anyone. That’s the very reason my last serious girlfriend and I broke up. I wouldn’t put her first and that didn’t work for her, which I totally understood. But with Charlotte, I’ve come to realize, I’d do anything for her.
Like move to a foreign country and give up my job entirely. If only she’ll have me. After disappearing on her, I know I’ll have some explaining to do.
I’ve tried calling her directly and getting through to the palace. Neither has worked. I even called Rhys and asked if she had a new number for Charlotte. Unfortunately, I only succeeded in worrying Rhys, who hadn’t heard from Charlotte. If I didn’t report back with confirmation that Charlotte was fine within the next day, Rhys would be on her own flight out to Regora.
Everything was a cluster.
“We’re boarding rows twenty through thirty.”
My eyes fly open again and I think I may have dozed off there. It’s hard to tell. I’ve been in a panic ever since I got hit on the head. Could have been three days ago or three months. It just seems like forever since I looked into Charlotte’s eyes and saw her trust shining back at me.
I shove my phone in my duffle bag and jump up to board my flight.
Eleven hours and I’ll be back with Charlotte.
For good this time.
15
Charlotte
The next day dawns bright, almost as if the sun knows today is a new beginning for me. I wake up refreshed, mostly due to the change in heart I had about stepping up to run this country. Questions still swirl in my brain, but gaining clarity on just one issue in my life feels darn good.
“Good morning, miss.” Klara, the staff member assigned to me, pokes her head in the door, a happy smile forming when she sees I’m already awake.
“It really is, Klara.” I smile back and toss the covers off me. “Lots to do today. Can you pull out that one bright blue suit jacket for me?”
She scurries around, getting everything I need to get ready, which is silly because I can do all that myself. But I’ll take the help today. I have a very important conversation with my parents on my mind, followed by hiring a private investigator to find out where Ryker went. I called him several times last night and not only did he not answer, it went straight to voicemail.
I slide on a pair of black trousers, a bright yellow blouse, and the blue fitted jacket. I’m more colorful than most royals, but then again, most royals don’t live in Los Angeles for three years with all kinds of unusual couture rubbing off on them. Last but definitely not least, I slide on a pair of matching yellow Tieks that feel like slippers. If I’m going to do this royalty thing, I’m going to do it my way: in comfort.
“Thank you, Klara,” I holler back as I leave my room.
If I’m quick, I can catch Mother at breakfast which means I’ll get her full attention before her meetings start. Rushing through the halls, I can’t help but miss Ryker and the way he got lost in this massive palace. I know this place like the back of my hand, sometimes forgetting that it can look like a maze to someone new.
Mother and Father are sitting at the table, eating their breakfast and reading the newspaper when I walk through the door.
“Oh good, you’re here.” I smile brightly and pull back a heavy wood chair across from them.
My father puts down his paper and smiles at me. Mother raises an eyebrow as she greets me.
“Good morning, Charlotta. You’re up and about early this morning.”
“Yes, because there’s lots to do.” Their gazes snap back to my face, probably surprised to see me so animated when all I’ve talked about since being here is going back to California. “I’d like to speak with you about the coronation.”
