Page 19 of Amethyst Queen
Chapter 15
“Amalee?”
The soft voice of her father cut through the darkness. Amalee had confined herself to her quarters as soon as she got home. Three days had passed since the secret came out. Three days passed since Dante walked out of the hospital room, leaving her heartbroken.
“Daddy... what are you doing here?”
“Come on… did you think I would let you stay holed up in this room?” He sat down beside her on the bed, “Tell me what’s wrong, Amalee. Commander Gentry said you wouldn’t tell him, and the Constable – well, that’s a whole other subject.”
“Daddy, have you ever done something so terrible it rips apart the very seam of your existence?”
“Wow… can you be any bleaker? This is not the girl I helped raise. Tell me, Amalee, what has you locked in darkness like this?”
“I fucked up bad – I get that now. I can’t go back and fix it. You will look at me differently, too, just like Dante.”
“What does the Constable have to do with this?” her father rubbed his brow, confusion lacing his words.
“Everything, Daddy. Everything.”
Amalee slipped from the bed and walked to the window. Folding her arms across her chest, she sighed.
“Dante and I are seeing each other,” she partially turned, catching her father’s inquisitive glare, “well, had been seeing each other. And I need you to know it was me that started the relationship. Dante is an honorable man – he ignored my advances for as long as I remember. I was just a child to him… until I wasn’t. For two years, we kept what we had a secret. I knew mother would never approve – hell, she reminded me daily what kind of man she expected me to marry. I didn’t want Dante to risk his job or freedoms if mother knew…” Amalee gathered her thoughts, “anyway, I planned to tell you and mother once I took the crown.”
“Why did you feel you couldn’t tell us? Constable Graham is a fine man, I would’ve supported your decision. Especially if he is your complement. Is he your complement, Amalee?”
“Yes. I knew Dante was the one at sixteen, Daddy. But you and mother have very different views on love. She caught me staring at him once… it’s safe to say she wasn’t happy. I knew then I couldn’t tell her – not until I controlled his fate.”
“But you’ve been queen for a year… what’s stopping you?”
“Life had other plans for me. I didn’t leave to try out college, Dad. I left because I was pregnant.”
Her father gasped, “Pregnant… Amalee… are you saying you had a child, and your mother and I knew nothing of it?”
“It’s amazing what you can hide when you need to. Scared and feeling like there was no hope, I left. I met a husband and wife who agreed to help me. They couldn’t have children of their own,” Amalee pressed her hand against the glass, her heart ached as she spoke, “and I knew I couldn’t keep the baby. It worked out perfectly. I gave my son to a family who could love him when I couldn’t. Not because I didn’t love him, but because of the mess loving him would bring to the kingdom.”
“And Dante, does he know?”
“He does now. Sarah Marks is dead. She and her husband were killed in the explosion.”
“And your son?”
“Gone… he is missing. When Dante came to the hospital, I told him everything. I’d wanted to tell him when I returned. Instead, I tried to wall myself off from him. When you love someone like I love him, staying away will not last. But that’s over now. He’ll never look at me the same. I’ve betrayed him, and now his son is missing. I don’t deserve to live anymore, but that would be the cowards way out. Instead, I’ll live with this pain for the rest of my life. Tomorrow I will step down as Queen, I do not deserve the title… if I couldn’t protect my flesh and blood, how am I supposed to protect this kingdom.”
She felt her father's hands on her shoulders. He tugged her around to look at him, “You listen to me… There is no way in hell you’re abdicating the throne. You’re the Queen, so act like one. You were a child, young and afraid. For that, I will take some of the blame. You should have been able to come to me – if not your mother. And as far as Dante, give him time. If I’m honest, I always wondered if there was more between you two. I see how he looks at you. As your father, I didn’t want to think a man twenty years my daughters senior looked at her that way – but now I recognize the look. He loves you, darling.”
“He’ll never forgive me. Why would he? I lied to him, pushed him away, and now…” she hiccupped a sob, her chest constricting with grief.
“Stop,” her father pulled her into a hug, “You need to pull yourself together. Your son needs you, Amalee. All these tears will do nothing. If anything… you need to bring home my grandson.”
“You make it sound so easy… but you forget one important part – mother.”
“Leave her to me… in the meantime, get your ass out of this room and be the Queen I know you are.” Gripping her cheeks between his hands, “if it’s meant to be, it will happen.”
