Page 112 of Quest for her Knights
“Well, who is it?” the queen asks eagerly.
“My knights,” Elora says, raising her arms to gesture to us standing around the room. “I choose them.”
The second the words leave her lips and I see the kings and queen’s expression, I know this isn’t going to be good.
“This is some sort of joke, right?” King Lewis asks as he looks at Ranger. “I specifically tasked you with this mission because I thought you could be professional.”
“He is professional!” Elora exclaims in defence.
The king’s sharp eyes narrow on her. “Has he kissed you? Touched you?”
“I—” she cuts herself off, obviously realizing there is no good way to answer that question.
He turns to Ranger as he says, “You’re fired.” He turns to glance at me and the other two as he adds, “All of you. Effective immediately.”
“Father!” Prince Grayson exclaims. “Hold on a second, you can’t fire them.”
“He can damn well do whatever he likes,” King Chase adds angrily. “Just because they are your friends doesn’t give them a free pass to defile your sister.”
“At least hear them out first,” Arlo says, trying to defuse the situation. His father stares at him, then nods.
“Fine.” He turns back to Ranger, crossing his arms over his chest. “Explain.”
“Princess Elora met with several of the lords you arranged for her to meet. Things didn’t go well.”
“What does that mean?” King Coal asks.
“Most of them were hiding their true selves, and when that was revealed, it was clear they were not worthy of her.”
“And you think you are?” King Chase asks.
“I think nobody will be able to treat the princess the way we can, the way she truly deserves.” His warm eyes meet hers, and she smiles.
“No. No, this is not going to happen,” King Ian says in frustration as he starts pacing. “If the people find out the princess is with the knights, what will they think?! It’ll be anarchy. Next thing you know, they’ll think a farmer can be king!”
Elora’s nose wrinkles in distaste at his superiority over his people, and I have to agree. We know they are above us in status, but that doesn’t mean we want to hear them throw it in our faces as a reason we can’t be with the woman we love.
King Lewis glances at each of us before shaking his head. “My decision stands. You’re all fired. Please clean out your bunks and be gone within the hour.”
“I’m going with them!” Elora says in defiance.
“I don’t think so, young lady. You’ll be staying right here while we try to fix this mess you created,” the queen tells her, pointing to the ground in frustration.
“You can’t force me to stay here,” she argues. The queen stares at her for a minute before her shoulders drop in defeat.
“You’re right. I can’t stop you from leaving with them.”
“Really?” Elora asks with hope, her bright eyes meeting mine.
“Yes. I mean, it’s not like you’re really the princess, anyway. Why don’t you go pack a bag or two to take with you?”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Elora says excitedly as she moves to the door. She passes me on the way and stops togive me a quick peck on the lips. “See you soon,” she whispers. “Don’t leave without me.”
“Never,” I promise.
She runs out of the room with Freya and the princes and queen on her heels. But when I look back to the kings, I feel the thick tension in the air. I scan the kings’ faces, but they stand unmoving as they glare at us.
“Well, I guess we should be going to clear out our rooms now,” Arrow says, slowly moving toward the door.
