Page 88 of The Promised Prince
“You would never do that,” Trev argued. “You want me elected king.”
His father sighed. “The order has already been given. Men have already left to carry it out. I’m the only one who can stop it now.”
“Then I demand you stop it!” Trev stood, thrusting his hands on the desk in front of him.
“You demand I stop it?” His father’s devilish smile had returned. “And what will you do for me in return?”
“What do you want?” Trev straightened his back.
A small smirk formed on his father’s lips. “I want you to marry Princess Seran. I hate Tolsten and King Adler, but I can put those feelings aside as long as you are elected king. That princess is your ticket to winning the election.”
The marriage was the only thing Trev could bargain with, and his father knew it. It was the only thing that could stop the assassination and the unimaginable consequences of what it would bring.
“I want the assassination of King Adler called off,” Trev said, his voice full of determination.
“I wish everyone could see the value in my plan. Killing Adler would open up an enormous amount of power for us, but if you’re king, we can revisit this topic again later.”
As if Trev would ever consider killing King Adler.
“It would set the standard that anybody could kill any leader for no reason or wage war on any kingdom for no reason.” How did his father not see this?
“I have my reasons!” Carver’s face turned red with anger.
Trev remained calm. “Your reasons aren’t good enough. No reason is good enough formurder.”
“You’ll never make a good king if you aren’t willing to get your hands dirty. But that’ll be on you. The situation with Tolsten will be on you. As long as you are elected king.” His father swirled the last bits of liquid in his cup. “I’ll stop the assassination. In return, you will marry Princess Seran and stay away from the other girl.”
The other girl.Trev hated how flippant his father was. The moment felt big and final. Once he agreed, he could never go back on his word. Ten years ago, when the alliance was struck with King Bryant, someone else had made the promises. Someone else had chosen for him. But today—at this moment—he was the one making the promise. He was the one making the choice.
Hehadto do this. There was no other way to stop his father and no other way to end the assassination. He had to protect Albion from the wrath of Tolsten.
Trev swallowed his dreams. “Fine. I’ll marry Seran.”
There it was—his loyalty, his honor, his morality—it had all manifested itself in a single sentence.
His father’s evil eyes glared at him. “I’ll have Commander Pryer send the orders to stop the assassination first thing in the morning,” his father muttered.
Trev walked to the door. “I want to be there. I don’t trust you to do it without me watching.”
32
Renna
Maybe. It was a cruel word that had tortured Renna ever since she’d left Drake alone on the bathroom floor earlier that evening.Maybekept her hopes alive when they probably shouldn’t be. It was Drake’s fault. His words kept playing over and over in her mind, like a young girl practicing her piano piece for a recital.
You should tell him how you feel...he’ll figure out a way to have you and still be elected king.
Was Renna really contemplating having the most vulnerable conversation of her life? Contemplating devastating her mother and Seran? Despite every blockade Renna had put up, she had fallen in love with Trev. It was that realization that had brought her outside of Trev’s office. She loved him, and now she was going to tell him. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
Please don’t answer. Please don’t answer.
Crosby opened the door.
“I’m sorry,” Renna said, stunned. “I was looking for Prince Ezra.”
“I believe he has retired to the royal living room.” He spoke in a formal, businesslike way. “May I help you with something?”
“Oh. I suppose it can wait until tomorrow.”
