Page 121 of The Stolen Princess
“No.” Trev shook his head. “He isn’t from our kingdom, and he’s done nothing against Albion to warrant us chasing after him. Tolsten will find him. They are using their resources to search for him.”
“Fine.” Drake let out a frustrated breath. There was something wrong with Commander Stoddard. He could feel it in his gut, but right now, he couldn’t prove anything. And the other man in the vehicle, the one they said was the Tolsten House doctor—Drake tried to remember where he had seen him before, but he couldn’t place him. Maybe he hadn’t seen him. It had been dark that night, and he’d only gotten a glimpse of the man.
“Hey, can I interrupt?” Renna said, popping her head through the door.
Trev smiled back at her. “Of course. Come in.” He stood, pulling out a chair for her.
She waved a letter in the air out in front of her. “We received a letter from Tolsten about the election.”
“From Myka?” Drake lunged forward across the table, grabbing the letter out of her hand.
Renna shook her head, giving up the envelope. “No, from the royal secretary.”
“Whoa!” Trev said with a smile. “Someone’s excited.”
Drake didn’t care if he looked like an idiot. He’d been nervous for days, waiting for this letter. He tore the envelope open, reading the lines as fast as he could.
“Well?” Renna asked. “What does it say?”
Drake looked up. “She won. Myka won the election.” He tossed the letter onto the desk in front of him and leaned back into his chair, rubbing his hands down his face. He didn’t know why he’d been so nervous. It wasn’t like he was the one campaigning, but he wanted this for Myka. She deserved it.
“An elected queen,” Renna exclaimed. “It’s about time.” She picked up the letter and began reading. “It says that we are invited to her coronation and election party to be held in four weeks.”
Trev groaned. “Three weeks isn’t going to work for us,” he said, looking at Renna. “We won’t be able to attend.”
Renna nodded. “You’re right.”
“Why?” The lines on Drake’s forehead creased as he looked back at them. “You don’t have anything going on in three weeks.”
“If only there was someone who could go in our place,” Trev said, still looking at Renna.
“Oh, brother!” Drake threw his hands up in the air. “I know what you guys are doing. You’re trying to get me to go to Tolsten to see Myka, but I don’t need your help, and she doesn’t need to be worried about me right now.” Drake was worried enough for the both of them. Myka Adler ran circles around his mind every day. All he could think about was her. What was she doing? Who was she tormenting with her crazy personality? Who was she smiling at? “Besides, I’m not one hundred percent recovered yet.”
“Yes, you are,” Trev said. “Don’t even try to use that as an excuse.”
Hewastrying to use that as an excuse. The letters that he and Myka had exchanged back and forth were a good start to opening the door to forgiveness, but was that really enough? Would Myka ever forgive him and trust him with her heart?
“Don’t be like Trev,” Renna snapped. “Don’t wait months and months to go after her. It’s clear you love her.”
Drake reared his head back. “How is it clear that I love her?”
Renna raised her eyebrows. “Are you serious? You’ve been moping around the palace ever since you woke up from your coma and—”
“I have not been moping!” he groaned.
Trev nodded. “Serious moping.”
“And,” Renna continued, “you’ve been badgering the servants every week asking if a new letter has come for you from Tolsten.”
“I havenotbeen badgering the servants.” Drake scratched the back of his head. “I mean, there was that one time that I knocked on the bathroom door over and over again while that servant was using the restroom. But who takes the mail into the bathroom with them? That’s disgusting.”
Renna shrugged. “I probably would.”
Drake stood abruptly, scooting his chair back. He gestured to Renna with his hand. “Well, you sit on the bathroom floor. So you’re disgusting.”
“She does do that.” Trev nodded.
“Drake, if I remember correctly, you sat on the floor with me,” Renna said, folding her arms over her chest as she leaned back into her chair.
