Page 63 of The Rejected King
Portlend shoved a letter in her hand. “This will explain everything.”
She eyed him cautiously as she unfolded the letter. The swirls in the handwriting didn’t match Davin’s. Her eyes glanced to the signature at the bottom.Queen Arillia. Emree quickly scanned the contents of the letter.
Miss Dutson,
Davin’s news that he wants to marry you has come as a shock. I’ve spent my entire life making decisions based on what I thought was best for him and that is what I am doing tonight. I do hard things because I love Davin. If you really love him too, then you will understand my position and do something hard in return. Because that is what’s best for him.
By now, you are far from Enderlin Castle. Please do not return. Stay away from Davin. That is his only chance at a future as king. If you stay by his side, he will not recover from this and his future will be lost. At this point, the revote is inevitable. Davin won’t be focused if you’re here. He’s my son, so I can say this: he’s always had his head stuck in the clouds, dreaming up new ideas. That’s all you are, Miss Dutson. One of his romantic, idealistic notions that will never actually work.
Emree’s eyes dropped to the dirt, and her heart crumpled together. Leave Davin? What was the point of the announcement—of telling everyone the truth—if they couldn’t even be together?
She lifted her head, looking at Portlend.
“You tricked me. I left because I believed Davin wanted me to go.” She shook the queen mother’s letter out in front of her. “Davin didn’t order you to take me away. Queen Arillia did.”
Portlend looked to the side. “It doesn’t matter who my orders came from. I have to carry them out.”
Portlend had betrayed her. He had chosen duty over her yet again.
Why was Emree even surprised?
She sucked in a ragged breath as she continued to read the letter.
I have arranged a place in Dakotaland where you can start your book exchange store. We have packed the two hundred books Davin gave you as well as the two hundred I donated. Your book exchange is a good idea, and Dakotaland has the highest illiteracy rate in all of Enderlin. If you really want to help working-class children become educated, Dakotaland is the best place to start.Think about what I am offering you. You could make all your dreams come true.
Notallof her dreams would be coming true.
I’m sorry things had to come to this, but if you really love Davin, like you say you do, then you should love him enough to walk away.
Queen Arillia
Tears formed in the back of Emree’s eyes like they had been on call and waiting. She looked up at Portlend as a tear dropped. “What if I say no? What if I don’t continue on to Dakotaland?”
“You don’t have a choice. There’s no way Queen Arillia will permit you into the castle again. Where will you go? Back to Kenmare? Do you really think High Ruler Kemp will give you a job after this embarrassment? You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t fire your parents after what you’ve done. They’ve always cared about you, Em, but you aren’t one of them. They wouldn’t want you as theirqueen.”
Emree swiped at her tears. The queen mother had strong-armed her into leaving and there was nothing she could do about it. She’d been smart about it, too, making sure Emree was far enough away from the castle when Portlend gave her the letter that she had little choice but to continue on. She couldn’t make it back to Enderlin on her own if she’d wanted to. Emree didn’t own a horse. She didn’t have access to a carriage besides the one driving herawayfrom Davin. The money she’d been earning as Promenade director she had largely sent back to her parents in Kenmare. She had a little cash on her, but not enough to get her very far. Not if she also wanted to eat. Her options were limited. Too limited.
She had thought they would face the consequences of their choices together, but right now she felt more alone than she ever had. It wasn’t Davin’s fault. She couldn’t blame him for his mother’s actions. Funny. Emree had always thought she’d had a good relationship with Queen Arillia—but that was only aworkingrelationship. Clearly, it had meant nothing more.
Emree nodded at Portlend. “Fine.” Another tear fell, but she held the rest in. She would save her complete meltdown for when she was alone inside the carriage. “I’ll go to Dakotaland.”
Davin loved her. She knew that truth as well as she knew how much she loved him. Surely he would find her—find her and come after her.
She had to hope for that.
It was her only choice.
30
Davin
“What do you have to say in your defense?” High Ruler Uttmay asked Davin.
Davin looked at each of the six high rulers sitting around the circular table in the throne room. His mother sat in a maroon satin chair behind them, pulling at a tissue in her hands. He didn’t want to be there. He wanted to be with Emree, wanted to know if she was all right. He hadn’t seen her since the ball almost five hours ago when Millar had ushered her away to safety.
Emree was probably freaking out in her room. She’d probably throw something at Davin when he saw her again. She didn’t understand that Davin was ready to face the consequences of his decisions, to live his life the way he wanted to. Inside, he felt peace—a premonition that everything would work out in the end.
That didn’t mean he expected to stay king.
