Chapter 22
NATASHA
My fingers ached from the cold, but I couldn’t stop pressing them against the cryo tube that held my father frozen in time. In an odd state, he hovered somewhere between life and death.
I leaned closer, my eyes falling onto his blue-tinged lips as I frowned. The situation had just turned even more dire.
Nikolai’s desire to take over the throne had turned things upside down–and made our timeline far, far shorter than we’d expected.
I curled my cold fingers into fists, firming my jaw. “I will fix this, Papa, I swear it.”
Stefan’s features twitched, unmistakable even from across the room.
I studied him. “Is there something you wish to say, Stefan?”
He frowned, shaking his head. “No, malenka.”
“Your face says otherwise.”
“Nadia is working to fix the situation.”
I shook my head. “She has been vetting doctors and scientists for months. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”
Stefan stepped closer, his face aglow from the frosty blue light emanating from the cryogenic tube. “You do not trust her?”
I shook my head, my gaze falling to my father’s cold form. “It has nothing to do with trust, and everything to do with expedience, Stefan.”
I raised my gaze to him.
He arched an eyebrow, prodding me to speak my mind.
“I must tell Kyle. He can help.”
Stefan’s jaw flexed as he clasped his hands in front of him. “I am not certain that is wise, malenka.”
“He has cleared your security checks, has he not?” I pressed.
“Mostly.”
“What does that mean?” I demanded.
Stefan shrugged, pacing the floor on the opposite side of the darkened lab. “We found nothing…questionable. But that does not mean he is able to be trusted. I am certain Nikolai would take great pains to cover his tracks.”
I dug my fingernails into the palms of my hands as I refused to believe Kyle was working for my brother. “I do not believe–“
“Please do not argue, malenka. I know you are smitten–“
“Stop right there,” I said, my nostrils flaring. “I will hear no more of this. I am not smitten. I feel a genuine connection. And I will not have that dismissed as some childish crush.”
“Apologies, moya koroleva, but I worry for you.”
“We must trust someone at some point, or this situation will never advance. Why not Kyle?”
“Does it not concern you that he appeared at just the right moment?” Stefan asked.
I licked my lips as I considered the question. We had met by pure chance. Or had we? Had Kyle been put in my path to make sure my father could never return from his frozen sleep?
I refused to believe that. Was I being stupid? Were his sweet words merely designed to lull me into a false sense of security before he moved in for the kill?
Sliding my eyes closed, I recalled the way I felt when our eyes met, when our lips touched. It couldn’t be fake.
I opened my eyes and focused on Stefan. “I understand your concern, but you have found no connection between Kyle and Nikolai. And while our chance meeting does give some pause, I believe it was merely that…a chance meeting.”
Stefan pressed his lips together, a sigh escaping him. “Nadia is vetting him further.”
My heart skipped a beat as I realized that had been the reason my sister left us behind earlier. What would she find?
“If she deems it appropriate, I will take you myself to speak with him.”
My stomach clenched, and I let my gaze settle down on my father’s face. The waiting would be unbearable. And if Nadia decided we couldn’t trust Kyle, I didn’t know what I would do.
Could I go against her wishes and approach him on my own?
I paced the floor as I waited, my mind vetting through plans depending on what we heard from my sister.
Finally, Stefan’s phone rang. I twisted to face Stefan, my eyes wide and my muscles taut. I held my breath, waiting to hear Nadia’s opinion.
“Da?” Stefan said as he answered his phone.
He nodded. “I understand. Yes.”
He pulled the phone from his ear, ending the call.
“Well?” I demanded.
“Nadia sees no issue with Dr. Carter. She recommends we attempt to bring him on board. I assume you will want to try this yourself instead of relying on Nadia’s more…persuasive methods?”
I bobbed my head, already preparing a statement in my mind as I grabbed my cloak and headed for the door. “Come, Stefan, we will go to Kyle at once.”
He grabbed my arm before I reached the door, glancing sideways at me. “Please be certain about this, malenka. There is no turning back once you give your trust to him.”
I swallowed hard, eyeing him before I bobbed my head. “I know.”
“I will inform Nadia of your intention.” He slid his phone from his pocket, sending a message as we left the cryo chamber behind, heading for the elevator.
With the sun up, he summoned more guards to escort us back to the palace. As I walked, surrounded by the contingent, my stomach knotted tighter. How would Kyle take the news? Would he walk away?
Would he prove true? Or was I setting myself up for a massive heartbreak?
The questions didn’t stop plaguing me until I arrived at the door to his suite. I hesitated, my fist raised in the air for a moment before I knocked.
The door opened second later.
Kyle, still in his pajama pants and a t-shirt, stared at me with a surprised expression. “Nattie!”
I paused again, my gaze flicking to Alex and Ava on the couch before they returned to his icy blue eyes. “Good morning. We need to talk.”
My words came out shakier than I’d hoped, but they were out.
Kyle’s features pinched as he studied me before he nodded, fear floating in his eyes. “Uhh, yeah. Yes, absolutely. Come in.”
I hurried into the room, afraid I would lose my nerve.
“Yeah, all of you. Come on in.”
“Good morning,” I said to Alex and Ava. “I hope you slept well and everything is satisfactory.”
“Super great, Goldie,” Alex said with a thumbs up. “Thanks.”
I offered him a fleeting smile, my hands clasping and unclasping as Kyle closed the door, and I twisted to face him. “May we speak alone?”
“Yes, of course,” he said, motioning toward his bedroom.
I crossed toward it, followed by Kyle and Stefan.
“Uhh,” Kyle murmured as Stefan closed the door behind us, remaining in the bedroom. “I thought you said alone.”
“I will not leave her alone until you have proven yourself,” Stefan answered.
Kyle furrowed his brow, making a face at the man.
I took his hand in mine, drawing his attention back to me. “Kyle,” I said softly.
He turned back to face me. “Nattie, wait, before you say anything, can I say something?’
“Of course,” I answered.
He shot another annoyed glance over his shoulder at Stefan before he leaned closer to me. “Is it possible for him to leave? This is sort of personal.”
I pressed my lips together, trying to suppress the smile at the cute statement. “He is quite used to it. You can speak freely.”
“It’s just…awkward. You know, I kind of want to tell you how I feel.”
“I will not leave,” Stefan informed him.
I wrinkled my nose, my heart in my throat. “Sorry. You’ll have to just tell me whatever you’d like to say in front of him.”
Kyle’s shoulders slumped a little before he wrapped his hands around my shoulders and guided me a few steps away.
He leaned closer, his icy blue eyes intense as he whispered, “Nattie, I don’t know what you’re here to say, but I just want you to know that you mean more to me than anyone has before.
I feel a connection to you, and I want to explore that.
But I want to do it together, like as a real couple.
I don’t want to be someone who you aren’t allowed to be with.
And I sort of feel like that may be the case. And if it is…”
His nostrils flared as he huffed out a breath. “Well, I hope it isn’t, because I really like you…no, it’s more than like. I have some pretty big feelings for you. I don’t want to say the other word too soon and freak you out but…it’s those kind of feelings.”
I smiled at him, my hands finding his and squeezing as I pressed my lips against his in a soft kiss.
He pulled back, shooting a worried glance at Stefan over his shoulder.
I pinched his chin between my thumb and forefinger and twisted him to face me. “I feel the same way.”
He grinned at me. “Really?”
“Yes,” I answered with a nod.
Across the room, Stefan cleared his throat subtly. I knew what he was reminding me of. Do not sink too fast into this when we had no idea if Kyle had a connection to my brother.
If he did, he was a fantastic liar. And I would end up heartbroken. As much as I wanted to solve both of my problems at the same time, I thought better of it. Despite his admission, I could not bring up the marriage issue.
I licked my lips, buckling down into what I’d come here for. “I am thrilled to hear that you hope to pursue a relationship further, but I am afraid that is not what I’m here about.”
His features pinched. “Oh?”
I lowered my gaze to the floor, our fingers intertwining as I sought support from him. Support that I didn’t know if I’d have.
“I have an issue I think you can help with, but it’s not exactly…” I sighed, struggling to explain without scaring him off. “Normal.”
He let out a breath, a grin tugging at his mouth. “You’re kind of talking to the king of crazy.”
Then his face sobered, eyes widening. “Oh—that wasn’t, like, a weird pun because you’re royalty.”
I giggled, glancing up at him before kissing his cheek. “I do like you so very much.”
Color rose in his face.
“And I do appreciate your open-mindedness. The situation is rather difficult. My father is…in a tenuous position.”
Kyle’s eyebrows furrowed. “Isn’t he…dead?”
I fluttered my eyelashes, realizing that this situation made little sense to an outsider. “No. He is not, but he is…in limbo.”
Kyle narrowed his eyes as he tried to make sense of it.
“He was shot, likely at the hands of my brother, but that is beside the point.”
“Oh, Nattie, I’m so sorry,” he answered, pulling me closer into an embrace.
“Thank you. But that’s not all of it.” I stepped back, my eyes searching his face. “The bullet is lodged close to his spine. He should have died, but…”
Kyle slid his head forward, his features questioning.
“A close family friend–a physician–froze him.” I allowed the words to sink, waiting to gauge his response.
“Froze him?” Kyle questioned.
“Cryogenically. But…he died, and now, we can’t bring Papa back.” Tears stung my eyes as the direness of my circumstances set in when I dared speak it aloud.
“Someone cryogenically froze your dad?!”
I snapped my gaze up to him, one tear burning its way down my cheek. I’d shocked him, just as I feared I would the moment he found out the sort of lives we led here in Belvaria.
“I mean…that’s not how I meant that to come out. I’m just…a little surprised. I mean, I didn’t think we were there yet technology-wise, but…that’s amazing. Incredible, actually.” He rubbed his chin, his features turning pensive as Nadia quietly slipped into the room.
“Well, as I said, not so incredible because we have no idea how the process works or how to reverse it. We need your help. Desperately. I have no desire to be queen yet, and if we cannot revive Papa…Nikolai will have him declared dead.”
“Yeah, that could present a problem. Although, I think you’ll make a pretty awesome queen.”
Except I wouldn’t be queen if Nikolai had his way. And I couldn’t address that issue just yet. It was too soon. I didn’t want a marriage based out of necessity.
“Thank you, but I would very much prefer to have my father back.”
Kyle studied me for a moment. “And…you think I can help?”
I bobbed my head. “You’re a doctor, right?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, but…I mean, I’m not…I’m not up on all the research. I’m just a guy who’s good with a scalpel, you know?”
I threaded my fingers through his. “We have all the research. But we cannot make sense of it. And there’s no one else I can trust.”
His shoulders slumped, and he cupped my cheek in his hand. “I’ll help in any way I can, Nattie. Just…get me the information and give me some time to sort through it, and we’ll see what we can do, okay? We’ll do this together.”
He lifted our intertwined hands, offering me a soft grin.
I returned his expression, relief coursing through me. “Thank you.”
We held each other’s gazes for a moment before he said, “So, uh, is there a notebook or something.”
“I will do you one better, doctor,” Nadia said as she stepped forward, having slipped into the room quietly as we spoke. “I’ll take you straight to the laboratory.”
Kyle’s eyebrows shot up, and he nodded. “All right. Perfect. Yeah, let’s see what we’re dealing with firsthand.”
“Excellent. Now, we can’t exactly tell you where he’s being kept, can we?”
Kyle frowned. “Uh… that’s gonna make it a little harder, huh?”
“Not really,” Nadia said, producing a needle, its tip glinting. “Just a little pinch.”
“Wait, wait—hold on,” Kyle said, backing away slightly, his hands raised. “Can’t we just…I don’t know, put a bag over my head or something?”
“And risk you seeing something we don’t want you to? Not a chance,” Nadia replied, her voice calm as she approached.
“Wait, just wait a sec–“
But Nadia waited for no one. She plunged the needle into his neck and depressed the plunger.
Kyle twisted to face me, his features pinched with worry as his eyes slid back into his head, and he slumped into Stefan’s waiting arms.
“I’m sorry, darling,” I said as I caressed his cheek, my heart heavy. “But we cannot take the chance.”
Would Kyle be able to endure this sort of lifestyle, or would this put him over the edge?