Chapter 8 #2
Bàba was still downstairs, and Mia, Jack, and Rosie wouldn’t be there for another hour.
Angie left her door ajar, sitting cross-legged on her bed with the seaflute.
A low humming emerged overhead as the boiler roared to life, followed by the slapping of Bàba’s slippers as he walked away from the boiler room.
Kaden answered the moment she had finished swiping the last Renyuhua character of his name. “Hi, my love.”
Angie laid the manila folders and binders, a mix of five in total, across the bed and pulled out her phone, opening the camera app to take photos of the papers.
She could study them on the plane ride back and when she had a break at school.
“Hey, you. Wanted to see how you were doing and how the funeral was.”
“I’m not sure,” Kaden replied. “The citizens are unhappy with me. My uncle—I don’t know. He’s doing his best to protect our queendom, and he says the right things, but Adrielle and Cyrus told me they had some concerns about him.”
“Like what?” Angie kept her full attention to him as he listed off their grievances.
“He wants revenge for my mother’s death,” he finished. “There’s explanations for all of their worries though.”
“Do you know if he’s planning to retaliate?” Angie’s heartbeat quickened. “So, we can prepare ourselves here.”
“No, he hasn’t mentioned any plans.” A pause. “Still, sometimes I think about what it would be like if I took the throne instead.”
Angie raised her eyebrows, though Kaden couldn’t see her. “Did you change your mind?”
“I know I made the right decision giving it to Uncle Saeryn. I’m not the right mer for it.”
Angie stared at the seaflute as if it were his beautiful face. “You don’t think you would make a good leader?”
“No, I would want to help everyone.”
“Huh?” Angie scratched at her temple. “Sounds like that would make you a great leader.” When he didn’t respond right away, she continued. “That’s not the real reason, is it?”
“I don’t feel worthy. I was only ever supposed to be a spare to swim in Cyrus’ wake. My mother and father always told me my job was to stay behind and support him.”
Angie knew the sentiment. Though the new generations were slowly changing their mindset on it, old school Chinese beliefs stated that the oldest son, or son-in-law, took charge of the family’s business and household, and younger siblings were expected to show their support and respect for the new family head.
Kaden continued. “I grew content with that role, and I never questioned it, so I spent my time exploring and helping marine animals.”
“I understand,” Angie said softly. “But you can always learn the role. Didn’t you say Cyrus would teach you?”
“He did, but also, I don’t have the charisma—the ability to make everyone love me like Cyrus does—no matter what he teaches me,” Kaden said with a groan.
“Kaden,” she whispered. “Who did this to you? Who made you believe all this negativity about yourself?”
“My family. Even Cyrus sometimes,” he mumbled. “They never believed I’d ever amount to more than a spare heir.”
The sentiment crushed Angie’s heart. “I don’t know why you think you don’t have the ability to make people and mer love you.
” Angie stood and looked outside her window.
A dense forest laid before her overlooking the ocean, a lighthouse peeking above it, a ball of light swinging around it. “You made me love you.”
“You’re easy to love and I would love you even if you think you aren’t. Easy to love, that is. There’s no such thing as a difficult woman. Only one who knows her worth.”
“Well, when you put it that way—” Angie kept her gaze zeroed in at her feet. “—You know what your uncle’s going to do? You think he’ll try to make peace with us?”
“I’m not sure. When I spoke with him last, he said he wanted to help me restore my reputation.
Before that, he said he wanted to find the criminals that killed my mother—” There was a brief moment of silence, and at that moment, he sounded as if he choked out his next words. “And bring peace to the queendom.”
“I’m still looking on my end.” Angie caught him up on her and Stefan’s efforts today.
“Tell him I said hello, will you?” His voice quieted.
“I will, and you’ll update me if anything happens on your end, right?”
“Yes, I will send word on the tides.”
Angie wrinkled her brow with confusion. “What?”
“I’ll send word on the—”
“No, no, I heard what you said, but what exactly does that mean?”
“Oh, only that I will keep you informed of events as they happen,” he replied.
“Looks like I still have more to learn about mer sayings.”
Kaden’s laugh was hearty and set her nerves alight with a passing moment of joy. “We have time. I’ll teach you as we go.”
Angie grinned, but her cheeks deflated a moment later. “Did you get a chance to see a healer?”
“Oh, yes. They told me nothing was wrong, that I was tired and needed to rest.”
“I see. Well, I hope you feel better soon.” Angie chewed on one of her knuckles as another thought came to her. “You don’t think there’s a possibility he’ll start a war with us again, do you?”
“He’s a good king and he’ll do a good job. Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to stop my uncle from starting another war.”
A soft “okay” left her lips.
The fact that he evaded her question, and the waver of uncertainty in his tone, didn’t escape her.