Chapter 16
Two Days Prior - Edras Mora
Jai had been actively ignoring Princess Adaryn’s upcoming betrothal, but upon seeing her arm wrapped in her husband-to-be’s, he could ignore it no longer. His blood boiled, and his heartbeat pounded in his ears so loudly that he had not heard them announce their presence when they had crossed paths in the hallway.
“Jai?” Adaryn’s voice cut through the haze, her big brown eyes large with concern.
“My Lady,” Everett replied, bowing low. “We were just on our way to consult with the king about the horses for the wedding entrance.”
Jai couldn’t be more thankful that his friend was quick on his feet.
“Yes, we just have a few final details to go over with him,” Jai added, mirroring Everett’s bow.
For some odd reason, Adaryn burst out laughing, and neither Jai nor Everett could figure out why. They lifted their brows at each other, waiting for her to compose herself.
“Oh, you two, you can stop with the disingenuous formalities,” she said, still giggling.
Duke Erick looked at her, humor also painting a smile on his narrow lips. “Should we put them out of their misery?”
“Yes”—she nodded—“I think we should.”
Everett and Jai looked as confused as ever, so the duke clarified for them by crossing the menial distance between where they stood and planting a passionate kiss on Everett’s unsuspecting lips. Then he ran a hand through his perfectly coiffed golden-blond hair and flashed a smile of perfect teeth. “I missed you, farm boy.”
“And I you,” Adaryn said, following suit and giving Jai a smooch before tucking herself against his chest.
His heart was beating rapidly against his rib cage, and when she feared the shock might be too much for him, she explained further. “The marriage was strictly to help strengthen each of our countries. The duke and I are good friends.”
“And Erick and I are more than good friends,” Everett said, his blush almost matching the soft pink of his lips.
“You didn’t think to mention this earlier?” Jai grated out, obviously feeling left in the dark.
“I, like you, didn’t want to risk causing issues with the wedding,” Everett replied.
“Right,” Jai said, running a hand through his long hair and stepping back from Adaryn.
“And you did not want to mention this to me last night?” he said with a raised brow.
She shrugged off the quip. “If I recall correctly, we were otherwise occupied.”
Jai nearly choked on the breath he had been trying to suck in and looked to the duke, gauging his response.
He clapped Jai on the shoulder, chuckling. “C’mon, Jai, we’ve known each other since childhood. I would never come in and steal your girl. Though, I do have to say: what the hell were you thinking leaving her like that? I had to do damage control for months!”
Jai didn’t even bother arguing because he knew Erick was right. Instead, he tried to change the subject.
“And what about you two?” he asked, looking to Everett. “How long has this been going on?”
“Well, there was that one time when we were about sixteen, and then we rekindled things when he began to court Adaryn.”
“And you were okay with this?” Jai asked her.
“Of course,” she replied, as if it was the most ridiculous question in the world. “Who am I to stop our friend from finding his own happiness. Besides, I was heartbroken. The last thing I needed was Father parading me around in corsets and petticoats in front of all the eligible bachelors.”
“I see,” Jai replied, scratching at his beard. He was due for a trim soon. “And what about when it came to producing an heir?”
Adaryn was surprisingly unruffled by the question and waved her hand as she responded, “We were going to deal with the semantics later, but I do believe it would have involved an item used for basting pheasant.”
At this, they all burst out in laughter, finally breaking the spell of awkwardness that had settled over them.
“So, now that we have all that out of the way, care to explain why you’re back?” Adaryn said then added a fiery, “Because I know you didn’t come back for me.”
Taking that as their cue to leave, Erick and Everett sauntered back down the hallway, toward the stables.
Jai shifted from foot to foot, not knowing where to start. “Maybe we should head to the gardens. You’ll probably want to sit when I tell you why I’m really here.”
She nodded, letting him lead the way.
The gardens were located in a central courtyard, in the middle of the castle grounds, and housed an array of beautiful plants and shrubs. Her seat of choice was an intricately carved wooden bench, and Jai joined her, taking care to sit an appropriate distance away.
“So, I guess I’ll just start from the beginning …”
* * *
The amountof expletives that shot from Adaryn’s mouth had to be some kind of record. She paced back and forth in front of the bench, going through a new wave of emotion with every piece of the puzzle Jai laid out before her—shock being the main reaction. If the servants were surprised by her behavior, they didn’t show it. Adaryn was known to be feisty, so they all just skittered by, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping.
“So,” she said, trying to gather herself, “you are to be king, then?”
Jai sighed loudly. “I guess so. I mean, unless you feel like leading Patrivah into a war that cannot be escaped where everyone is likely to die.”
She shook her head violently at the thought. “Absolutely not,” she said with finality. “You are the blooded son of the king—it has to be you.” Adaryn was usually one to balk at tradition, but when it came to responsibilities to the crown, she had always done what was necessary for the benefit of her country.
This is why you would have made the perfect queen,Jai thought.
Adaryn took his hand, momentarily forgetting herself, and then released it, smoothing her skirts to cover the action. She looked around, hoping no one had noticed the affectionate exchange. “I should warn you,” she said in a hushed tone. “Father has not been well.”
“What do you mean?”
“He has been losing weight for weeks now. He can’t seem to keep anything down. He grows weaker by the day.”
“Where is he?” Jai asked, concern etched between his brows.
“In his rooms. We have a healer on site who checks in twice a day, but he has yet to discover what is wrong.”
Jai stood, his face a mask of newfound resolve for his mission.
“Take me to him.”
* * *
Adaryn had beengenerous with her description of the state of the king’s withering body. The healer had just been leaving as they arrived and gave Adaryn a small, sad nod, no doubt a silent confirmation that his status had not improved.
They entered the chambers, and Adaryn dismissed the guards stationed at the doors. “Jai and I wish to speak to my father alone,” she told them. It was not a request.
When she heard the door click behind them, she rushed to the bedside and took the king’s hand. “Papa,” she said quietly, tears blurring the edges of her vision.
When there was no response, Jai stepped closer and placed a reassuring hand on her back.
“He is in and out of consciousness most days.” She sniffed. “Today must be a silent day.”
“We will figure it out together,” he said, unsure of how else to provide her comfort.
“Papa,” she said, trying again. “Papa, I have brought someone to see you.” Her voice was like a child’s. “Jai has returned to us.”
The words seemed to pull the man from the precipice of death, and his once bright eyes flitted open to reveal murky brown irises. He opened his mouth to speak then waved a hand toward his night table. Adaryn rushed to poor some water into his parched mouth, and he began to speak through cracked lips.
“My son,” he said, his eyes landing on Jai, “you have come back.”
“Yes,” Jai said, needing to get to the point quickly in case the king’s consciousness slipped again. “I have come to take my rightful place as heir to the throne. I will ensure Adaryn’s safety and well-being, but there is a war coming, and we need an army.” It was a lot to drop on a dying man, but he wanted the king to know he would keep his promise to protect Adaryn at all costs.
“Slow down, son,” the king wheezed out, waving a hand for more water.
King Otis had always been on the heavier side, having had access to the finer things in life, so seeing him in such a state made Jai’s chest ache. He had to have lost nearly eighty pounds, and his once overstretched skin seemed to lay limp on his bones. His eyes were sunken, and his hair seemed to be falling out. It looked as though he had aged thirty years in a matter of months.
The king flicked his tongue out of his mouth to wet his lips then spoke again. “I am sorry I was not the father you needed, but I am thankful you became the son I always wanted,” he started. “I have no doubt you will take care of Adaryn. I only ask that you treat her better than I treated her mother and the late queen. If the last few months have taught me anything, it is that life is short. The riches I have spent my lifetime accumulating mean so little now. A stack of gold isn’t going to come to my bedside, saying how much it’s going to miss me.” He was overtaken by a coughing fit, and when he placed the cream-colored handkerchief back on the bed in front of him, Adaryn and Jai noticed it was speckled in blood.
Adaryn’s lip quivered, and she bit it to keep from wailing. Jai grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly while they listened. He had never felt particularly close to the man who lay before him, but in that moment, he couldn’t help but have sympathy for him.
“Did you ever find my great-great-grandfather’s lost treasure?” King Otis asked wistfully.
“Sorry to disappoint,” Jai replied, “but no, I did not.”
“I think you did,” the king responded, smiling fondly at Adaryn. “Looking back, I think he created those tunnels to protect his most valued treasures—his family.”
Adaryn was openly sobbing now, tears flowing in solemn rivers down her face. “You’ll get better,” she choked out. “Once the healer figures out what is ailing you, we will fashion a cure.”
The king reached up a shaky hand and wiped a tear from her face. “My dear girl, I have accepted this is my time. You must do so, also. Jai will need a partner as fierce as you if he is to win this war that is about to come.”
“We don’t know how to lead a country,” she said, defeated. “We need you.”
“Adaryn”—he lifted her chin to meet his eyes once more—“you have been running the country alone for months now.”
“I would hardly say that. I?—”
The king used a hand to cut her off. “You have done more for Edras Mora in the last few months than I did in all my years on the throne. Trust yourself and trust each other.” He looked to Jai. “You are the leaders of this province now.”
Adaryn stood and wiped her face, letting his final words fill her with strength. She would keep it together. If not for her dying father, or Jai, but for this kingdom.
Finding her fortitude, she cleared her voice and spoke for them both when she said, “For Edras Mora.”
To which the king replied, “For family,” and took his last breath.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later,Adaryn finally released her father’s hand and walked to the wash basin to clean her face. She was still a bit shaken at his sudden passing, but more so that if it weren’t for Jai’s unexpected arrival, he would have passed without her being by his side.
She walked over to him one last time and kissed his forehead. It was still surprisingly warm. The sensation unsettled her.
She stood back as Jai walked forward and touched the king’s feet over the blanket, pressing his fingertips to his forehead as was accustomed in Vakari. He was preparing to say his last words to his father when the door to the chambers creaked open.
“We are not finished!” Adaryn yelled, assuming it was one of the guards getting nosy.
When the door continued to move, her mouth parted to yell again, but she stopped short when her uncle walked in.
“Now, what have we here?” he asked, looking at Jai hungrily. “The tracker has returned. Our hero,” he sneered. The wretch of a man had yet to even notice Adaryn’s red-rimmed eyes or the fact that his brother’s body was now devoid of life.
“August,” Jai said, clenching his fists.
“Why the hostility?” he asked with a saccharine smile, revealing yellowing teeth. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“No,” Jai growled angrily. He took a step toward the man, grinding out every word in the sentence that followed. “I am not happy to see the man who tried to have me murdered.”