Chapter 23
NAOMI
Ididn't sleep that night. Partially because of fear and my hand kept drifting to my stomach, trying to process the fact that there was a life growing there.
Our baby.
I should have been panicking about how this changed everything. Instead, I felt protective. Fierce. Like something had shifted inside me the moment I learned about this tiny life. No one was going to hurt my child, especially Simon the coward.
When dawn came, I was ready. Rowan and I walked to the chapel in silence. The morning air was crisp, cold enough to see our breath.
"You don't have to do this," he said quietly. "We can find another way."
"No. This is the fastest way to end it. To keep everyone safe."
"You're very brave."
"I'm very angry," I corrected. "There's a difference."
We reached the chapel—a small stone building overgrown with ivy. Beautiful in an eclectic sort of way.
"Kellan's in position," Rowan said, touching his ear where a small comm device was hidden. "We're ready."
We didn't have to wait long. Simon appeared ten minutes later, another guard with him. Younger, meaner looking.
"Right on time," Simon said. "I knew you couldn't resist playing hero. You told them. I could tell by the way they kept looking at me during dinner. I figured I’d kill you both before doing the same to your parents."
"Do you think it’ll be that easy?" Rowan asked.
"I do." Simon smiled. "See, you royal bloodlines are always underestimating us."
"Us?" Rowan asked.
"Those of us who were born as non-royals.
Those who had to fight for scraps while people like you and her parents lived in luxury.
" His expression twisted. "Taking her was supposed to level the playing field.
Naomi here was going to carry my child, turning my lineage royal.
But that bitch Omega ruined everything when she tried to run. "
"So you killed her." I hissed at him.
"I made an example of her. And I would have killed you too if you weren’t so damn important to the plan. I should have killed you back then." He pulled out a knife. "But I'm going to fix that mistake now."
He moved. Fast. But Rowan was faster.