Chapter 17 #2
“Rogelio II was not Key to his Chain. Neither was your father. I’m beginning to think none of the men in this line have ever been Key to their Chains. Marion told us Rogelio II killed his Key, who first tried to kill him. She was a Telekinetic.”
The Princess swayed again, staring into the marble tile like it had answers. She shook her head, her gaze faraway.
“Mother,” Rafe said urgently. “Are you Key to this Chain? You are not as upset about my father’s death as you should be, and as humorous as that may be someday, it’s very much upsetting to me right now.”
“I…” The Princess cleared her throat, looking to Hugo and Eduardo again. “Alejandro…was not my Link. He himself was a Key.”
There was silence for about four seconds, and then Rafe and Wyatt exploded.
“WHAT?” Rafe roared.
“HOW?” Wyatt was just as loud.
I took a few steps back, bumping into Aiden’s chest, and he wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on the top of my head.
“We were childhood sweethearts!” The Princess cried defensively.
“The only time I ever saw you speak to him directly was after I almost killed him!” Wyatt snapped.
“Yes, well. Feelings change, Craig. Ask your father about that,” she sneered.
Aiden’s arms tightened around me as I moved toward the Princess for the second time today. Wyatt’s expression went blank, his gaze shuttering as he backed away slowly.
“What’s wrong with you?” I hissed, drawing glares from two of her Links. Rafe glared back.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” the Princess cleared her throat. “I’m sorry…Wyatt.”
Wyatt shook his head, turning his back on us and moving to stand closer to the unlit fireplace. My chest ached.
Rafe’s dark eyes narrowed on his mother as he hedged, “‘Feelings change’?”
“Unfortunately,” the Princess said hoarsely. “When we realized we weren’t meant to be, we…decided to lie. Mainly to my father, but as we found my true Links, Alejandro grew bitter. My father had already taken a liking to him.”
“He favored him,” Eduardo corrected, his tone taking on the most personality I’d heard from him. “As the King grew sick and the courts began to argue, Alejandro started to think he’d be the one to have the throne.”
We all took a moment for the words to sink in. Aiden blew out a breath above me, and I shook my head slowly. “Where were his Links?”
“I don’t know,” the Princess answered quietly. “He never spoke of them. I’m not even sure if he ever did his testing.”
“I don’t think he did,” Hugo said. “He wouldn’t have wanted to jeopardize his position in this Chain.”
“Why did you insist on keeping him?” Rafe finally spoke. “After the breakdown, what happened?!”
The Princess stood taller. “You, my sweet boy. You happened. That man was the father to my only child; the new Heir to the throne that I desperately needed to produce to give myself some legitimacy. I couldn’t send him away.”
“That’s a horrible reason to stay with someone,” Wyatt spoke from his spot by the mantle, the complete opposite side of the room from Rafe. “That’s the worst reason to stay with someone.”
The Princess ignored him. “I made the choice any woman would make. I chose the man who gave me a child. You’ll understand one day.
” The other Links shifted uncomfortably at that.
“Besides, we had to keep up appearances. If I’d truly shunned him, my father would’ve started asking questions.
The only time he ever showed any true interest in me was when I began collecting my Links. ”
Rafe scrubbed a hand down his face.
“As for the dungeons…besides the rumor, I never had reason to investigate.”
“Of course not,” Rafe said sarcastically. “This is only your home, where you live, in your kingdom where you would one day reign supreme. Why should you bother wandering downstairs?”
“Rafe,” Eduardo nearly whispered.
“Come on,” Julio warned.
“You’ve never had anything to say to me before and you will not begin now,” Rafe snapped. “Please spare my Key your bullshit and put your heads back in the sand.”
Aiden’s abs jumped against my back as he tried to hold in a laugh.
All of Ramira’s Links, minus Raaz, looked to her, expecting her to scold Rafe.
She didn’t.
“Where is my father?” Rafe asked. “We must have a ceremony at once. The fact that it’s been nearly a week and an announcement hasn’t been made is already a problem.”
Ramira took a deep breath, staring hard at Rafe before she dropped her gaze, hunching her shoulders slightly. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?” I blurted.
Eduardo ran a hand over his face while Julio and Hugo both carefully avoided our gazes.
“What do you mean?” Wyatt barked from the corner. “He is dead, isn’t he?”
“I’m not so sure,” Ramira whispered. “I didn’t see him.”
Rafe covered his eyes with his hand. “Did anyone actually see him dead?”
The Princess swallowed thickly. “Well, that’s the problem, you see. Lucille Brandt was seemingly the only one to see him.”
“She was squawking about it for hours after the fire,” Julio muttered. “We only cared about your whereabouts when you couldn’t be found.”
Rafe shook his head like he didn’t believe that last comment.
“My mother was the only one to see him dead?” Aiden asked carefully.
The Princess nodded, not meeting his gaze. “She was…quite upset about it.”
“He might not be dead,” I whispered.
“What?” The Princess glared at me, but I only focused on Rafe, ignoring her.
“Rafe? Lucille is in the cult. The Crusader and your dad were about to fight when I got away from them. If she’s saying he’s dead, but there’s no body…he might be alive.”
“That’s a fine deduction,” Raaz said softly. Ramira gave him a sharp look.
Rafe pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course it is, my Key is nothing if not brilliant.”
I dropped my gaze quickly, my cheeks flaming as every eye was on me again.
“How much of a problem is this cult?” Ramira asked hoarsely. “Rafe?”
“A huge problem,” Rafe replied, still watching me as I started to squirm. “Mother, what do you remember of the Gulf Capitol Massacre?”