8. Penelope
Penelope
For days I focused on nothing but training.
I fought. I learned. I let myself get lost in preparing for the trials.
I knew Vaughn was upset over King Lawrence’s invitation, but there was nothing I could do but attend.
It would be nothing. A mistake on the king’s part.
Once he saw what a cold, standoffish prude I’d become, he’d surely see his mistake and move on.
That was my plan. I’d be whiny. Weak. A woman afraid of her own shadow.
If that didn’t work, I’d turn into a witch. I’d do whatever I had to to leave a bitter taste in his mouth so he left me alone.
The trials needed to be my focus.
Not the king.
Not Katia.
The trials.
Yet… the two were never far from my mind. I saw them when I swung. When I made impact against my attackers. I saw everything.
I didn’t see this…
Achoo!
Able’s eyes were red-rimmed as he sneezed for the millionth time.
Achoo!
“I can’t take it. Switching the flowers to another room did nothing. I can’t…. stop…”— Achoo! “Can you tell King Lawrence to not send anymore? I think I’m…” He paused, his lids lowering as his lips parted. I waited for the sneeze, but he groaned instead, pinching his nose. “Allergic.”
“Poor Able. I will throw them out. How about that?”
“Please. You’d be a true saint. I… can’t—” Achoo!
I laughed, heading into the sitting room to grab the vase. At seeing Theodore walk up, I picked up the flowers, running for the front door. I pulled it open just as he stepped onto the porch.
“Oh, for me? You really shouldn’t have.”
I looked down at what I held, laughing and waving him in. The loud sneeze behind me had me cringing.
“Sorry, come in. I have to get rid of these. Able has allergies. I’ll put them in the back.”
I jogged through, swinging open the back door and jolting to a stop as I met green eyes. They were just as surprised as I was.
“You.”
I didn’t think. I threw the vase right at Katia with every ounce of hate I had for her. She easily deflected it, sending roses and water flying out in all directions. Her gaze jerked over my shoulder.”
“You made a big mistake, Penelope.”
“Not as big as you.”
I didn’t wait. I ran right for her, but she was already turning and sprinting to the back wall.
The speed at which she ran was impressive.
She used the small retaining wall as a step, springing to catch the top of the cement divider that secluded our garden.
Before I could get close, she was up and disappearing over.
I scanned the area about to step onto the divider, but air blew by me.
Able passed at lightning speed, jumping up to the wall and looking over.
His head turned back and forth, and he cursed as he held his place at the top of the wall.
“Hey!” He turned and pointed to an upper window where I knew one of the men were. “Son of a bitch. Where the hell did she go?” He climbed down, making his way back to me. “Inside.”
Able led me in, locking the door and yelling as he pushed me towards the stairs.
“Track her! I want to know where the fuck she’s staying. It’s not the townhome she was linked to before. Find her!”
“She’s a sneaky little devil, isn’t she?”
At Theodore’s question, I nodded.
“The worst.” I gestured to the sitting room, following him in there. He took a seat on an emerald-colored velvet settee, and I took the matching chair. “Tell me about the meeting with the king. What happened?”
“I do believe he doesn’t like me.”
I smiled. “Impossible.” I paused. “How bad was it?”
Theodore twisted his mouth becoming deadly serious. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen that expression on him before.
“Well, we were right that it was because of you. For a while, he just wanted information. What were your qualities. How was your temperament. Then, food. Hobbies. I shut him down. I told him I didn’t see how any of that had to do with him.”
“You didn’t.”
Theodore smiled, not full of mischievousness but with anger. Real anger. It was terrifying… Like looking at a stranger.
“He treated me like I was no one. Like what you and I shared meant nothing. Not that we do share anything,” he said, quickly. “But he doesn’t know that. It pissed me off.”
“So, what happened after you told him it was not his concern?”
Theodore’s face hardened. “He said I could be with anyone. I could find someone more… suited to my tastes.”
My eyes widened as he continued.
“The nerve. He then offered me a goldmine.”
“That much money?”
“No, the deed to an actual goldmine.”
“Oh.” My brow creased.
“I told him no thanks. So, then came the estates. I yawned.”
I smiled as Theodore rolled his eyes.
“At that point, I was just pissed. I told him I was late for an appointment and had to go. That’s when he said it.”
My mouth opened through the significance and Theodore shrugged.
“That’s when he said, you’re not even going to ask for your title back?”
“… Did you? What did you say?”
“I told him that you loved me without it. That I didn’t need it.”
A smile grew as I took him in. “You are an amazing man, Theodore Hart. Anyone else would have jumped at the chance. You didn’t just cave, you stayed loyal.”
“Loyalty is the only thing that matters. King Lawrence is a snake, Penelope. I don’t have a good feeling about that man.
I don’t like him. I spend my days with criminals, and I’m pretty damn good at reading people.
King Lawrence is not who he appears to be.
Even as he was tonight…” His head shook.
“That wasn’t the real him. Not entirely. ”
I got quiet, going over his words.
“What did Vaughn say?”
He gave me a look. “I held back the worst of it. He’s already worried enough. I thought I’d warn you. You’re going to be the one stuck with him for four days. I think it’s a mistake. I really wish you’d reconsider.”
“And say what? Sorry, but I’ve changed my mind?”
“Tell him I said no.”
I laughed. “You sound like Vaughn. Think, Theodore. He is the king, and he’s asked me to accompany him to a Highland Hunt. That’s not a dinner date. In the eyes of the public, that’s the holy grail for a woman like me. What would happen if I said no after already committing?”
He bared his teeth in aggravation. “The press would ruin you. He’d make sure of it.
They’d spin a false story, and you’d never hear the end of it.
It would haunt you for the rest of your days.
If Vaughn were to become king… It would be bad.
They would look at you like the enemy. It would make things harder for him. ”
“Yes. And what would happen if I went and made it apparent that we were not compatible? He would see it. Those attending would see it. It would be obvious, and we could part ways on civil terms.”
Theo’s head still shook. “I don’t believe he’s going to make it that easy. It’s not in his personality. I can’t see him giving you up. I just… I don’t like it.”
“None of us do. It’s four days. I’ll have Able and Mark with me. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Even as I said it, I knew better.
It only took one moment for life to completely change.
Boots pounded down the stairs and before Theodore could answer, Able headed in.
“Gone. We lost her a few townhomes down. I have The Reeve seeing what he can do to get more security that way. She knew our weak spots and she capitalized on them. She got to the back. It won’t happen again.”
“No, it won’t, because I want her at The Order before we leave for Scotland. I have enough on my mind without having to worry about her too. This ends.”
Able nodded. “I’m ready when the Unavowed gives the go.”
“He will. We’ll do this on the next Holy Night. One of you can camp out in the SUV, but Katia will believe I will leave here by myself. She won’t be able to resist following. If I can get her into the parking garage and through the door to The Order, we can lock her in. Escape will be impossible.”
“It’s getting her in that’s the issue.” Theo leaned back on the sofa. “That one is a trained assassin. She’s not stupid. She may follow you, but whether or not she’ll go through that door, I don’t know.”
“She has to. I’m finished playing her game. Holy Night is two days away. I leave for Scotland in five. I will not worry about her following or… worse.”
Silence settled, but it didn’t bring comfort. It sharpened my words, giving them weight.
Katia.
The king.
Two different threats, moving toward the same end.
For the first time, I wasn’t preparing to survive. I was preparing to lead.