26. Penelope
Penelope
Burning.
Fire.
The excruciating pain broke through the darkness, providing flickers of memory that felt like a dream. I flew up gasping, falling to the side at the lightheadedness that made the bed feel as if the mattress was shifting away from me.
A cry left my mouth from the burning, and I managed to sit up, angling my head down to take in the dry blood and burnt skin on my chest. I tugged down the black silk nightgown I was dressed in, not able to stop the pants from turning deeper through my panic.
A… sword.
A sword piercing my crown, going through it as if to show defeat.
My mind raced as I let go and searched the room in alarm.
The king…
He saw…
He knew?
My head flew up at the possible realization.
Vaughn…
He hadn’t been answering his phone. I’d… left Glenbrae, but then… I’d…”
The cry came back through the fire that still existed, and my hand lifted and curled into a fist at my head.
Memories were barely there.
Words were warping amid the sickening throb that seemed to drum with every heartbeat.
King Lawrence. He’d been here talking to me… touching me… kissing me?
My hand flattened on my stomach through the cramping. All the concerns over the king disappeared as more came back. The pain. The blood. It was all such a fog but… real?
I nearly collapsed again as I fought to jerk up the length of the silk nightgown, pushing my hand between my legs. Panties… A pad…
Air caught through the sob, and my head shook as I pushed past the lining, removing my fingers to see it on my fingertips—blood.
Trembling shook me, and the denial was immediate as I screamed. The volume was so loud. So full of the pain that was killing me.
No.
This wasn’t real. None of this could have happened.
We were on the plane. I was sick… And then I was with King Lawrence…
in his… lap.” Colors blurred. Lord Summerlyn…
blood. My baby. Gone? And I was stripped from my clothes…
Nothing. Nothing but whispers. Touches. Kissing?
But I had not been wearing this. And I hadn’t had the new brand.
No.
Refusal was immediate through the lingering disorientation.
King Lawrence would be here if that was all true. Right?
My arm lifted. I turned my hand over, trying to ignore my bloody fingertips as I took in the area where the IV had been. Gauze. But…
No. No. No.
I eased to the edge of the bed, holding to my stomach. Aching took over almost every inch of me, and I felt more blood leave me. My body seized from my movement. Nausea had me covering my mouth as a gag threatened to come.
Nothing was right. Each step was off balance. The drugs. Whatever they’d been giving me was still in my system. I had to get out of here. I had to get home.
Even as the thought registered, getting my body to comply was almost impossible. I scanned the room seeing nothing of mine. No purse. Even my clothes were gone. I couldn’t wait.
My steps were clumsy as I made it to my door and opened it. Terror had me trying to stay quiet. What if King Lawrence was still here?
My head peeked out.
There were no guards posted at either end of the hall. There were no aides. It still didn’t make me feel safe. Something was wrong. Shouldn’t someone be here? If not King Lawrence, then Vaughn?
Did he not come for me?
The thought was baffling.
It didn’t feel right. I had talked to Vaughn. He’d been with…
Another sob came as I used the wall to keep my balance.
Theodore. Our poor, sweet Theodore. He’d been attacked. He had almost died and probably would have had had Katia not told Vaughn about the contract.
The room pitched, and I crashed to my knees, heaving. Bile poured from my mouth, and the pain in my stomach intensified. My eyes rolled, and darkness began to fade in.
Pushing my fingers into the wood, I stayed on all fours as I let the lightheadedness pass.
I wasn’t sure how much time went by before I was able to stand again and walk along the wall.
When I finally made it to the entrance, I knew the king was gone.
If anyone was here, I couldn’t see them.
But why would I? My parents used to have more servants.
Their job was to stay invisible. Maybe they were too afraid.
I was afraid… It’s why I didn’t call out. I didn’t know who I could trust.
I opened the door, shivering as the cool air met me. Smoke left my mouth, and I walked outside, stumbling towards the stables and the garage area. That’s where they’d parked the vehicles before, and I needed one.
Tears. They continued to fall. Pain. Heartbreak. Questions.
I didn’t allow myself to feel the pain of losing my baby. I couldn’t right now. I had to be strong. I had to get home. But as much as I tried not to think about it, the truth was too much. The evidence left me with every step. And I couldn’t escape it.
The cost of my life with Vaughn had been blood. I’d gained access to The Order because of it. And now… I was leaving Scotland with no baby and… more blood.
Everything came at a price. That price was life.
Vaughn was right.
He knew.
And I was the fool who thought herself smarter than a sadistic king.
I headed into the large garage, taking in two vehicles. The first was an SUV, and the second was a small car. I opened the door of the first, jumping at the voice that sounded behind me.
“Your Grace—”
I spun, feeling my hands come to my mouth as sobs escaped. It was a boy. Young. Barely eighteen, if that. He was a stable boy I recognized from when I was preparing for the hunt.
A ragged breath left me, and his hands came up, slowly.
“Your Grace… Are you okay?”
“N-No,” I sobbed, trying to calm the nerves. This wasn’t King Lawrence. I was okay. I had to focus. “Please. Help me.”
The boy walked up, slowing as he took in the brand on my chest.
“You’re injured.”
“Do you have a phone?”
“No, My Lady. There is a phone in the house.”
“I can’t go back in there. I have to leave. Can you take me to the airport? Can you drive me? I am not well. I am sick and… in pain. Please.”
He gave a nod, hesitantly reaching for me as he helped me in the back seat.
As he got in the driver’s side and began to pull out, I could feel the fog of shock setting in.
The drugs in my system rolled through again, and I tried my hardest not to be sick.
As I gave the boy the location of the smaller airport, I prayed Vaughn’s plane was still there.
What if the king had seized it? What if Rowan and Mark were still inside… dead? Hadn’t he said they had been killed?
More sobs.
More tears.
The boy kept looking back at me. He was afraid. The unease was written all over his face as he kept stealing peeks at the brand on my chest.
This wasn’t happening.
This couldn’t be real.
Even as it continued to loop, I knew it was. Even if I didn’t understand what was going on, this was no nightmare. Not one I could wake up from. I was in trouble. Maybe even Vaughn was in trouble.
It was all I could think about as a small sound left me at seeing the plane.
“I’m afraid I can’t walk very well. You have to help me find the pilots. They have to be close by. Can you search for them for me? I promise I will pay you well. I just need… I need to go home.”
I sniffled, wiping the tears as he nodded.
The boy pulled up next to a large hanger that was connected to a smaller building and an even smaller cluster of what looked like rooms.
He jumped from the SUV, racing toward the hanger first. As he disappeared inside, I felt my face bury in my hands.
I would not be sick.
I would not be weak.
Home.
I’d get home, and then I’d… I’d fucking… think. I’d get to the bottom of all of this. The sickness. The bleeding. The murder of my men.
Think.
Home.
I lifted, laying my head back as I closed my lids. It was so hard to keep my eyes open. My stomach felt like it was boiling with acid.
Minutes passed. Darkness blanketed me. Sleep beckoned.
The door being opened pulled me from all of it.
“Got ‘em, My Lady. They were in their rooms. They’re already heading to the plane.”
I followed his finger, seeing the two men. I didn’t wait. I moved to the edge of the seat, letting the boy help me stand. By the time we were getting to the plane, the door was already down. He helped me up the stairs, and I spun right into him at the large blood stains…
It was a truth I couldn’t take in my moment.
Arms came around me, and I sobbed, turning back to face what I had caused. I saw my purse, and I reached for it, taking out my wallet.
I took out all the cash, handing it to him, watching as his eyes widened and his head shook. “Take it. All of it. You have no idea how much you have helped me. I will make sure more gets to you soon. You have to go. Tell no one what you’ve seen. Not a soul.”
He nodded, swallowing hard.
“Never, Your Grace.”
He turned, leaving the plane, and I saw a pilot come out and secure the door behind him.
“Get us the fuck out of here as fast as you can.”
“Immediately, Intended. Buckle up.”
And I did. Opening my purse, I reached in, pulling out my phone. I called Vaughn’s number, feeling sick as he didn’t answer. The plane moved, and I placed the phone inside my purse, reaching for my ginger chews.
Tears burned my eyes as I stared at the blood on the floor. I pulled one out, breaking my gaze to look down at the plastic wrapper that had been twisted closed. The one I held was… looser. Barely even on the candy. I opened the bag wider, seeing how a few were almost exactly the same way.
My eyes shot up at remembering how the candies had been spread over my bed by the physician. At how I’d eaten one on the way to the airport.
I dropped the candy back in the bag like the poison I suspected that it was.
The plane increased speed, and I gripped tightly to the arms of the chair as we began to lift into the air.
My stomach tightened, and I kept my gaze on the large blood stain not two feet from where I was sitting.
The Reeve—Rowan? I turned to take in the other large stain.
I couldn’t continue to sit. They died here. Right here, probably trying to protect me.
The plane leveled out, and I headed for the bathroom, pausing as I could see myself lying on the floor from how sick I’d been. I grabbed towels, running one under water as I went back to the blood.
They deserved better.
They deserved everything.
The thought looped.
Time passed as I scrubbed.
And scrubbed.
And scrubbed.
Until I was sick from the activity and smell. Only then, did I force myself to sit.
Had an hour ever been so long?
I didn’t think so, but I soon found out just how wrong I’d been. The ride from the airport to The Order was much longer.
Each second drug out in panic.
Each minute, questions plagued me on why Vaughn wasn’t answering his phone.
The SUV the pilots had driven me in was barely to a stop in the parking garage when I climbed out. I pushed through the first door, only to watch the guards at the second door freeze in shock at my appearance. Both crashed to their knee, bowing their head.
“Where is The Unavowed?”
“Intended… We will call The Reeve.”
“The Reeve?” My hand V’d at one guard’s chin as I squeezed. “The Reeve has been murdered by King Lawrence. The Reeve and Mark are dead.”
His eyes widened, shooting to the guard next to him, and I let go.
“But you call your Reeve and you tell him to meet me in the Great Hall. Call The Magister and The Unavowed, too. You tell them I’m on my way. I demand answers, and they’re going to give them to me.”
Each step was torture.
Pain zinged.
Cramping twisted. Whether it was from the miscarriage or the poison I suspected, I didn’t know. The guard spoke quickly into his radio, but I didn’t wait.
My hand stayed pressed to my stomach, hating that the pressure eased the pain. I once had cradled the flatness. I dreamed of the day when it would start rounding. I’d even done this as a sign of protection.
All my hand symbolized now was a physical and emotional band aid. The truth only fed the anger that was building with every step.
With every guard I passed.
With every look they cast.
I hated what they saw.
More, I hated what I’d become—
Boots pounded in the distance. A group of guards jolted to a stop as I cut them off at an intersecting hall. They were gathering at the news, and they were going to need to, because I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I wasn’t going to let it stand.
If something happened to Vaughn, I should have been retrieved. I should have been found. Notified. And if he was here… No. He would have come if he could.
I broke into the Great Hall seeing The Magister and The Judic first. The Magister had his hands clasped under his long black robe, and he stood in the middle. Able raced in the room, looking between us. When his gaze jerked back to me, I headed forward.
“Where is The Unavowed?”
I grabbed a knife off the table as I approached, pointing it at the Magister as I walked up.
“Where is my king? Where is The Unavowed?”
Silence.
Able headed closer. His brow drew in as his gaze scanned over my chest and face.
“Penelope—”
“Where is he?”
My voice barely sounded human as I cut off The Magister.
“He is locked in a cell for attempting to go after you.”
My lips parted.
Not dead. Not hurt. A criminal? For trying to rescue me?
“You must understand, The Unavowed could have put The Order at risk if he would have faced King Lawrence.”
I took another step forward, still pointing the knife.
“King Lawrence poisoned me.”
Able’s head snapped to The Magister and The Judic as if he’d had no idea.
“King Lawrence… touched—” I nearly gagged. “And kissed me while I was incapacitated from not only that poison, but another. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t fight.”
“I knew you were taken but—” Able glared at the Magister. “You said she was fine. That we had time.”
The Magister ignored Able, going back to speak to me. “Do you not see the risk, Intended? Do you still not understand what it takes to be queen?”
I took another step, lowering the knife and feeling tears burn my eyes. Something in me didn’t just break at his words… it snapped.
“King Lawrence killed my baby with that poison. I know exactly what it takes to be queen.”
My tone was deathly calm, and I didn’t wait for his response.
I swung the blade wide, slicing through the veil at his throat.
Material gaped open from the force, and blood gushed out like a faucet.
The Magister’s body stepped, falling to the side as he attempted to reach for his throat.
Blood crawled across the floor, and The Judic scrambled back.
Guards looked around the room, half in shock, half in confusion on what to do.
I pointed the knife at The Judic, but my eyes cut to Able.
“Arrest them. Harm to the Intended or future queen is harm to the Crown, itself. Take them to The Throne Room so The Unavowed can choose their fate. I want the entire guard lined up.” I paused through the static beginning to infest my mind.
I was fading again. Losing parts of myself. “I’m going to get my king.”