Anger burned deep inside Sarah.How dare he!Other than love him, she had done nothing to Luke to deserve the way he was acting. And to allow his father to slander her family again was incomprehensible.
She pulled her mother into a deep hug. "Screw them." It was all she could manage before the tears burned her throat. If she hadn't been so pregnant, she would have gone straight to the castle, laws be damned, and given Ardec a piece of her mind.
Vinia sniffed and sat back. "Come on. We need to get dinner going. I just wanted to tell you."
Sarah hugged her again before following her to the main kitchen.
Dinner was a festive event, and despite the circumstances, their new guests were in good spirits. Sarah studied each one of the Kolbeck boys. They were all tall, dark haired, and had piercing blue eyes like their sisters.
As they were waiting on dessert, Ezra turned to Vinia. "So, how did a group of dragons end up starting a ranch in Colorado?"
Sarah watched her mother. It was a polite question, just for the sake of conversation, but Ezra couldn't know the emotions he had just touched upon.
Instead of sidestepping the question, Vinia told him the truth. "Sometimes things just don't work out the way you think they will." She shrugged. “Good King Ardec made sure of that long ago.”
“Speaking of the king,” Ezra said. "Have you heard if the new coronation has taken place yet?"
A hush fell over the room as every member of the Hale family turned to stare at him. Sarah felt the air whoosh right out of her.
"New coronation?" She barely squeaked the words out.
Ezra frowned, not realizing the bomb he was dropping on her. "Yeah. I heard about Ardec's death before we left Atruvia, but I hadn't heard if his son had been coronated yet."
Anything that was left of her heart fled her chest even as the rest of her family gasped at the news. If the king was dead, that meant that Luke had responded to her mother.
The pain was too great, and Sarah slumped forward as her world went black.
Chapter Ten: Changing of the Guard
Luke Ardec
Larisa stayed in the lab while Luke hurried down to the foyer. Losing his father was bad enough but having to deal with one of his father's questionable decisions almost immediately upon his death was totally something else. All he felt was numb as he hurried down the stairs. He and his father may have been at odds, but Ardec had still been his father. Guilt at having avoided him for the last week also weighed heavily on Luke's heart.
So much wasted time I will never get back.
Kayleigh smiled at him as he approached. She was a beautiful woman, but she was no Sarah. Her parents turned to greet him with big smiles also.Of course they're giddy to be here with Kayleigh. They think their daughter is going to be the next queen.
Luke took Kayleigh's hands and kissed both of her cheeks before he greeted her parents. "Aaron. Suzzee. Very nice to see you again."
"So informal," Suzzee giggled. "Almost like we're already family."
"Forgive me," Luke muttered. "My mind is elsewhere."
Kayleigh moved closer to him. "I'll have to see what I can do to make you more present."
He stepped back, ignoring her sharp look. "Are you planning to stay here at the castle?"
Aaron frowned. "Of course. We've traveled some distance. Your father opened the castle to us while we prepare to announce your formal engagement."
"I'm afraid that won't be happening." Luke hadn't intended to be so blunt, but he couldn't find it in himself to hold his tongue. It was better to just get it over with. "There's been a terrible mistake, and I'm not at liberty to discuss it right at the moment. Perhaps once you're settled. You're still welcome to stay here at the castle."
Kayleigh's face flushed. "Mistake? What are you talking about?"
He sucked in a breath and prayed for patience. He needed to get back and deal with his father. "My father had no right to make decisions for me such as he did at the gala. I have no intentions of marrying right now, and he took it upon himself to try and force my hand."
Suzzee almost hissed as she inhaled sharply. "Well, I never."
"Where is your father? I want to speak to him now," Aaron demanded.
