As they bickered between themselves, Sarah tried to determine if she could make it through the gate without them noticing. As she took a step to the left, she saw the padlock on the gates.They really don't want anyone in there.
"How do you guys get into the city with that big old lock on the gate?"
"We go back when the next shift comes on and relieves us."
Sarah frowned. That made no sense to her, and it seemed like overkill when a kingdom just lost its ruler.
"Where are you from that you didn't know of the death of our king?" The first guard stared at her through narrowed eyes.
And that is my cue to get the hell out of here."I've been away on family business." She waved her hand toward the gate. "I heard of King Ardec's demise, but I was hoping that it was a horrible rumor." She hoped that her performance was believable. "It breaks my heart now that I know it's true."
"His celebration of life will be in two days," the second guard offered.
"Thank you," she replied with a smile that she hoped would dazzle him. "I'll go back to my sister's home and wait until the city is reopened. Thank you so much for your time."
She turned and walked as normally as she could back down the road. Once she was out of sight, she took to the sky and sped back to Colorado. Something was wrong, but she had no idea how to find out what it was.
Or maybe you just don't understand what happens after a king dies.She couldn't argue with that theory because she had never known a king that died. Maybe for whatever reason there was protocol to follow.
Either way, she wasn't going to get to talk to Luke, and she just needed to accept that her closure was just that. Closed. She knew from a year's worth of conversations with him that Luke was scared to death to be king, and here he was, ready or not. A tiny part of her heart pinged with pity for him being thrust into the title long before he was ready.
The rest of her heart wasn't ready to forgive him for the way he had handled things over the last few months.
All was quiet when she returned to the ranch. She landed behind the barns and shifted. A horse whinnied in the distance as she walked to her cabin. She was almost to the door when Drake spoke.
"Care to tell me where you've been?"
She let out a small shriek as he scared the hell out of her. "What are you doing there?"
He stood up from the rocking chair that he had dragged further into the shadows. "Ma sent me over to check on you, and lo and behold, you were nowhere to be found. Now someone that just passed out a couple hours ago shouldn't be out... wandering... by herself."
"I just needed some air."
"Bullshit, Sarah. I told you I was going to call you on it. You went dragon. I heard you when you came back."
"Flying creates wind. Hence the air."
"Where'd you go?"
His attitude annoyed her. "Who the hell are you to give me the third degree? I don't have to answer your questions like you're my keeper."
"You're lucky Ma didn't come over."
Sarah tilted her head up. "So what if she did?"
"You're really making me curious about what's going on with you. It would be best if you just spilled your guts and told me what's going on. It'll save you a whole lot of grief, I promise."
She heaved herself in one of the rockers. "Sit down and keep it down before everyone knows something is up."
He sat and stared at her. "Go on."
"I went to verify that the king really did die."
His brows shot up. "Ohhkay. I didn't see that one coming. You actually went to the Sacred Gardens?"
"I did."
"How in the hell did you even know how to get there?"
