I turn to face her and say, “There was a letter sent a few weeks ago. It was targeted at me and the wedding.”
She doesn’t show any emotions, just stands there, her hands connecting in front of her. “In what way did it target you?”
“Whoever wrote it, stated that they were not happy about me marrying the future queen and they weren’t happy with who the future queen was. They said they would see us soon. We received a follow-up letter that taunted us in the same way. Ottar and his team have been looking into the threat, but whoever sent it was very smart not to leave any traces. We’ve shortened the parade route for the wedding so we don’t compromise our security detail. We’ve increased security around you and me as well. Theo believes the wedding will be fine and is confident in our efforts to control the situation.”
She nods slowly. “Is it serious?”
“Any threat is taken seriously, but given this group knows what they’re doing, we’re treating it with utmost importance.”
“Okay,” she says, walking by me. When her shoulder brushes mine, she mutters, “Was that so hard?” And then she exits the room, her anger clearly still intact from last night.
I’m right there with her.
But I’m still not sure I would have done things differently. Anger or no anger.
ChapterTwelve
LILLY
“Lilly, I’m so, so—”
I stop Timmy before he can finish by giving him a hug. “Don’t even think about apologizing,” I say as I take his hand and guide him to the dining room where breakfast waits for us. Normally, I eat in my room while getting ready, but since I have a guest, we changed it to the dining room.
Timmy wears a pair of high-waisted slacks and a black button-up shirt that he’s dressed up with a sparkling sun brooch. His hair is combed to the side, and he has his signature spicy cologne on. He’s dressed in his finest today.
“I feel awful.”
“No need to feel awful. It was my choice to leave. Don’t worry about it.”
Whispering because staff is everywhere, he says, “Keller looked pissed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone that angry.”
“He was,” I answer, thinking back to the deep frown on his face.
The minute Lara tapped my shoulder in the bar, I knew I was in trouble. She quietly whispered in my ear that I needed to leave. She didn’t make a scene and didn’t draw any attention. I wouldn’t be able to say the same if it had been Keller who’d found me. Ottar was outside waiting for us, and together, we walked back to the staff quarters, and that’s when I was met with the tall, imposing monster at the end of the hallway. Hands clenching at his side and a frown deeper than the Grand Canyon. I knew at that moment it was not going to be an easy night.
And it wasn’t.
I truly understand why he was so angry. I get it, but it was like going around in circles with him. I apologized several times, and he wouldn’t accept it, and then I find out about the threats, the true source of his anger. I was done after that. Just add it to the list of things he hasn’t told me since we got engaged. And no doubt one of the reasons he didn’t tell me was because the threat was directed at him. Another thing he’ll take the blame for.
Keller is so loyal and overprotective that it will be his downfall. He’s still clinging to the past, to what his parents told him about his role in the castle. He’s also so protective over me that he wants to shield me from everything . . . even himself.
It’s not going to work...and that’s not settling well with me.
None of this is, but because I don’t have the luxury of sitting down with him and hashing this out or being able to just have a moment to myself to catch my breath, I have to push it all to the side. Put on a happy face and move on with my day.
“Are you guys fighting?” Timmy asks.
“Yes,” I answer. “We barely spoke to each other this morning.”
“Fuck, I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I never should have pushed you. This is the last thing you needed.”
“It’s fine,” I reply, patting his hand with mine. “We’ll work it out.”
“Will you?” he asks. “From what you’ve said, it seems like all you two have been doing is fighting.”
“I know.” I take a deep breath. “We need to change the subject because I’m going to get emotional, and I can’t be emotional right now. My makeup will run, and I won’t have time to fix it before I meet Pala and her daughters.”
“Okay, yes, let’s change the subject.” He pauses and asks, “Tell me about your dress . . . and did you settle on real horsehair?” He cringes and that makes me laugh.
