“What are you talking about?”
“I’m just not surprised you chose one of them,” he says.
I feel like he’s looking to argue, and I, quite frankly, don’t have the mental headspace to do that with him right now, so I settle on an apology instead of biting the bait. “Koa, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m fine,” he says, staring at the table in front of me.
“Listen to me. I thought I had more time to get to know each of you, but I just don’t. I’m in an impossible situation. Sometimes, I wish the decision had just been made for me so I didn’t have to put you all through this. I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation, I sincerely enjoyed our time together, and I really do like you,” I say, adding the last part softly.
He takes a deep breath, seeming to think about what to say next before settling on, “I also care about you, Mae. I knew there was a chance you wouldn’t pick me, but I hoped you would.”
I stand and step toward him, but he stops me. “No. No, thank you,” he says, adding in the second refusal in a nicer tone. “Not yet.”
“Okay,” I say. “I’m sorry, Koa. I really am.”
“Me too,” he says, turning and silently exiting the room, leaving me standing alone.
Even though my heart feels heavy, it feels a little lighter knowing I only have two more princes to talk to. But when I remember that one of those princes is Asmo, my heart drops to my stomach, especially when I remember our conversation from last night.
Or is it because my body, my heart, my soul is screaming, protesting at the idea of saying goodbye to him?
Chapter 32
As I’m leaving the guest cottage, Marik comes walking down the path, a brown paper bag and a hot coffee in his hand. His face lights up when he sees me, a cheesy grin spread across my own face. My future husband. My future High King.
“Hey, you,” he says when he sees me, pulling me in for a hug.
I greet him with a peck, his lips tasting of coffee.
“Long time no see,” he jokes. “How do you feel this morning? Wait, what are you doing here?” he asks me, looking back at the guest cottage. His face falls momentarily as if he’s imagining me visiting one of the other princes.
"I came to tell you something,” I continue, glancing around nervously. I don’t want any of the other princes to overhear, especially Asmo. “Can we go somewhere private?”
“Sure…Is everything okay?” he asks hesitantly, his voice full of concern.
He leads me to a gazebo nestled in the trees. We sit down on the bench. I lean into him before glancing around and making sure we’re alone. My guard stands watch, but otherwise, we are.
He notices me looking around and asks, “Want me to put a sound barrier around us?”
“Yes, please. I still have no idea how to do that,” I confess.
He glances around the gazebo and nods, saying, “Done. What’s going on?”
I hesitate, unsure of how to even begin. I hadn’t practiced this speech. I had only focused on the break-up speeches, leaving this one, the most important one, left forgotten.
“I met with the Herd yesterday. After the attack the other night, they told me that I have to choose. Which is honestly much sooner than I anticipated.”
His face falls at the words, devastation written across his face, and my hands fly up to cup his face.
“No, no, no,” I say. I smile softly and say, “No, Marik. It’s you. I choose you.”
He doesn’t speak for a second, and dread starts to pool in my stomach. I don’t think I can take another denial.
“You do?” he asks, his voice a whisper. “Are you sure?”
I nod hurriedly, waiting for him to say something, anything else.
“You’re telling me that I’m the next High King?” he asks, his eyes widening as the news settles in.
