“Sorry, Olwen, that’s a bit much no matter how much I respect you,” I cut in before he got ahead of himself. “Treena is heir and beyond—you know her resume. Your younger sister has one degree and bailed on her master’s. I couldn’t have her as anadvisor. We both know that.”
He sighed, not about to say it or pick on his family, but he knew it was true. “Please, I’m all ears for your idea then.”
“We’re reopening De la Rosa properties for vacations and events. The elders—we used to do it for income that wasn’t problematic. However, they all need some work or sprucing upat least. Someflarewould be nice and someone up to date on trends and—”
“You are amazing and I adore you even more,” he chuckled and then sighed. “Seriously. Kole is a fucking idiot to have fumbled you. I hope the next one realizes how lucky he is.”
I frowned but pushed on with the topic. His younger sister was a talented designer and all over social media worldwide for her events and more. She was always at the forefront of fashion and—the girl had style. She was classy and honestly I was jealous of how put together she always looked.
Who better then to whip our properties into shape?
“I hope Velle appreciates what you’re doing for her,” he said as we were wrapping up. “She probably won’t, but she should.”
“How long will it take you?” I asked, holding Velle’s gaze.
“Depends on how long the list is, but I mean we know most of the usual problems. It shouldn’t be more than a week or two to get them all. If one is someone new, we’ll just send them to you as someone who offended Thovudin and off with his head. All good. No one’s going to care about scum over worrying you’re unhappy with us.”
And there it was. That wasexactlywhat I wanted her to hear. That I had the power to make peopledisappearto keep me as the ruler of Thovudin happy.
Because I had that much power and influence.
“You win,” she whispered after the call was over. “You win. You might be naïve to real normal life, but I’ve been a fucking idiot guppy and I will check my pride. Thank you, Sagan.”
Wow, I didn’t see that coming.
12
Joris
I felt the overwhelming upset before I even heard anyone. The residence wing of the castle was dead when it wasn’t during construction hours since Sagan was the only royal in the castle. And I was the only prospective mating candidate who had had their interview and had been settled in one of the few finished rooms.
I was also glad that Benson had listened to reason and changed security so we didn’t have open access to the residence wing. That wasinsanitywhen too many of these candidates would want to be prince instead of the queen’s partner.
I thought it was ridiculous we were staying here at all, but I also understood it was inconvenient for us to take up all the guest rooms. I even understood the valid, reasonable ones who were being pushed into this that they didn’t want to spend possibly years in rooms they didn’t feel they could settle into.
It wasn’t like we didn’t all come from rich families. I liked having my space too. I would have been annoyed at losing the space of a study and whatnot. So… Valid.
But we were now cut off from the top floor where Sagan and any visiting royal would stay.
No. Fucking. Shit.
Sometimes I wonder how Benson got his job. I really did.
And I hoped he stepped up now because she deserved better, and given how well she’d already handled the shit thrown at her, I thought she’d be a much better ruler than her father was. May the gods give him peace in the afterlife, but… It was how I felt.
But the upset and rage I felt heading towards me distracted me out of my reading. With permission, I’d borrowed some books from the De la Rosa library and was looking into helping Sagan on something.
Apparently, she wanted another type of help.
I heard muffled talking and then a clear voice say, “Two rooms down on your left, Your Majesty.”
She barely bit out a thank-you and I was already on my feet heading to the door. There was no need to play games or make her deal with more drama.
I opened the door right as she stepped up to knock, too much surrounding her and in her eyes even if she kept her mask locked into place. “Please, come inside, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, relief cutting through some of her upset when she clearly understood she’d made the right choice coming to me.
And I always,alwayswanted that to be how she felt. No matter if it was to my bed or—I always wanted that to be how people felt around me. The world—andpeople—were too much drama and problematic.
