Page 8 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

I know there are guards surrounding us, but they’re giving us privacy as we eat and maybe talk. I can’t see any of them, but I know they are there. They have to be since the prince is with me.

“I expect an answer in a month’s time,” the prince finally says.

“May I ask why a month?” I rest my hands and sandwich on my cloth-covered thigh.

It is such an odd timeframe. I expected him to give me a day to consult with my parents, or my mother, since my father is away, and start the lessons as soon as I could.

“I will be going to a different part of the kingdom to figure out some confidential issues. I will be gone for at least a month.” He takes a bite of his sandwich.

I fake gasp, putting on a look of concern. “Is everything okay?”

I don’t really care that much, but we never hear anything official about their business. If we do, it’s several months or years later when it finally travels back to us. Most of the time, it’s nothing to be concerned about, just some Fae’s getting into trouble.

I shouldn’t be asking since I don’t want him to think I want him to do anything to me, but I’m curious. Will he tell me?

“I can’t talk about it, but once you are married to me, then I will tell you some things,” he replies.

I flinch, tensing as I wait for him to say something else. I am never going to get used to hearing him say we are getting married. Do I not get a say in it? Will he forget about me in a month’s time while he is gone?

If he does ask me, I am going to say no. If he doesn’t ask… well, then I’m going to have to start thinking of how I’m going to get out of it.

Rustling comes from my right, making both of our heads dart in that direction. There are animals out in the forest, but none ever get close when people are walking through.

“Stay here while I check it out.” Prince Archie places his sandwich on the blanket, standing.

“What about your guards?” I ask, pushing myself forward.

“They don’t do everything for me. I will take care of this matter myself,” he replies. “When it comes to you, I want to protect you.”

I hold in a gag when he turns around. Even if I was in danger, I would never accept or want protection from Prince Archie. What debt would I owe him then?

I watch as he walks closer to where the sound came from, walking behind a tree. I hold my breath as silence fills the forest. Should I follow him to see if he needs any help?

I shake my head. No. I can’t. He told me to stay here, and if I disobey, he could punish me.

A loud shriek comes from where Prince Archie disappeared. Bolting up, I run over, slipping past the tree only to find him on the ground, holding his arm. I look around, trying to see if there is any danger before bending down beside him.

“What’s wro—” I stop when I see how his arm is bent at an unusual angle. “Guards!” I yell. “Guards!”

Feet rush toward us, surrounding us as the guards circle us.

“H-he came here to see what the noise was and shouted,” I shakily explain. “I don’t know what happened, but his arm isn’t right!”

Without a word, two guards pick the prince up and start walking away, the others following closely behind as they stay alert for danger, leaving me where the prince was just lying on the ground.

What happened? How did he hurt his arm that badly?

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, my whole body tensing. Someone is watching me. Looking into the darker part of the forest, I gasp as I see eyes on me.

The cobalt blue eyes I’ve been searching for.

CHAPTER 3

Nothing happened after I stared into those deep blue eyes yesterday afternoon. They sucked me in, entrancing me in some sort of spell. But they disappeared when I blinked. I spent an embarrassingly long time trying to find out who they belonged to, but I couldn’t find their owner. When the sun started to set, I knew I had stayed out too long.

How had I lost track of that much time?

“I’m sorry for being out late yesterday,” I whisper again to my mom.