Page 51 of Royal Salvation

“Get on with it then.”

He almost smiled at the haughty tone so much more befitting of her aunt, but he held it back, knowing she needed the armour. “The girl from the village, the one in the picture you took….”

Her lips wobbled as if she sensed what he was about to say. “Yes.”

There was no nice way to couch this, so he gave her the words she needed. “She’s dead.”

Her face fell and she took an unsteady step back, her legs sagging as she sat heavily on the bed they’d left this morning full of smiles. “What?”

Reaper went to his knees and gripped her shoulders in his hands. “I wish I didn’t have to tell you, angel, I really do, but it’s time we face the truth.”

“How did she die?”

“Her family. The shame they thought she’d brought on them was too much and they stoned her.”

A gut-wrenching sob broke free, and he pulled her close, holding her as she cried for the child who should never have known such pain and suffering at anyone’s hands, least of all her family’s. “Why? She was innocent.”

“She was engaged to the elder of another village and although the crime was against her, she was seen as damaged and therefore killed.”

“God, this world is so broken.”

Reaper couldn’t agree more but for all the horror, she’d made him see the beauty still left in the world they lived. “It is, but it’s also full of the most precious moments. You made me see that, Lucía. You made me see the beauty in the simple things, like the seconds before the sun rises and bathes the earth in light.”

Her tear-stained eyes came to his and he wanted nothing more than to hold her forever, to show in every way he knew how that she was his, that he loved her, but it was all hopeless. “This is the end, isn’t it?”

Reaper nodded as his heart broke and he bent to kiss her, his lips imprinting every feeling, every taste of her onto his soul. As the sweetest most life-altering kiss of his life ended, he rested his brow against hers. “I wish things were different.”

The pain he could hear in her voice reflected his. “I know, so do I. I wish we had a lifetime, but we were never that.”

Lucía cupped his cheek and stroked the rough skin of his beard. “Let’s go and get your dad back.”

Her words reminded him of the fight he faced. “Can I persuade you to go to Hereford or Longtown where it’s safe?”

“I’ll do whatever you need to keep us all safe and if that’s Hereford or your base, then so be it. Just promise me one thing?”

“Anything.”

“You end this. You make them pay for what they did.”

“I will, Lucía. You have my word.”

Chapter 21

Unclipping her seat belt as the private plane touched down on UK soil, Lucía had so many emotions going through her body and mind that she didn’t know which to deal with first. Putting one foot in front of the other and maintaining an outward sense of calm when her heart was breaking in two was as much as she could do right now.

Justice had stayed away for most of the flight, giving her time to process while he handled the fine details of his father’s kidnapping. Telling her not to blame herself was easy, actually doing it after the destruction that had followed her was impossible.

Valentina had stayed behind to keep an eye on Elodie, who’d been discharged and was resting at home with Caleb, John, and the kids. She understood why but she’d missed her friend more than she could say. A lifetime of only having friends who’d wanted to be seen with her because of who she was had made her put walls up but with Val, she’d found a true friend.

“We just need to secure the area before we disembark, so you have ten minutes or so, Princess Lucía.”

Lucía raised a brow at Bishop as he watched as if waiting for her to fall apart. “Really? Now it’s back to formalities?”

“I didn’t want to assume.”

“What? That we’re friends? That I consider you a friend? Well, guess what, I do. So you’re stuck with me and if you call me Princess again when we’re alone, I’m gonna scream.”

Bishop smirked. “You’re the boss.”