Page 93 of Uncrowned

“Tomorrow, I want a car to pick up Mr. Theodore Hart in front of Carmine’s. He’ll be there at noon. Have him brought to me. Do not let him know where he’s coming. He is not to know nor see where we are.”

“Yes, Unavowed.”

I hung up, standing from my throne. The guards nodded, lowering their heads as I headed for my bedroom inside The Order. One… I’d never gotten to share with Penelope. The truth was, I couldn’t go home. Not now that she wasn’t there. The emptiness inside swallowed me whole. It left the ache in my chest so unbearable that I couldn’t function.

The Order was safer. Safer from the tears and cries that haunted me that last night.

She wanted me. She loved me. She fucking needed me, and I’d left her.

Great king—horrible man.

When The Reeve told me about Redmond’s death, the only thing I could do was run to restore order. To make sure chaos didn’t break out. I figured I could fix things with Penelope when I returned. Twenty-seven hours later, I pulled up my cameras to see her gone.

GONE.

Had I ever felt true fear before that?

I thought I had when I saw her arms covered in blood.

I thought I had when I witnessed her lying in the bed and feared her dead after the attack from the guards.

Fear wasn’t just losing her to death. At least dead, she wouldn’t hurt anymore. True terror was knowing the woman I loved was out of reach and there was no way I could protect her.

“Sire.”

I nodded to the set of guards who lowered their head at my advance. I walked by them, pausing as I glanced at the door past mine… the queen’s chamber. I didn’t go forward like I wanted. I opened my door feeling sadness build.

She was everywhere, and nowhere.

I couldn’t bear it. I wanted to walk the city again. Drive down every road. I wanted to tear every building apart.

Shutting the door behind me, I took out my phone, staring down at it. More than anything I wished I could hear her voice. Even if only long enough for me to apologize for the way I treated her. How would she ever know? What if she didn’t come back and always thought I didn’t want her? Or that she assumed I thought she was weak?

What if she chose him?

My lids squeezed shut, trying to force away the pure hatred that came with the thought.

Penelope… the new queen of England. And not my queen? But his…

Harder, I squeezed into my phone, only to toss it on the bed.

He’d do it if he knew I was alive and suspected that I wanted her. And the headlines were what fairytales were made of. King rescues new Queen from an imprisoned life with blacklisted royalty.

I’d never allow them to be together.

Penelope belonged to me.

I’d kill him.

And if it came down to it, I’d kill us both.

I shrugged off the dark gray suit jacket, tugging at the tie and removing it. Buttons popped at my jerk, but I didn’t care as I stripped down. I opened the closet, pulling out a black suit. As I put it on, I couldn’t stop the obsessive thoughts.

I had to find Penelope.

I had to get to her or at least get a message to her.

What did the SLB know?