Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
I nod as he claps a hand against my shoulder. It’s good to feel his strength and to see him well. However, my heart calls to Blaise and my spirit link makes me wish I’d never left her.
I go to leave the room as my thoughts turn to her. I need to get back. I feel in my bones that I need to return soon.
“Oh, Your Highness. I’m so sorry, my prince,” Helenier says as we collide. I was so deep in thought I didn’t see her.
“Excuse me. I’m sorry.”
“No, it was I who should have been more focused. I’ve become clumsy in my old age,” she chortles.
I narrow my eyes at her. I’ve been wary of any interaction with Helenier. She smiles at me sweetly.
“Is there a reason you are here?”
This hall leads to my father’s office. She has no business here as far as I know. I tighten my fist as I think of the deceit she could be here to cause.
“I was told I would find you with your father. I wanted to talk to you. Coralo has been dying to spend time with you.
“If it pleases you, I can let her know to come to your chambers for a little alone time,” she says.
“No, I have things to tend to. I will let her know when I want to see her. I’ve been catching up on my duties, I haven’t had time for much else.”
“Ah yes, well. I won’t take any more of your time.”
She begins to back away with her hands behind her back. I narrow my gaze further. This woman is up to something.
I get ready to stop her and demand to see her hands, but she pulls them from behind her back and waves to me with both. I grind my teeth. I still don’t trust her.
A smile comes to my lips. We’ll know for a fact that my soul match was tampered with. Soon enough, I’ll make her pay for her crimes and I can return to my true match.
Soon, my love. I’m coming to you soon.
Chapter 28
Out of Time
Coralo
The door to my bedroom bursts open and my mother storms in. The crazed look on her face has me lifting from my seat. I hastily try to push my artwork under the other papers on the desk behind me.
Like my father, I love art. Mother hates that I’ve followed in his footsteps. She loses it anytime she finds me sketching or painting.
“I have the pendant, but we have a new problem,” she says.
I draw my brows as I watch her form begin to flicker before my eyes. I knew this was coming. She’s becoming completely unstable.
It’s best for me to proceed with caution. We need to get her one of those roses before she can’t come back from all she has done.
“Mother. What did you just do? You’re um… you’re flickering.”
“I’ll be fine. I used a bit more magic than I thought it would take.”
“What would take?”
She huffs and holds up the watch Argon wore around his neck. It glows with a white-and-yellow light. My gaze bounces between her and the watch.
“I had to split in two. One of me distracted him, while the other me stole the necklace. He’s so untrusting of me. He was completely focused on the me standing right in front of him.
“It couldn’t have worked any better. Now, the real problem is what I overheard while waiting in the hallway. They’re going to redo the ceremony.
“I don’t have enough time to give you my essence.” She starts to murmur to herself. I become alarmed when she also starts to reply to herself. “I could try, but I’ve used so much power already.
“Yes, you have. There has to be another way. She has to be the chosen one or all this ends here.
“I know, I know,” she says in frustration.
“I think we should go after the rose. You said that the beast is almost powerless. I can take your warriors and retrieve one of the roses for you. That will give you the power you need, won’t it?”
Mother turns to me and her face lights up. She moves to me and cups my face. I lift my head and stand straighter.
“Ah, you are displaying my wisdom. That’s exactly what I need. Those roses encompass the true depths of the princess’s power.
“It couldn’t be stripped from her with the curse. It could only be forced into the roses. For now, I just need one. Once I destroy her, I’ll have control of that garden and her power,” she says.
“I will leave now.”
“No, we will go. You should remain here for the ceremony. Yes, we will take care of this.”
“Mother,” I say cautiously as she speaks of herself in plural. “If you don’t return in time and they find out I’m not his soul match, they will kill me.”