“If you’re loyal to Andrew and me, that means you know how dangerous Julian Eder is. The stewards can help stop him. All I ask is that he’s followed. Report to me what you see.”
He watches me for a moment, and I think he’s sizing me up. I don’t know this steward, and I don’t remember him from my time at court, but I’m impressed by him. Most stewards were born into service, and it’s strange that I don’t recognize him.
“Very well,” he says finally. “I won’t interfere. But he’ll be watched.”
I nod once. “Thank you.”
He bows slightly. “Anything else?”
“No, thank you.” I nod sharply before heading back into the room.
As I walk toward the kitchen, Hazel emerges from the bedroom, toweling her hair dry. “Where’d you go?” she asks me. She’s wrapped in a fluffy robe, but she still looks fucking gorgeous.
“I was just thinking,” I say. “We should get out of here.” I walk over to her and pull her against me, kissing her softly.
“Oh yeah?” she asks, looking up at me with a smile.
“Let’s go to my lake house. It’s just a little cabin, but I think you’ll like it.”
“I like lakes,” she says.
I grin at her. “Then you’ll like this. It’s the most beautiful place in the world.”
“That’s a high standard.”
“What can I say?” I ask, shrugging. “I don’t do anything halfway.”
She watches me for a second before kissing me again. “Okay, sure. Anything you want.”
I grin at her, pulling her tight. “I seem to remember you saying something along those lines earlier.”
She rolls her eyes and pushes me away. “I can’t be held responsible for what I say while we’re having sex.”
“Oh, sure,” I say, still grinning huge. “That old defense. I don’t buy it.”
“Go shower, you stink.”
“You love my manly musk.”
She laughs as I chase after her, and we end up in a tangled pile on the couch kissing deeply.
But in the back of my mind, I keep seeing that news broadcast. They’re calling her a traitor and a spy on national television, and that’s fucking bad.
This little plan to get out of the castle isn’t just to take a vacation and to show her the countryside. It’s to get away from the city for a little while. I’m afraid that people are going to freak out, and I’m worried that it’ll be too dangerous for her to stay in the castle. I know I can’t be gone long or else risk losing contact with my supporters, but Hazel’s safety is my priority. I suspect that this is a move by Julian in retaliation for my reaching out to Jessie, but he must not have direct proof, or else things would be worse. Still, I can’t test him. I don’t know how far he’ll go. I’m not worried for myself, but I’m worried for Hazel.
I’m not going to fail her or doubt her again. I’m going to make sure she’s safe, no matter what.
20
Hazel
It takes maybe a couple of hours to reach Nolan’s lake house, which I find kind of funny. I know that Polovia is a relatively small country, but that just underscores how tiny it really is. I think it’s the size of Pennsylvania at best.
Nolan’s house is at the top of a hill overlooking a beautiful, crystal clear lake. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. I can literally see fish swimming around from the top of the water, and everything is so clear. It’s like stepping into glass, except it’s cold and it’s wet.
The house itself is beautiful. He calls it a cabin, but it’s definitely not a freaking cabin. It’s a very modern style, a lot like the Frank Lloyd Wright houses, with low, sloped roofs and lots of glass for natural light. It’s built into the side of the peak, with natural rocks jutting up through the floor. It’s obviously the kind of place a prince would own.
“Unpack and get settled,” Nolan says. “I have a little work to do.”
I laugh at that. “Work? You? I thought you just lazed around and looked pretty all day.”
He winks at me. “Glad to know you think I’m pretty. But I have some calls to make.”
“Have fun,” I say, waving as he disappears down a back hallway.
I start to slowly explore the cabin, and it turns out that “cabin” really isn’t the word for it. There’s a main room with couches, bookshelves, rugs and tapestries all tossed around to make the place seem very comfortable. The walls are pretty much big glass panels overlooking the gorgeous clear lake. There’s a large, modern kitchen, and a few rooms toward the back that I don’t explore.