Page 39 of A Wise Prince

Oh. God. Oh. God. I’m like a deer in the headlights. My mouth opens and then closes.

“Oh, you should go, dear. It sounds like fun. Dad and I didn’t have any big plans for this evening,” my mother chimes in because I know she wants me hanging around royalty. Ugh.

“S-sure,” I stammer, taking a sip of water.

“Excellent. I’ll have our security drive us down to the marina. I’ve just texted our captain, so the vessel is ready to go,” he says before looking around the table. “Everyone is welcome, of course.”

Being the traders that they are, my parents quickly make up some lame excuse of why they can’t join us. Lara and Sten have a valid excuse that they really ought to catch their flight this evening as scheduled.

Auggie stands when I begin to rise, and Sten and my father quickly follow suit. I want to roll my eyes at the archaic practice.

“Have a wonderful evening, darling,” my mom says as she hugs me. My father kisses my forehead and gives me a grin that says he approves of Auggie. Fuck. My. Life.

After everyone says their goodbyes, Auggie takes my arm and leads me out to a car. I can see Jackie and Dominic get in a vehicle behind us as we travel the short distance to the marina.

I’m quiet as we drive because I don’t know what to say. But my temper gets the best of me after about two minutes.

“Why the hell are you here?” I ask Auggie, my voice laced with anger.

He turns toward me with a raised eyebrow. “I should be asking you the very same question.”

I huff. “Well, I didn’t know I was going to be here. What’s your excuse?”

“I did know,” he says casually.

“But now you just want us to change our travel plans because you had dibs first. What the hell, Auggie?” I practically yell through gritted teeth.

Auggie sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Look,” he starts but glances up at the driver and security guard in the front of the car. “We both didn’t know. It’s a happy coincidence. Let’s just enjoy some added time together, OK?”

“Fine. Whatever,” I say and turn back toward the window. I don’t get this guy. One minute he wants me in another country and the next he’s happy I’m here with him. It’s like being with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

He doesn’t speak another word to me until we get out of the car and walk up to a massive sailboat.

“Here we go,” he says as he holds out a hand to help me walk up the stairs onto the sailboat.

I stop once I’m on the deck. “It’s…beautiful,” I say because it is.

“Have a seat.” He motions to a sitting area in the front of the boat. “I’ll join you as soon as I speak with our captain.”

“Your Highness,” a man says. I see a man not much older than Auggie approach us. He hugs Auggie, and they speak in Swedish, I think.

“This is Erich. He’s our captain,” Auggie says to me.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Bradford,” he says, extending a hand. I shake it. “If there’s anything you need, just let my first mate, Ingrid, or me know.”

I nod. “Thank you,” I say quietly.

Auggie speaks to him some more for a few minutes as Jackie, Dominic, and Nico all get situated. Nico is Auggie’s main guard. He has others but seems to prefer him. I feel like there’s a story there, but I’m still too seething to ask about it.

I walk up to the front of the boat and sit on a built-in lounge chair. The sun is getting lower in the sky and I watch some sea birds diving for fish in the distance. A moment later, Auggie sits down next to me as the captain gets our journey underway.

Auggie doesn’t speak until the wind is blowing across the sails. He leans into me.

“Listen, I don’t want you to leave, but I do need you to leave. It’s for your safety,” he says to me.

I draw back in surprise, meeting his intense gaze. “My safety?” I repeat, pointing to myself in confusion.

He nods. “Yes. I can’t tell you anymore, just that it’d be better if you all were…elsewhere this week.”

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