Page 48 of A Wise Prince

I make it down to the garden and quietly sneak out the back entrance. Once in the street, I walk toward the gallery.

I pause at the door. It looks like a normal gallery. A meta sign hangs above the glass windows filled with glass-blown bubbles. Art du Ciel.

I take a breath and open the door. It looks like a thousand other art galleries. I find a woman in a black cocktail dress at what looks like a desk.

“Puis-je vous aider?” she asks in French.

“Oui. Je suis ici pour l'exposition principale,” I answer, using the code phrase that Anna gave me.

She raises an eyebrow, but nods.

“Follow me,” she says as she leads me through the maze of walls with paintings and sculptures.

I can feel my heart thumping in my chest. The last time I felt like this…

My mind wanders to that day, the one that changed my life.

“Have you been good, today?” my mother asks. She’s called to say goodnight after attending a gala.

“Mom,” I whine. I’m twelve and invincible. I also don’t want to be babied. I want to be like Chris.

“I love you, darling. Go get some sleep.”

I mumble a goodnight, not knowing it’s the last thing I’ll ever say to her.

The next time I see her, she’ll be in a casket, lying in state in the palace. I remember my heart thumping as I opened the doors. My father gave us each a few moments alone with her body, except for Anna who he took in after his time with Mom.

I want to see her, but I don’t. I want to remember her how she was, but Dad says I should say goodbye and I so desperately want his love and admiration that I agree. I want him to treat me like he treats Chris. I want to have that same bond. Anna has Mom and Chris has Dad and I have...no one.

My heartbeat increases as the door opens. And there she is, lying in a gold casket in the middle of the room. She looks like a princess in a cartoon, like she’s just asleep. As I take slow steps toward her, the thought that this will be the last time I see her hits me, and I freeze. I can’t do it. I can’t say goodbye. I turn and run out of the room, past my dad, my siblings, my aunt, everyone. I run to her room and grab her scarves, bringing them to my nose, I inhale her scent.

“Mom,” I cry out into the vastness of her closet as I fall to my knees and weep.

I straighten my shoulders as the woman opens the door, bringing me back to the present. The room is dimly lit, except for a stage where a light shines on an empty podium. I can smell expensive cigar smoke on the clothes of the mostly men in the room. The woman motions to an empty chair, and I take a seat.

There’s a man at the podium. I recognize him, but I can’t place him. I look around the room. It’s hard to see people because of the lighting which I’m sure is on purpose.

I jump when a hand touches my shoulder.

“Is this seat taken?” The voice is low, and the question is whispered. I spin my head toward the sound to make sure I’m not hallucinating.

Kate.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I growl under my breath as I move over to let her have a seat.

She shrugs. She doesn’t exactly look like herself. Her hair is blonde, her eyes look darker, and she’s wearing a trendy cocktail dress that is not her normal fashion.

“Backup,” she answers, her voice caressing my ear as she leans into me.

My cock notices her proximity even though sirens are now going off in my brain. All I can think is that I need to get her the fuck out of here.

“You need to leave, now,” I whisper back in a voice I hope tells her that I’m not fucking messing around.

But before I can say anything, the door opens, and a figure is shown to a chair in front of us on the opposite side of the room.

Kate grips my hand, and I squint. Motherfucker. Her ex, Jared, just strolled in like he owns the place. The fact that he nods toward several other attendees tells me this isn’t his first auction.

I turn to Kate to tell her to leave but the man at the podium hits his gavel and begins. Fuck.

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