Page 72 of Royally Arranged

I sat up a little straighter. “I did. Some guard told me that he wasn’t in the castle.”

“Did he tell you why?”

“No, just that he thought maybe he was with his dad. Which seemed weird to me. Those two don’t spend a lot of time together. What would they be doing at this hour?”

Darla stuck her pinkie in her ear, wiggling around. “Hm.”

“What, what are you humming for?”

“Well, I have a theory, but you’re not going to like it.”

I’d taken too big a bite; when I swallowed, it hurt. “Just say it.”

Darla crossed her legs, her pink shoe bouncing up and down. “I haven’t seen that guy all day long. And I’ve been in the castle all day myself.” She stared me in the eye and shook her head. “Oh, Nova, I really don’t want to say this out loud. But I’m thinking he saw the newspapers this morning, the stuff about you being pregnant, and—”

I dropped my fork onto my plate loudly. “If you’re trying to say that he got scared and ran, there’s no way.”

“I don’t know. Like I said, I really hate even thinking this, but that guy, I mean, come on. It’s not like he’s father material. And he didn’t want to be king, he doesn’t like responsibility, right? Being a dad is about as responsible as you can get.”

I stood up suddenly, the chair rocking from how quickly I’d done it. “Get out.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said get out. I’m not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the man that I married. Thorne is going to be a dad. We’re going to raise this kid.” I loomed over her. The surprise in her eyes was satisfying; I pointed at the door. “Leave, and the next time you talk about Thorne, you better watch what you say.”

Darla considered me for a minute before she rose from the bed. Dusting herself off, she lifted her hands and sighed. “Fine, whatever. You don’t have to believe me. But if I’m right ...” She didn’t finish, just opened the door, and as she did, I saw that the guard was standing outside again. He glanced at us, then fixated on the far wall. Darla shut the door behind her and left me alone.

I didn’t eat any more of my food. My appetite was gone again, but at least it wasn’t replaced by nausea. I was just too angry to think about eating. Sliding back under the covers, I checked my phone and felt a stab of pain when Thorne still hadn’t replied.

I sent him one more text, saying that he should come see me when he was free.

And then I sent another text two hours later, wishing him a good night.

He didn’t respond to any of them before I fell asleep again.

- CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT -

NOVA

A new day.

No news from Thorne.

I’d woken up feeling a rising unease. It had sunk its claws into my belly, holding tight and giving me no relief. When my mother came looking for me, it took her a bit to find me, because I’d slipped out of my room and down to the garden.

The sun wasn’t high enough yet to burn off all the dew. Crouching by the vibrant plants, I gently cupped a white rose. It was open to its full extent, eagerly awaiting to soak up the sunlight. It reminded me of how open I’d been the day Thorne had made love to me in the hedge maze.

I heard my mother’s steps when she was a long way off. I didn’t look up, I just sniffed the flower and closed my eyes. “Nova?” she said, then, more firmly, “What are you doing out here alone?”

“I don’t need someone with me at all times. I’m pregnant, not an inmate trying to bolt.”

“The way you keep running off, I wouldn’t know.” She blew out some air in exasperation. “Come inside and eat breakfast.”

I opened my eyes, studying the layers of petals on the rose. “He still hasn’t spoken to me. I haven’t seen him in two days, Mom.”

Going silent, she wrapped her woven cover-up around her thin body. “Did you consider that he might be hiding?”

That got my attention; I stared up at her. “From what? Me?”

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