Page 59 of Redemption of a Prince

“Ma’am, it’s time to go.” One of Zeke’s security officers stood in the doorway.

Nikki stood and put her paperwork back in the bag. She grabbed it and started for the door.

“You don’t need to bring anything to work on, ma’am. You’ve been asked to accompany the crown prince to the hospital. It is not a business excursion.”

She set the case back down. “Right.”

When she reached the stairs leading to the king’s offices, Zeke was on his way down them. He wore dress slacks, a button-down shirt with the top button open, and a leather jacket.

He took her hand, but didn’t say anything as they walked to the SUV.

As they drove, security briefed them both. “You’ll be taken in an underground entrance. Word about the king’s surgery hasn’t leaked out yet. They’re hoping to make a statement after he’s in recovery and tell the people that it’s over and he’s doing well. There’s been no cause for concern at this point.”

“Good.”

Zeke continued to hold her hand until they came to a stop at a delivery entrance in an underground parking structure. Once they were both out of the vehicle, he took it again, keeping her close to him as they were surrounded by security then ushered through empty back halls until they neared the surgery waiting area. Then they had to walk through the main halls to a waiting room set aside for the family’s use.

In the room, Zeke finally let go of her, rushing to his mother’s side and holding on tightly to her.

His siblings stood, as did their wives. Nikki noticed Lydia wasn’t present. Because of her age?

As Zeke talked to his family, Nikki moved to the back of the room, out of the way. Before they finished their greetings, a different door opened, letting three doctors into the room.

From her spot, Nikki couldn’t hear everything they said, but from the reactions of the others in the room, it seemed like nothing had gone wrong. She couldn’t tell for sure if everything had gone right or not, though.

A minute later, the queen and Zeke were ushered out of the room and, presumably, to the king’s side.

The remaining siblings and their wives huddled together, heads bowed as though they were praying. They likely were. Nikki prayed on her own, thanking God that everything seemed to be okay and asking for His continued protection for the whole family.

Everyone had taken their seats, and still none of them had noticed her, which was fine with Nikki.

But when the door reopened, everything changed.

* * *

When Zeke reachedthe waiting room, he sank into the first chair he could find.

He couldn’t even take care of his mother.

One of his brothers - Gideon? - rushed to her side as she collapsed, asking what happened.

“His heart stopped,” she told them, her voice ragged.

That meant...

Three minutes earlier, Zeke became king.

The doctors had told them that he was hanging in there, but that if anything went wrong, it seemed unlikely that they’d be able to get him back. At the time, they’d been optimistic.

Four minutes later, something went horribly wrong.

As men and women in scrubs and masks and face shields rushed to his father’s side, security personnel surrounded both of them and hurried them back to waiting room.

And Zeke became the thing he wasn’t supposed to become.

One of the doors opened and the chairman of the council walked in along with two of his father’s security guards. They took positions on either side of Zeke.

“Wait.” That had to be Joss. “He’s gone? Papa is gone? Zeke is king?”

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