Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Mother, what are you doing?” I tried not to holler, holding what little of the sheet that was left over my waist.
“Galahad, I am going to turn around so you may quickly return to your room, as Odette and I have another small talk,” she ordered, and the panic only worsened, not for me but Odette.
“Mother, this was my fault. I entered here—”
“Galahad.” She only called me that when she was very pissed, and she had called me that twice now. “I understand that it is considered normal for couples to engage in marital actives in these modern times, even if they are not married. There are some things we can join the modern world in, and there are some things we cannot. Especially in this palace! Especially considering, as you know, it is bad luck for a prince to do this. So, I am not asking you, nor do I want to hear your defenses. When I turn, you will have returned to your room as I have ordered.”
She did not say another word, only turned her back to us. Rising out of bed, I grabbed my pants, stepping into them before taking my shirt. I glanced back to Odette, trying to figure out what I could possibly signal or how to apologize, expecting her to be mortified. However, she sat up and frantically waved for me to leave.
“Go!” she mouthed to me, still holding up her sheet with one hand.
“I am sorry,” I mouthed back. This was my fault. I shouldn’t have come, or I should have left earlier.
I did not want to, but I feared staying and disobeying would make my mother take out more of her frustrations on Odette. So, I went to the door, now somewhat dressed. My mother did not meet my gaze, just looked at the floor. Bowing my head to her anyway, I spoke, “Your Majesty, I am leaving, and I beg of you to be careful with her. She is in possession of my heart.”
I glanced over her shoulder at Odette, and she gave me a look before mouthing, “Cheesy.”
“But true,” I replied winking.
“You stated that you are leaving, and yet I do not see you leaving,” my mother declared.
“Forgive me, I am going now,” I said, opening the door and stepping into the dim hall where only my mother’s assistant stood, waiting. How had it become morning so fast?
“Adelaar,” she said, bowing her head, pretending as if she did not know what had happened from the state of my appearance this morning.
All I could do was nod, walking back toward my rooms, praying my mother would spare her.
This was mortifying.
I had never been in a situation like this, not even with my mother. And to make it worse, I was trapped. My clothes were too far away, and I couldn’t exactly just hop back into them as Gale had. So, I sat there in bed, holding the sheets for dear life as she turned back to me, a frown on her face so deep my mom would scream about wrinkles.
“Yesterday, you promised you would dedicate yourself to following the rules and that you would work to be an asset to my son, to this family, and not disappoint me. Now, here I am, not even twenty-four hours later, disappointed.” Her voice was calm but only slightly.
“I apologize that you are disappointed,” I said gently, looking over my hands instead of her face.
“But no apology for making me so? I see from what you said that you have learned the difference between forgive, apologize, and sorry. And I noticed neither you nor Gale seems to regret your actions.”
There was nothing to regret. In fact, I wanted him back here with me. But I could not say that, so I just kept silent.
I did not want to look into her eyes, but I did anyway. “Your Majesty, to be honest, you can’t make me feel ashamed about this. I am very embarrassed you saw it, but I’m not ashamed about being with him.”
“I am not asking you to be ashamed, Odette,” she snapped but took a deep. “I am asking you to be smart.”
“I—”
She tossed a newspaper onto the bed. Not understanding what she meant, I picked up the paper only to see a photo of myself on one side and Sophia, dressed in black with a black veil over her face, on the other side. I could make out some of the words and sentences on the paper, but not all of them. It was enough to tell it was utter crap. The things they said I said or did weren’t true.
“Before the sun even came up, my son was notified about this, and he ordered no papers to be in the palace today and for no one to speak of it. Do you know why?”