I stood in front of her to prevent staring eyes from seeing her rage.
“And this is why I didn’t mention anything,” I bit out.
She straightened her emerald dress and breathed out, plastering a smile on her face. “We’ll be returning to Aruna earlier than expected.” She looked over my shoulder, pausing for a moment. “Hara, my morning star, are you having a wonderful time?”
“Yes, Mama. The food is delicious. Have you eaten?”
She patted Hara’s upper arm. “Not yet. I was having a conversation with your stubborn brother. About your father.” Hara looked up at me.
“Don’t fret over it, Garr,” she told me. “I’ll be fine.” She bit the inside of her cheek but held up her chin.
“You won’t be fine if you leave,” I sneered. “They would hurt you, to hurt me, to hurt Father. I can’t protect either of you if you aren’t here.”
“That’s the problem,” Mama addressed. “You’ve been raised to protect us, to protect your father and brother. The time has come to start living your own life. You must leave before this position consumes you.”
I gave her a questioning look. “Leave? But I haven’t found the rebels. John has been sending me more and more reports. We might be close.”
Mama’s lips thinned. “I don’t know how many times I’ve heard you say that.”
“Hara found out some important intel for me today.”
Mama looked at my sister. “What is your involvement in all this?”
My sister shrugged. “Nothing, Mama. Vivian wrote me, and—”
“Have you been with her again, Garrett?” Mama asked, glaring at me. I furrowed my brows. How the hell did she just go from interrogating Hara to me?
“I haven’t seen her in years,” I argued. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“It has everything to do with anything. You are trying to win over Ava.”
“No one is trying to win over anyone, or marry anyone, or even be engaged to—”
“Oh, stop misleading yourself, Garr,” Hara complained. “How can a smart man be so stupid? Is she not good enough for you?”
“Why are you both trying to marry me off?”
“Because you’re getting to be an old man,” Hara chimed, hiding a smile behind her hand.
“We just want you to start living your life, my son.”
I grumbled. “I am happy.”
Both of them tittered, which deepened my frown.
“She will not wait around forever,” Mama informed. “She will continue her life and leave you behind. Ava has a force within her that demands freedom and life. If you don’t make your intentions known, there will be other men who will. Kai is already inquiring about her.”
“Kai wouldn’t get anywhere with Ava,” I replied. “He is too much of an egotistical idiot for her taste.”
Hara pulled my arm and turned me around. “Then why is she dancing with him for the third time tonight, brother?”
I didn’t answer; I just watched the way Ava’s red hair bounced in the air as Kai taught her Arunian dance moves. She threw her head back in laughter, holding her gown off the floor with one hand while holding Kai’s arm with the other.
“They make a handsome couple,” Mama chimed. “She would make him grow up, and he would show her the world.”
I grinded my teeth. She obviously implied feelings that I wanted to keep at bay. Watching Kai’s arm wrap around her waist, I refrained from marching over to them and ripping her out of his grasp.
“You are rather boring at times,” Hara admitted, staring at the same display I was.
“Only since I’ve been here, I’m afraid. Telliva has to suck the living shit out of me.”
I was once wild and ambitious; I wanted to conquer the world and have no regrets. When my father brought me here to protect them and get rid of the assassins, I lost my outlook on life. I became so consumed with reports, backgrounds on men, and making my father proud of me.
I no longer recognized myself anymore, and if I kept this up, I didn’t think I’d ever find myself again.
Ava
Chapter 29
“Are you listening?” Hara nudged me with her arm.
I wasn’t.
I was too busy watching Garrett dance with some pretty brunette on the dance floor, who was laughing a bit too loud.
Tapping my foot on the marble floor, I crossed my arms.
Oh yes. I was jealous.
“Yes,” I lied.
“What should I do?”
I had no idea how to answer her. “What do your instincts tell you to do?”
“Go back home.”
That brought my attention back to the conversation. “Home? Why would you do that?”
Hara rolled her eyes. “Well I’m not going to let Father tell me who to marry. Cecilia will convince him to pick the worst match. She hates me.”
“Was this when you saw him today?”
Hara glared at me. “I already told you that. If you’d stop gazing at my brother, you would have heard.”
I shook my head. “Your mother would never allow it.”
“She wouldn’t have much choice.”
“Didn’t he love your mother at one point?” I inquired. “A woman could use that to her advantage.”
“He did, but I don’t know how much that would help. I’m back for two weeks, and he is already trying to marry me off to the highest buyer.”
Fidgeting with my fingers, I tried to keep my voice calm, knowing exactly how it felt to be issued on how you’d be living your life. “I know Garrett would never allow it.”
“About that,” Hara murmured. “Father knows that Garrett will refuse Lady Chitwood’s marriage agreement. So, he is going to use me to pursue his agenda, growing ties within other countries. He wants more allies.”
My eyes widened. “He would use you as a trade deal? That doesn’t sound like him, Hara. Cecilia must be pushing it. He would never do that to his only daughter.”
“He did it to you.”
I couldn’t argue that fact.
“But it was to his own son,” I countered.
“Garrett isn’t going to marry Chitwood, so that leaves me.”
Guilt flooded my senses. I didn’t want to see Hara’s lighthearted spirit squashed by an arranged marriage.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, looking down at the floor.
Hara placed her slender hand on my shoulder. “I’ll speak to Mama about it later tonight. I don’t want to talk anymore about this drab issue. I want to talk about my brother and you now.”
I cringed. “Oh dear, let’s not start that.”
“And why not?” Hara insisted. “He hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night, you both suspiciously disappeared at the same time, and—”
“All right, all right. You made your point,” I cut in, feeling heat flush over my cheeks.
“I remember when you were injured at the convent and he had come home. He immediately trained the Elite Eight. Did you know that some of them were trained assassins?”
Chills crawled up my spine. “No! For whom?”
Hara leaned in closer. “That’s a good question. I have no clue. Garr keeps their pasts very well hidden.”
I had been protected by trained killers? I didn’t know if I should feel flattered or concerned that Garrett had lost his damn mind.
“He always had an annoying sense to keep everyone safe. I blame our father for that,” Hara said, rolling her eyes.
“Was he always so—”
“Serious?” Hara filled in. “No, he was far from serious. He was fun. We used to get into a lot of trouble together. But everything changed when the first assassination attempt was made, and you were sent away. Edward ordered Garrett back to the castle, and he was put through rigorous training. It was as though Edward was making a personal bodyguard for George. I never doubted his love for my brother, but he is a King with responsibilities, and George was his heir. Garrett hardened; more focused on eliminating the enemy. I lost some of him; he never laughed anymore. I didn’t know him anymore.
“Until he came home from seeing you those years ago. He started to laugh a little; he had another reason to serve someone else over his brother and family. You sparked him back to life.”
You sparked him back to life.
“Do you not see it?” Hara asked. “Mama and I see it, the way he looks at you. He is utterly smitten. I think he’s in love with you.”