Royalty, Romance Novels + Secret Attackers

Meeting Augustus

On today's news story: the royal couple has officially broken up. I sarcastically think.

Prince Christopher and I stare the other down. The silence is so thick, I'm sure everyone who's trying to listen in on the outside of the door can hear it. I think I'm nauseous.

"Is this really what you want to do?" He asks in a low tone. He will be my ex-fiancé as soon as we leave the room. "All those months? For nothing!"

My stomach does a flip or two. I can't afford to focus on it too much. "We weren't working out. Haven't you noticed?"

He kisses my cheek roughly and I push him away. "Chris!"

I can't believe him. That's the most he's initiated affection during our courtship, is when we're breaking up.

"How many times have I told you? Don't call me Chris." He sneers.

"Excuse me, let me just call you by your full legal name every time I need to get your attention. You should save everyone the effort and have an announcer follow you everywhere."

Chris doesn't play into my jokes at all.

"Just be serious and think about what you are doing."

I place a hand on my hip. "I'm doing what's best for me."

His voice lowers. "You're making a grave mistake, this will haunt you forever. Edria would have benefitted greatly." It's a stab to my heart. He needs to leave my country out of this.

"You said so yourself once, I'm young. I'm still learning. No one will fault me for that."

He glares at me.

Christopher gives a small bow of his head. "Well, your highness, since I can't convince you, I'll leave. I hope you get everything you're looking for." The words are polite, but I can sense his frustration at me. I kind of deserve it. I did just cut off this relationship out of nowhere when I asked him for this meeting. I just couldn't stand this life for another day.

The door swings open and suddenly there's many pairs of eyes on me. Everyone's watching. The weight of the room presses in. Did my dress suddenly get tighter? Does everyone really need to be here? I know they just want gossip.

I hear one of the prince's staff mutter under their breath as I pass, "what a waste of time."

There's a sharp pain to my heart. They're right and everyone in the room knows it. I should apologize. They're expecting me to apologize. But I can't help what happened. I can't explain how I feel. All I know is that I needed to get out.

One of the Chris's guards motions to him, the curly haired one that had been following him since the day he arrived, "The car's ready, sir."

"I just want to know one thing," he says. "Did I mean anything to you?"

I wring my hands searching for words. "I did care."

Chris shakes his head and turns to leave, his group following suit.

Outside the room, Gia is waiting.

She goes to reach for me, her voice soft. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Not now." Possibly not ever.

I don't know how or why but I find myself on the roof of the castle, shrugging off responsibility, watching as Prince Christopher and company drive off. I hope they get a flat tire. I hope he drives over a big pothole. I hope the driver speeds and he gets pulled over. I know how he hates being humiliated. But, being royalty, he'd get out of it.

I sigh. What's wrong with me?

Another limousine pulls up in front of the castle. Let me guess, another suitor. Not wasting any time, are we?