Chapter 18: Cameron

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Everything about Prince Caspian seems too perfect. His voice. His speech. His appearance. The only imperfection I have been able to find is his ability to understand Linnish, and even that is something that is close to perfection.

Obviously, he has some type of ulterior motive for being in Linae. I can only guess what that motive is.

"Shouldn't you be off with your sister and the prince?" Jen asks in a teasing tone. The sound of her deep voice pulls me from my thoughts. She lifts her dark eyebrows at me. "I thought it was your job to make sure that the sneaky little prince doesn't lay a hand on your sister."

Of course this situation is a joke to her. Despite being a part of the founding families, Jen isn't constantly being followed around by the press. She isn't constantly being scrutinized for every little thing that she does. Jen Linder can make a big mistake, and she'll get a small slap on the wrist for a few days before the press finds something better to talk about. If I were to make the same mistake, I would be mocked about it for months.

Gazing into the girl's beautiful brown eyes, I lose train of thought for a brief moment. The greenish flecks of her eyes glow with amusement while she waits for my answer.

"Allyson can handle herself," I choose to say. "If the prince is trying to woo her, he's going to have to try a lot harder than he is now."

A smirk grows across her face. "Sounds like someone I know."

Gods. If I don't marry this woman one day, I will have lived an unfulfilled life.

She hasn't even let me kiss her just yet. Despite the fact that we have gone on many dates and we have hung out a plethora of times, Jen is still waiting for the perfect moment.

I'm just making sure that you're truly in it for the right reasons, Hansen, she told me last week. I wasn't too hurt by the statement, considering the fact that the last guy she dated was only there for her body. Not her brain, her laugh, her smile, or her personality. He was interested in her for only one reason.

If Jen asked me to, I would wait years to share our first kiss— my first kiss. We have the time for it. I'm not going to push her into anything. Everything is going to happen on her time—her speed.

Waving a golden brown hand in front of my face, Jen looks deeply into my brown eyes. "You spaced out for a minute there, Cam," she claims with a smile. The girl giggles at me while leaning back to stare at the slowly setting sun. "What were you thinking about?"

A breathy laugh leaves me while I also lean onto my hands. The burnt orange sky is absolutely breathtaking. Somehow, it makes Jen's skin glow even brighter. "Would you believe me if I said you?"

From the corner of my eye, I can see her shake her head. "Yes, Hansen, I most certainly would."

I turn my head so that I am watching her stare off at the setting sun. This woman before me is absolutely perfect in every way possible. "How was your interview today?" I ask her.

Jen turns her head and furrows her eyebrows at me in surprise. A small smile slowly grows across her face. "You remembered?"

Propping myself up on my elbow, I stare up at the girl before me. "Of course I did. It's only the 'biggest event of your life since your birth'." A direct quote from her based on what she had told me about the interview. It's the only opportunity she has to continue her education at a school not controlled by her parent at a place where she can finally begin making choices for herself.

It would be a lie if I were to claim that I wanted her to fail. As far as her school would be away from me, it's her shot at becoming the woman she wants to be. Her one shot to escape the life where everything is handed to her.

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