The Runaway Queen

Chapter 9

Hawthorn lifted the folder, showing the thick file to Seraphina. She tried to ignore him by looking away, but Hawthorn wasn't letting this one go easily.

"Someone wants me dead, Seph. I know that you and I haven't seen eye to eye on the events of the past, but for the greater good, could you just play nice?"

"I told Orin everything that I know. I was brought in at the last minute and given the instructions before the meeting. I had to hide in the eaves and give them a show of power when the leaders hesitated. Once they agreed, I was given the go-ahead. They'd planned to take you down at the ball because they think it's the only public event you attend."

"They haven't been watching us for long, have they?"

"From the notes I saw, no."

Hawthorn sighed as he walked to the fireplace. With his hand on the mantle, he closed his eyes and searched for peace.

"I'm sorry about Nesrin."

Hawthorn turned, offering no emotion in the plain face.

"I enjoyed her company."

"Tell me that you had nothing to do with her murder."

"I had no issue with Nesrin, and if I'd known, I would have told you."

"So, I'm just the lucky one?"

The space between them was only a few steps. Hawthorn gave Seraphina a dark smile as he began to close the gap. Seraphina backed away until she hit the edge of his desk.

"Why am I the bad guy?"

Hawthorn reached out, gripping Seraphina's jaw. His thumb traced her firm skin as his hand smoothed down her neck.

"Was it because I didn't object to our union?"

"You let your father kill my family."

Seraphina pushed Hawthorn away, feeling low as the morbid thoughts rose in her mind.

"As if I could have stopped him."

"He took everything for his own selfish gain, and you benefited from it, so there would be no reason for you to stop him."

Hawthorn turned away. The anger was rising quickly.

"You saw so little of our life with him. He was a horrible father, but you never saw the monster beneath the façade. He was cruel and domineering. He used his power over us constantly. Do you know why I let you run or why I demanded that you were banished? It was to save you from him. I can guarantee that he would have taken you by force. He wouldn't have cared that my mother was around or that you were my wife. You were the spoils of war, and he wanted to take whatever he could."

Seraphina was surprised to hear that, but in a way, she wasn't either. Ruslen was the worst that their race had ever produced.

"And it is the one thing I cannot and will not tolerate."

"Is that why you killed him?"

Hawthorn faced Seraphina with a cold and calculating smile.

"What makes you think that I did that?"

She shrugged, pretending that she was aloof and didn't care.

"Heard some rumours."

"And what would they be?"

"That the king was dead by his own hand and that apparently, he fell backwards onto a sword. Also heard that there was a reason, and knowing your own little world of morals and your inability to keep your anger in check, I figured that you would have lashed out."

Hawthorn huffed a soft laugh.

"My morals? Didn't you once say that I didn't have any?"

"Yeah, but like you said, cannot and will not tolerate."

"I think that a piece of Nesrin died that day. Perhaps she has found peace in death."

"Maybe," Seraphina whispered.

Reaching out, Hawthorn curled strands of her hair around his finger. He lowered, moving closer to Seraphina's lips.

"He wanted to be king, and your father stood in his way. I suggested a friendly coup, and it earned me a beating. When it came time to walk into war, he told me that my opinions were to remain inside my head. I was pushed aside and told to wait in the corner like a naughty child. He was ashamed of me. The warrior he created wanted a peaceful coup and to save the lives of the royal family. I couldn't save anyone, not even you. If it weren't for Orin speaking out and suggesting that we legitimised the coup by marriage, you would be dead. Don't hate me for the actions of my father. We might be related, but that does not mean we are the same."

The curled hair loosened as Hawthorn's hand moved back to Seraphina's jaw. Urging her closer, he prayed that she would behave. He didn't need a knee rammed into his body or his lip bitten.

The kiss began, slow at first, and the pair cautiously approached the changes in their lives. Seraphina didn't want to appear wooden, but relaxing was difficult. She'd spent years hating Hawthorn, and now she was kissing him. It was not the expected outcome, but Seraphina noted that it seemed to be the recurring theme in her life at the moment.

By the time the slow and passionate kiss ended, Seraphina's hands were on Hawthorn's chest, and his arms were around her waist. She'd indulged in the embrace too much, and as the realisation hit her, she knew there was no turning back.

"You know that I'm not a quitter, right?"

"Then perhaps you need to make a few changes."

Seraphina pushed Hawthorn away. She walked to the door and turned to look back at him.

"Because I know you are not cold when you rest for the day. You question if I know that you are not a quitter, but are you aware that I do not share?"

Hawthorn quietly watched Seraphina walk out of his office. A smile slowly filled his face as she disappeared from sight.

Kohen walked in, frowning as he watched Seraphina leave. He closed the door, gesturing to the wall.

"She seems rather happy. I take it that things are proceeding as planned?"

"I make no plans when it comes to Seraphina. She is random and can turn at any given moment."

As he picked up the long black feather, Hawthorn sat down and lifted his feet to the corner of the desk.

"How did the search go?"

"Not as well as I thought. It's like he disappeared off the face of the Earth."

Kohen offered the file. Hawthorn tossed the feather back to the desk and took the file, opening it to find the staff records for the guard.

"When you asked about the guard assigned to protect Seraphina after your father became king, I had to think hard about it. I honestly could not remember his name. It was Orin that told me. As for finding him,"

Kohen shook his head with a grim smile.

"I don't know where to begin. No one has seen Bram Davoe since the day that Seraphina ran away."