A Dove's Tale

Chapter 21

I stared down at the book in my lap: Midnight Cinderella, the book Prince Chevalier bought for me. I was starting to think I'd never finish it. His office was completely silent, so soundproof that I couldn't hear anything outside his door. I knew he and Prince Leon were there. Maybe Prince Licht was, too. I hadn't wanted anybody to know about what happened, but now three princes knew, and after that ugly scene in the hallway, the rest of the palace would probably know soon, too. The thought made me feel small and vulnerable. I suddenly wished Prince Chevalier would come back and hold me in his arms again. It was a silly thought, and I knew I'd scold myself about it later, but I was too tired to fight it now. I felt safe with him. It was just that simple.

The door opened again, and I looked up as he returned, accompanied by Prince Leon. Prince Chevalier stayed by the door, as he'd done in his room, leaning back against it with his arms crossed over his chest, his cold blue eyes meeting mine for just a second before focusing on something outside the window behind me. Prince Leon came to me and went down on one knee to get on my level. He took my hand, his warm amber gaze filled with concern.

"I'm so sorry, Ivetta. I brought him up for questioning, but I never would have done that if I'd known you were here. Licht took him to the dungeons."

"It's alright, Prince Leon. I'm fine now," I said softly.

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze, and he smiled encouragingly.

"Of course you are. You're a lot tougher than you look. I wouldn't have thought a little thing like you could take a big jerk like that, and then you almost took me and Chevalier, too."

I gave him a small smile. He and Prince Chevalier were going to make me feel better in spite of myself.

"Thanks, Prince Leon."

"No problem. I know this wasn't easy for you, but you helped a lot of girls, and not just the ones he'd already recruited. I'm sure there are others like you who were too afraid to speak up."

I hadn't thought about that. Although I could sympathize with the other girls Jack had been pressuring, I was more worried about the girls already working in the brothel. What were they going to do now? I knew firsthand how hard it was to make a living with only a false perception of prostitution, and he liked his girls young, so most of them probably didn't know how to do anything else. How hard was it going to be for them to rejoin society?

"What's going to happen to them?" I asked quietly.

He grinned and tousled my hair. "You really are something. Let me worry about them. I'll see that they're taken care of. I never thought I'd say this," he continued as he stood up, "but you just stick close to Chevalier. He'll take care of you." He turned back to Prince Chevalier. "You got things from here?"

"Of course," Prince Chevalier responded coldly, stepping away from the door.

"Alright. If you need anything, Ivetta, let me know."

He left, and I was alone with Prince Chevalier. I took a deep breath and looked up at him hesitantly.

"Thank you again, Prince Chevalier."

He walked over to me and poked me in the forehead, a rare smile playing across his lips.

"Where would you like to go?"

I stared at him for a moment, surprised by the question.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said," he replied, smirking at me. "The day is yours."

"Oh."

I looked down at the book in my lap. He'd already wasted so much of the day taking care of me, and he intended to do so until I had to leave. I could probably ask to go early, but then I would have to come up with some sort of lie to tell Mother...