The Addition

Chapter Thirty-Three

It's very early in morning the next day, and I find it difficult to get out of bed.

"Miss," Emily leans over me and whispers. "It's time to get up, we have to get you to Italy."

I groan. "Life is so cruel to me." I pull the blankets around me tighter.

"Well that's a bit dramatic." She pulls the blankets off me, sending me curling into a ball for warmth.

Emily continues. "Break-ups are difficult, but you are going to Italy, and if you have the right mindset, you might just be able to enjoy yourself. Besides, I don't think this 'break-up' will be very permanent."

Her inspirational speech rouses me to a sitting position. "Thanks for the TED Talk."

Emily looks over to me in confusion. "The what?"

"Never mind."

I finally decide to get up, and as I'm getting dressed I ask, "Emily, have you ever been in love?"

She laughs slightly. "No, not really, but my best friend was madly in love once. It wasn't true love, though." I nod and continue getting ready, until a few minutes later Eadlyn walks in.

Rather than bursting into the room like she usually does, she opens the door tentatively. "You ready to go?" she asks while walking in, suitcase in hand. Neena is behind her, holding another suitcase. "We'll be sharing a room, so Neena can help both of us."

Emily smiles and hands me my suitcase. "Good luck."

I embrace Emily and step towards the door. "It's only a week," I tell her, but I'm mostly reassuring myself. "What could go wrong?"

~

Half an hour later, we're boarding a private plane, and I see Kaden. I lock eyes with him, trying to read his expression. He looks at me with a pained apology and I start walking toward him. But before I get very far, Ahren grabs Kaden's shoulder and turns him away. Kaden struggles against him for a moment, but eventually gives up.

A bit later, everyone is sitting on a plane on our way to Italy. I notice Ahren is quick to make sure that Kaden and I are on opposite ends of the plane.

After thirteen long hours, we land in Rome. I put on my best smile when Nicoletta greets us, and a maid shows us where we'll be staying. She leads us up to the second floor to a far corridor, and through an ornate door.

When we finally get settled in, a maid quietly knocks on the door and walks in. "Dinner in an hour ladies," she says gently. I sigh and Eadlyn and I start to put on our evening clothes.

An hour later, Eadlyn and I make our way down to the dining room. I stop her outside the door. "Wait, am I supposed to go in there? Ladies-in-Waiting aren't usually a part of formal dinners."

"Of course, my mom said there's a place setting for you." I nod and take a deep breath, and we walk in and take our places at the dinner table. Kaden, not surprisingly, is placed the furthest away from me. This is starting to get ridiculous.

Also seated at the table are the King and Queens children, Francesca and her husband, who's a noble from the German Federation, Valentina, who's mine and Kaden's age, and their youngest, Camilla.

Joining us last is the four Elite: Ean, Hale, Fox, and Kile, who all look eager for food. Only a minute later, platters of food arrive from all directions, filling the room with its sweet aroma. The platters keep coming, and we soon find out that this is going to be a full, seven course meal.

After the first three courses, I'm already full, but more dishes with names I can't pronounce keep coming.

"Attention please," Nicoletta calls by tapping her fork against her glass, silencing all of the murmurs in the room, "Thank you everyone, and we'd like to extend a welcome to the Schreave family," She raises her glass, "Celebrare!"

We stay in the dining hall for another hour trying the rich Italian desserts and making lively conversation. I try so hard to have fun, but the truth is, this is miserable.

Everything gets even worse when I see Valentina sitting next to Kaden, getting a little too touchy. To my relief and concern, Kaden looks very uncomfortable. Though, I wouldn't expect any less from him.

I watch intently as Valentina snakes her hand up his arm and around to the nape of his neck, my knuckles turning white around my fork. It's a good thing I learned my lesson earlier. I guess I won't fight Valentina across the dining table, though it's a very tempting thought.

I think Eadlyn noticed my staring, because she wraps me up in the conversation with the adults, which I'm thankful for. Finally, when everyone is full and tired, Eadlyn and I say our goodnights and head up to our room.

"How was it?" Neena asks when we walk through the door. 

"It was great!" Eadlyn says. "The Queen is so fun."

I don't even have time to respond, I just fall onto the bed let myself cry.

"Oh honey," Neena rushes over and Eadlyn follows.

"I'm sorry," I say, trying but failing to suck in my tears, "I think I just haven't had time to process everything."

Neena pushes my head onto her shoulder. "It's okay," she calms me, "I've been through break-ups, and I wouldn't have half of your strength to go out there today."

"It's okay Elle," Eadlyn rubs one of my hands. "I would rather be here with you than with any of the boys."

"Thanks," I say and wipe my tears. Within an hour Eadlyn and I are ready for bed and Neena goes to her room for the night. Soon after we get in bed, Eadlyn is fast asleep, but I'm wide awake. After an hour of staring up at the ceiling, I quietly tip-toe out of bed and into the dimly lit hall.  

I wander around the second floor until I find an open parlor with the lights on. Fighting against my good conscience, I make my way over to the door and peek my head through the doorway.

I wish I hadn't.

There, sitting in the room, is Kaden with his lips pressed to Princess Valentina's.

I want to run, but my legs don't move. Valentina is facing away from me, so she doesn't see me. Kaden on the other hand, makes the terrible mistake of opening his eyes and looking straight into mine, a look of terror flashing across his face immediately.

Then I run. I run all the way up to the fifth floor and lock myself in an empty room. I leave the lights off and sit at a bay window, staring at the city lights shining in the distance.

I try to cry, but the tears don't come, leaving me with a knot in my stomach and a hole in my heart.