Kingmaker (Ace of Queens #5)

Pt.42 All I have, All I Need

Chapter 42

Lily held Ella's hand while the two sisters sat at the back of the church. Despite all the people gathered in the building, there was not a sound to be heard. Ruby looked over her shoulder to where her two daughters sat, separated from the rest of the family. Her eyes brushed over them as if they were just ordinary people who had come to pay their respect. Mia, who sat right beside her mother, did not turn to look.

Maksim held Ella's other hand as everyone rose to say the prayer. He heard Ella take a deep breath as she fixed her dress and held her head high. Next to her, Lily looked up with concern and shifted her gaze to Maksim. He didn't know what to tell her. She had been like that since the morning. Maksim had expected her to cry or weep but as she stood beside him saying her final farewell to Dean, she did not shed a single tear.

After the prayer, as the guest walked to Mia and Ruby to offer their condolences, Ella asked Maksim if they could leave.

"Are you sure?" Maksim asked. "You don't want to see your mom?"

Ella shook her head, "No, thank you."

Lily chewed on her bottom lip as she stared at Maksim. She threw one last look over her shoulder at her mother before she walked out behind Ella and Maksim. The photographers outside clicked away as the three approached their car. Out of some respect for the dead, they did not question them or ask for any comments. They simply clicked away as the future queen, dressed in black, lowered her head and slipped into the heavily armored vehicle.

"Will Charlie meet us for lunch?" Ella asked once Lily got into the seat beside her.

"No," Lily shook her head. "We're actually flying back tonight."

"Oh," Ella frowned. "Couldn't you stay? I have a few weeks before I go to New York. We can do something together."

"Yeah," Maksim said as he buckled himself into the front passenger seat. "We're all going to Mexico, you should come."

"When are you all going?" Lily asked.

"Next week," Ella said. "Come with Charlie. Piper will be there too."

Lily thought about the offer for a second, "I'll see what Charlie says. We had plans to visit his extended family. But maybe we can move some things around."

"I hope so," Ella smiled.

Lily nodded her head as her sister took in a deep breath and leaned her head back against the seat. She shut her baby blue eyes and let out the breath she was holding. In the rear view mirror, Lily caught Maksim's eyes peering at Ella. She knew he was just as worried as she was about Ella's calmness. It was unlike her. She was the emotional one.

"Ellie?" Lily couldn't stop herself anymore. "Are you okay?"

Ella's opened her eyes and looked at her sister, "Yes, I'm fine. Why?"

"You don't seem fine," Lily frowned. "I know you were close to dad...... I just..... I don't know. I thought you would be more upset."

Maksim couldn't take his eyes off of Ella. He watched her like a hawk. His eyes ready to catch even the slightest of change. His mind link was open to her. The last thing he needed was for her to hide within herself.

Ella stared at her fingers for a while as she looked for the right words in her head. She knew her reaction to everything was out of the ordinary and Lily and Maksim's concern for her was crystal clear in their eyes. She had been waiting for them to ask.

"To me....he was already dead," Ella finally said after a while. "The day that he.....he stood in the room and watched Roman......"

Ella couldn't finish. She felt Lily reach out and take her hand. Usually, this would be the part where tears would be running down her face, but in the moment, Ella didn't feel the need to cry anymore.