A/N: Okay, this is it. Sorry for the delay, but this was hard for me to write. Everything changes here. Just...don't hate me. I love you guys with all my heart.
Chapter 35
Kaden didn't sleep well that night.
It was nearly impossible for him to find a moment's rest between worrying about his guests a floor below him and the cryptic note Lady Lucillia had sent him. How the hell did she even get that past security? He wondered if she was here, amongst the diplomats and royals, but that was unlikely. She was pretty clear that she wanted no part of the monarchy or the palace ever again. But still, so many things weren't adding up. Even his slight victory over last night going well couldn't stop the doubts and fears from creeping in. He'd had security doubled around the gardens, just in case the tarot cards ended up telling the truth.
No amount of make up could completely cover the dark circles under his eyes though. His manservant had taken his time that morning to make sure Kaden looked as fresh-faced as possible, but a restless night's sleep and a mountain of worries couldn't be concealed behind a layer of foundation. Kaden didn't want the worries to stop him from having a good time though. He couldn't live in fear of what could be. For all he knew, someone was just playing a prank on him, trying to get him to throw the summit. He'd never believed in the superstitious before, and this was no time to start. Not when all of the ladies, his guests, and the entire world was counting on him to carry this summit. It was no time to back out. What kind of message would that send if the King of Illéa was afraid of some superstitious mumbo jumbo?
With that in mind, Kaden held his chin up and put on his bravest face. Today was supposed to be easy - just socializing in the gardens. This evening would bring the hard task. That would be when the official conferences and talks would start. Right now, his only task was to enjoy this beautifully sunny Angeles day. It wasn't too cool out - warm for a late November day - a blessing in disguise. He'd have to make it outside first; his day actually started in the main hall, at the top of the first floor stairwell surrounded by cameras and some of the most important council members who would follow he and his ladies after their procession had made its way out to the patio. It was tradition for the host of the summit to make a grand showing on the first official day, though Kaden's would be one of the longest in summit history.
All of the ladies were already waiting at the top of the stairwell when Kaden arrived. They were clustered together, talking amongst one another while Sylvia did a head count and fussed over them, trying to make them perfect. Kaden thought they were perfect already, each unique in their tea gowns. Ladies Heather, Katrina and Serena wore floppy hats, Lady Finnley had a giant bow attached to the back of her dress, and Lady Angelina's accessories were a startling shade of bright blood red. Kaden chuckled to himself, wondering if Lady Freya had done that on purpose; he was just glad that she hadn't actually dressed her in a garbage bag.
"Are you nervous?" Heather sidled up to him, blue eyes peering up from under the brim of her hat. It was hard to tell what was hat and what was hair, the shades of black all melting together.
"I wasn't until you said something," Kaden replied, pulling at his tie, the temperature inside escalating.
"Why do you always pull at things? I swear, you're like a child," Heather sighed, smacking his hands away and putting his tie back into place.
"Old habit," Kaden apologized half-heartedly, scanning his surroundings.
The cameras were still being polished, eager to capture this iconic moment. Photographers from all sorts of media outlets were buzzing at the end of the hall at the base of the stairs, waiting for their glimpse of royalty. The council members were trying their hardest to look disinterested. The ladies were bouncing on their toes, not quite sure what to expect. One lady in particular was swaying at the edge of the crowd, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, playing with the large blue stone hanging around her neck. She hadn't caught sight of Kaden, not yet, but she would soon enough.
"I want to walk in with Lady Maddy. I want her on my arm," Kaden blurted, the idea popping into his head and out of his mouth before he'd processed it.
"Absolutely not," Heather replied, waving his suggestion off like it was a stupid passing comment.
"I'm serious Heather."
"And I'm serious too," Heather insisted, turning to look at him, her eyes fierce. "How do you think it is going to look if you come walking into the gardens in front of nearly every dignitary in the world with the same girl you already shared the first dance with? They're going to think you've made your choice, or worse, that you're trying to pull something on them. They already don't take you seriously because of all the bad press you've had lately. It's risky, it sends the wrong message, and it's hurtful to the other girls that think that they're the one."
"But what if she is the the one?"
"You can't be serious," Heather said bluntly, her expression incredulous. "Five minutes before we're supposed to walk out and you're pulling this?"
"Heather, relax," Kaden said, placing a hand on her shoulder, not understanding where her sudden disdain was coming from. "You're acting like Lady Brice. You're not my keeper. I was just telling you this as a courtesy, because you're my friend."
"Fine, fine," Heather threw her hands up in the air, fed up. "Screw me and all of my hard work of keeping these people from starting World War Four. You just go and dick around with Lady Maddy. Have fun."
"Heather," Kaden sighed. He was growing irritated with her bad mood.
"No, go ahead. I'm not your keeper."
Heather walked away into the line of girls that was forming. Kaden saw her wave a butler down out of the corner of his eye and grab a glass of champagne from off the tray he was holding. She chugged it down in seconds, and Kaden's nerves started to jump. Things must've been more tense than he suspected if Heather was drinking. But he didn't have time to think about the repercussions of that. Not when he was being herded to the front of the line by butlers and other camera crews ready to capture history in the making.
This was his history though, and he was the king. Walking in with one lady wasn't going to change things as much as Heather thought. She was wrong on this one.
So, in one of the most rebellious acts he'd done all Selection, Kaden marched up to Lady Maddy. She was speaking to a few of the other ladies, but Kaden didn't care. He interrupted their conversation, putting himself front and center in Lady Maddy's space. Today, her dress was a soft pink, standing in contrast to the aquamarine he gave her, her hair done up in a twist. She looked shocked to see him there, her eyes wide and startled, but she didn't back away.
Kaden extended his arm to her. "Would you do me the honor?"
Her confusion turned to glee and she took his arm without hesitation, the other ladies looking on with envy as they walked off. Kaden could feel their stares on his back, but he had no regrets. Together, they went to the very front of the line. The other ladies were being escorted on the arms of guards, each in their finest uniforms. Lady Maddy's guard filed to the back of the line, and upon realizing there were no more ladies, exited the picture completely. Kaden felt slightly bad for the change in plans, but not enough to change his mind.
This is how he wanted things to be.
A blare of horns signaled the start of the procession. Kaden patted Lady Maddy's hand as a comfort. It was always nerve-wracking doing these things, but it was something else entire to go first. Kaden himself was just getting used to it - having been stuck in the back of the line for most of his life - but he was sure that Lady Maddy would prevail. She only smiled up at him and nodded slightly, her deep breaths shuddering through her.
Then they were off.
At first it was easy. All they had to do was walk down the stairs, just like normal, with smiles plastered on their faces. Those were more for the cameras than the guests, as there was no one around to see them...yet. All of that changed when they rounded the corner, the outside doors at the end of the hall. Kaden could see his guests gathered in the gardens, or at least the ones within view. All of the gardens were open to the guests, though it was preferred they stay in the main patio area until the procession was over.
Two butlers, one at either door, opened the french doors to the patio, the sunshine nearly blinding. And then they were in the gardens, surrounded by fresh air and the sounds of orchestral music and polite applause. There was an aisle made for the procession, and Kaden kept his eyes glued ahead of him, guiding Lady Maddy to the designated stopping area that just happened to be an archway set up on a platform at the opposite end of the garden. It was a straight shot - no room for chaos. By some miracle, all of them made it up under the arch without a single trip, slip, or fall. Perhaps this day wasn't going to go so badly after all.
"His Royal Majesty, King Kaden Schreave, his Selected, and the Illéan Council all welcome you to the first official day of the International Peace Summit," the announcer proclaimed, his voice booming across the vast space.
They all stood under the arch, faces pained from smiling so much, until the applause died down and the music started back up again. Only then were they allowed to breathe. Kaden moved first to let everyone else know it was alright to disperse, eager to slip amongst the crowds where he would blend in better. He kissed Lady Maddy on the hand, and she went off into the gardens with a small group of ladies.
Immediately Heather left the group of Selected to be with her family. Today the entire Indian clan was dressed in shades of blue and purple, Heather matching. She looked like she belonged with them more than him, which was an uncomfortable thought. Still, Kaden followed behind Heather, though not too closely. He had to make his rounds through all of the royalty, so he might as well start off with a crutch.
"Your Majesty," Princess Janki greeted Kaden as she saw him heading her way. "It's such a lovely day for a party. You've impressed me."
"I'm glad to hear it," Kaden replied politely.
He looked around the table to see Princess Janki's daughters giving him side-eye, giggling as they were caught looking. Queen Riya was staring off into the distance, grumbling something to her servant seated beside her. The man got up and headed over to where the food was, another servant replacing him in case the queen needed something else in his absence. And then there was Heather seated right next to Princess Janki, staring up at Kaden like she didn't know why he was there.
"I can't leave you alone for a moment, can I?" Heather teased, a glass of champagne in her hands. She drank from it. Kaden got nervous, so he took the glass from her.
"Seems that I can't leave you either," Kaden responded, trying to be playful to hide his concern. Princess Janki looked on the scene both amused and confused. "I apologize Your Highness. Your niece has already had a fair amount to drink, and I know she'd like to remember this day."
"Nonsense," Princess Janki scoffed, a laugh in her voice. She picked up another glass of champagne from a passing server and handed it to Heather. "In our family, we always say that a party you cannot remember is a party well thrown."
Heather gave Kaden a snide glare, taking another sip of her drink to rub it in his face. "Yeah Kaden, don't you have someone else to focus on? Like Lady Maddy?"
It was an obvious blow, but Kaden didn't want to cause a scene in the middle of all of these people. He and Heather would have to have a conversation about this later. But for now, Kaden bowed respectfully to the princess and Heather, leaving their presence before he said something he'd regret. He was already regretting having champagne be an option in addition to tea.
Over in the corner, keeping to themselves, were the New Asian diplomats. There were a few men in suits, but more in traditional robes of all sizes and colors. In the center stood Princess Eunmi. It was hard to miss her; she was the only one in a long, pink kimono. And if that wasn't enough to distinguish her, the giant golden headpiece she was wearing would definitely suffice, the metal studded with gems glistening in the sunlight. As much as he didn't want to go and greet her, the embarrassment still fresh from abandoning her on the dance floor back in October, Kaden knew he had an obligation to. That, and the princess made eye contact with him as he was half way to her, so he really couldn't turn back.
"Your Highness, forgive me for not welcoming you sooner, but I was told that you were not present for dinner last night," Kaden apologized, bowing in the traditional New Asian way.
Princess Eunmi eyed him subtly from head to toe, her expression perfectly blank. "The airways were not clear, and my flight was delayed. I just arrived this morning."
"I'm glad you made it here safely," Kaden replied. She nodded slightly, turning her attention to the man next to her. He wore an impeccably tailored suit with a flower pinned to the breast pocket that matched the princess. And, just like the princess, he was totally non-emotive.
"May I introduce you to Shang Yun. He is first advisor to the Emperor, his most trusted servant."
"It is an honor to meet you, sir," Kaden said, now slightly intimidated that two of New Asia's most prominent governing figures were present at the summit.
"The honor is mine, Your Majesty," The man bowed respectfully.
"May I ask what the occasion is for the both of you to attend the summit?"
"Isn't peace that most important occasion of them all?" Princess Eunmi countered, her voice clipped even for her standards. There was nothing emotive about her except for the slightest hint of judgement in her stoic gaze that let Kaden know he was not forgiven for the Halloween Ball. He was treading on thin ice, and she was making that very clear.
"Of course," Kaden replied awkwardly. The situation was growing tense very quickly, and Kaden was grateful when he saw his exit in the form of the ladies come into his periphery. He put on his most charming smile and nodded to both of his guests. "Please, enjoy the rest of the party."
Kaden knew he was being watched by both New Asian representatives his entire way to the table. Their gaze was like a palpable weight, but he tried not to let that unnerve him. Instead, he tried to focus on the ladies in front of him, their smiling faces ready to greet him as he approached their table.
"Ladies, long time no see," Kaden greeted, trying to lighten the mood from the rocky start he was off to.
"Oh, it's been ages," Lady Ayana replied sarcastically, playing along. Lady Lalaine chuckled, fiddling with the braided leather tassels of her dress.
"Has anyone been around to say hello?" Kaden asked, making conversation.
"A few diplomats, some creepy older guy who tried to get me to dance. I mean, I know I'm hot stuff but that doesn't mean everyone can touch," Lady Rose complained, flipping her gently curled hair over her shoulder. Her dress was a bright white, covered in hand-sewn red roses. It was no wonder she was being asked to dance. She looked absolutely stunning.
"I hope you didn't scare him off," Kaden joked, though he was really being serious.
"Oh you know I did," she replied, a devious grin on her face. Lady Azalea laughed along, swatting at her shoulder.
"She did no such thing. I think she was too creeped out to do anything but back away," Lady Azalea commented, Lady Rose's face blushing a deep red.
Kaden was about to ask what that meant when someone else joined the conversation.
"What did I miss?" Lady Serena asked, sitting down in an open seat next to Kaden, a small plate of fruit and macaroons in front of her. She must've found the snack table, not that it was hard to find sitting in the center of the garden and stacked high with all sorts of goodies. She glanced up at Kaden from under her wide-brimmed hat, her entire ensemble from peach gloves to matching heels the epitome of grace.
"Nothing much. Apparently Lady Rose was not flattered by her newest suitor," Kaden replied, poking fun at the situation.
"He's not a suitor," Lady Rose protested, her red lips pouting. "I only have eyes for one man."
It was Kaden's turn to flush, and the rest of the girls oohed and ahhed and cat called.
"Calm down Rose, he only has eyes for one girl," Lady Lalaine replied, her blunt words cutting through the happy tone. Why did she have to do that? Lady Maddy wasn't at the table, but that didn't mean that he was willing to talk about her behind her back, which was no doubt where this conversation was headed.
"Oh right," Lady Rose replied, the pout returning. "What was that about anyway? Are we not good enough anymore?"
"It was nothing personal, I promise you," Kaden assured the ladies, though it looked like they had a hard time believing him. "I just haven't had the chance to spend a lot of time with Lady Maddy on camera. I only thought it fair that she had her chance as well."
"On camera..." Lady Lalaine mused, pinning Kaden with a look he couldn't place. It was like the look his mother used to give him when she was fishing for information. The rest of the ladies were looking on curiously, wondering where this conversation was headed. Anything Kaden said, they would latch onto.
"What do you want from me?" Kaden asked, cutting to the chase.
"I don't want anything from you. I just want to keep you honest," she replied simply, leaning back in her chair and grabbing the teapot from the tray on the table. "I'm going to go get more tea. Anyone need anything?"
A chorus of no's came from all around, and Lady Lalaine got up from her seat and disappeared into the crowd. When she left, she left and awkward tension. Thankfully, that didn't last very long at all.
"Kaden!" Allegra shouted, rushing over to give him a hug, knocking him off kilter even though he was a good six inches taller than she was.
"Nice to see you too Al," Kaden attempted to speak, which was hard to do while she was crushing his wind pipe.
"Smart arse," Allegra smirked as she let him go. "Your brother and I had the most brilliant idea."
She pointed to Osten who was sauntering up leisurely behind her, seating himself in Lady Lalaine's empty chair. He had his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, his hair curling in its wild fashion. No doubt he'd looked presentable an hour ago. There were some battles Kaden learned he couldn't win, and Osten was one of them.
"I can't wait to hear it," Kaden sighed, wondering which one of Osten's crazy shenanigans she was encouraging this time.
"Oh don't be rude. This is one all of us can participate in."
"Okay, what is it?"
"How's about we go grab the croquet set and start a game in the back gardens?" she suggested, batting her eyelashes as if that would butter him up.
"Why do you want to do that?"
"Because this party is a bore quite frankly, and I happen to remember that our last game ended with me trying to whack you over the head with a mallet, which sounds like much more fun," Allegra joked.
"Oh my God I forgot about that," Osten laughed, tears pooling in the corner of his eyes.
"You can go ahead and take as many of the ladies as you'd like, but I have to stay here. Part of the job."
"Oh right, I keep forgetting you have responsibilities," Allegra frowned. "Well ladies, anyone up for a game of croquet with yours truly? Kaden won't be joining us so now is the time to ask me all of your burning questions."
Immediately, the interest of the ladies changed. They couldn't jump up out of their seats fast enough. Kaden gave Allegra a pointed glare.
"Al," Kaden warned.
"I won't tell them anything too scarring, I promise," Allegra swore, sticking out her pinky as a symbol of good faith. Kaden sighed and wrapped his pinky finger around hers, sealing the deal. She did a victory jump and headed off in the direction of the shed, all of the ladies at the table following close behind her.
"Osten, keep an eye on her," Kaden said to his brother as he was getting up.
"You and I both know that won't do anything to stop her," Osten replied, and damn him, it was the truth.
Something else was niggling at Kaden since last night. He wanted to know the answer, but then again, he might be better off not knowing. His curiosity winning, he leaned over closer to Osten, trying to make the conversation more private.
"Hey, did you know that Ahren wasn't coming?"
"Yeah, he wrote me about a week ago. Camille is really sick. It's pretty bad. He and Queen Daphne don't want to leave her," Osten replied sheepishly, scratching at the back of his neck.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Kaden asked, slightly offended that his siblings were keeping secrets from him.
"Because you never want to talk about Ahren. I thought this would be the same way."
"I know, I know that's what I said...," Kaden sighed, running his hands through his hair and trying not to pull it out in the process. "I just...I'm just freaking out."
"Why? What's up?" Osten asked, now concerned.
"Nothing...nothing. It's just nerves," Kaden lied. He didn't want to worry Osten with superstition.
"Is it because of the scary princess over there? Things didn't seem to go too well when you guys talked."
"Yeah well, I wouldn't know. It's not like she's emotive," Kaden huffed, looking over to where the New Asian princess and her diplomats were conversing amongst themselves. They weren't even trying to be social, and it peeved him.
"Good thing you don't have to marry her anymore right?"
"I don't think I've dodged that bullet yet."
"Why not? You're gonna choose a Selected, and it's not like you can marry two people."
"This one's a lot more complicated than just she and I..." Kaden sighed, more unease rising in his chest. Something about her and that man being there together wasn't right, but he couldn't figure out why. Again, it was pure superstition and paranoia, not enough to worry Osten with.
"You'll get it. You always do."
"Thanks Osten," Kaden said, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "Now, go and enjoy your game of croquet. I'm sure Miss Darlington is somewhere in this crowd. I ran into her mother in the crowd earlier."
"Yikes," Osten sucked in a breath. Not that Kriss Darlington wasn't kind, but it was always awkward having conversations with the woman their father almost married, and it had to be awkward for her too.
"Yeah, it was fun," Kaden replied sarcastically, shoving Osten off towards the group that waiting for him. "Now go. Be grateful you don't have to deal with the politics."
Osten waved his goodbyes, catching up with the rest of the croquet group heading off to one of the lesser populated gardens. Now that Osten was away from the crowds, at least Kaden wouldn't have to worry about his brother pranking any of the royals.
On his way back to the drinks table, Kaden passed a few friendly faces. Old acquaintances of his father and a few family friends. He caught Nicoletta flirting with one of the Spaniards, but she didn't see him. He'd be sure to bring it up later, if she didn't manage to tell him everything first. And then, a newer familiar face practically ran into him.
"Lady Freya," Kaden caught her before she could trip over her own two feet. However, he couldn't save the cupcakes she'd been carrying, both of them landing icing-first on the grass.
"Thank you," she said, smoothing out her dress from where it had twisted. "That could've been bad."
"I'm sorry I couldn't save dessert," Kaden smiled, and Lady Freya rolled her eyes.
"No worries. There's clearly more where that came from," she replied wryly, nodding back to the extravagant display of cupcakes stacked in a pyramid. Kaden had to remember that these things were still new to her, as they were to a number of the ladies.
This close to her, he could see that she too was wearing the necklace he gave her, and it matched her dress. She must've saved the best one for herself, the pink and blue flowers printed into bright white fabric starting off short in the front and trailing off in the back into a small train. All she needed was a tiara to seal the look, but the wildflowers meticulously pinned in her hair did just as well.
"I want to let you know that you really outdid yourself. The dresses are stunning," Kaden complimented her, and her cheeks flushed with pride.
"I'm glad they're to your liking," she replied, taking a look around the gardens to get a glimpse of her handiwork in action.
"I wish that I could repay you for what you've done. Your talent is truly something else."
"Well, maybe if this whole marriage thing doesn't work out, I can come be your personal designer," she joked, and Kaden smirked.
"Of course. I'd be honored," Kaden replied with a smile. "I won't keep you any longer. Go, enjoy the rest of the party."
Lady Freya curtseyed before moving to the table where her companions were seated. They weren't ladies, but rather a few of the visiting diplomats. Kaden didn't know whether to be impressed or worried that some of the girls were associating with the guests. On one hand, it was a good idea to get them introduced to the political world, but on the other hand, so much could go wrong. After all, they'd only been trained in ettiequte for two months; that wasn't really a long time to perfect things, Sylvia as a teacher or not.
Kaden ultimately decided not to worry, at least not now. There wasn't much more damage the ladies could do to his image that he hadn't done himself.
Speaking of damage...he was about to damage his reputation with the Germans. Luka was standing across the way with one arm on Lady Finnley's waist and the other holding out a flower, as if he were the one trying to win her hand. Kaden was just about done with the smarmy bastard, marching up to the two of them with fury in his bones. One more move on his lady and he was going to damage Luka's face.
"Has he been bothering you again?" Kaden seethed, trying to keep his emotions in check, but being so close to Luka was only fanning the flames.
"Relax Your Majesty," Luka replied, acting innocent. "I promise I'm on my best behavior. I would never dishonor the lady."
"I was asking her," Kaden replied through clenched teeth, not even bothering to look Luka's way. His eyes never left Lady Finnley as he asked, "Can I have a moment with you, alone?"
Luka raised his hands in surrender and walked over to the table where the rest of the German diplomats were seated. Kaden moved away from the center of the garden, off to the side where they would have more privacy. Kaden's blood pressure was racing, his emotions tangled between punching Luka and shaking some sense into Lady Finnley. Was she doing this on purpose? Was she playing with fire just to get attention? Whatever her reasons, Kaden needed it to stop, for his sanity's sake.
"He's telling the truth," Lady Finnley said as soon as they got out of ear shot, her words smacking Kaden right between the eyes. "Luka came over to apologize for last night. He didn't mean to upset me, and I believe him."
"You believe him?" Kaden replied, incredulous.
"He hasn't given me any reason not to, unlike you," Lady Finnley replied, her voice hushed so that only Kaden could hear. And if her other statement came as a shock, this one was like a nail on the coffin, hammering into his heart. It was painful, to be honest. He thought that they had made headway. Maybe he was wrong.
"But he's a married man," Kaden argued, frustrated. "It doesn't strike you as odd that a married man is flirting with you?"
"I know what he is, and I can handle myself. We're not doing anything wrong. I'm not breaking any rules. So stop trying to save me," Lady Finnley said with finality, side stepping Kaden and walking back over to the German party.
Kaden was furious. The smug look on the bastard's face when he saw Lady Finnley walking his way was enough to make Kaden see red. He needed to get them out of his sight if he was going to hang onto his sanity. So he plunged back into the crowd, finding the first tray of champagne and downing the entire glass in one gulp. Lady Katrina would be proud. Speaking of Lady Katrina, he hadn't seen her since the procession. She'd seem distracted, probably because of the letter she got last night. He made a note to ask her about it later, perhaps during their date.
Another lady he had yet to see was Lady Angelina, but he wasn't too concerned about missing out on her. She still scared him, and he wasn't in the mood to be preyed upon. He was wondering why he still kept her around, and he had no reason that made sense. It came down to a mix of thrill and curiosity. But this wasn't the time to contemplate his Selected. This was the time to socialize and make new friends.
With that in mind, Kaden made a point to talk to most of the people he passed in the crowd. He passed a couple of hours doing this, even getting side tracked with the Russian ambassadors. They'd snuck in a bottle of their own vodka and had Kaden drink some. It tasted like pure fire, and when he coughed it back up, the men only laughed and patted him on the back. Apparently they didn't care if he could swallow it or not, they were just impressed that he tried. Kaden couldn't taste anything after that, but it was worth the laughs.
At the end of his social hours, he ended up talking to the Israeli Prime Minister. Quite frankly, the man was a bore, but he was kind and had always been a loyal ally to Illéa. He loved his family more than anything, and every time Kaden found himself in the same room with the man, it turned into at least a half an hour of talking about his children's accomplishments. Kaden wondered if this was how his parents sounded about he and his siblings.
"And have I told you about my daughter, Aisha? She's a doctor you know," he said with pride. Kaden was only half listening, but nodded along.
"Yes, I believe you've mentioned it," Kaden replied, trying to sound interested.
"Ah well, a month ago..."
The man started up on another story, and Kaden fought the urge to groan. He never knew how to get himself out of these situations, and there was no one in sight that he could use as an escape. It seemed as though he was stuck. He was about to zone out when he heard a chillingly familiar noise.
It was faint, almost indiscernible from all the other noise surrounding him, but he'd heard that sound before, that unmistakable metallic shucking. It was the type of sound that haunted his nightmares, that drowned out all other noise so that all he could focus on was the clink and clatter of metal on metal.
And then his suspicions were confirmed when the Prime Minister's head was blown through by a spray of bullets.
Screaming.
Yelling.
Chaos.
The blood splattered across Kaden's face and onto his suit. He could feel it sticking to him, watching in horror as what remained of the Prime Minister's body fell onto the concrete with a thud. The rest of the world faded away. Kaden wasn't processing what was happening.
He was being attacked.
A man was standing a few feet in front of Kaden, no doubt the man who killed the Prime Minister. He looked deranged, his hair tangled and matted, his beard unkept. He had restless eyes. And worst of all, he really seemed to enjoy killing.
"Your Majesty," The man bowed flippantly to him with a devious smirk, the gun cocked in his hand. Kaden was too aware of it, his eyes glued on the trigger.
He should be running.
He should be running far far away, but instead, Kaden was frozen in place.
A bullet to the brain stopped the attacker in his trails, his manic grin forever on his face as his body collapsed to a heap. It was only then that Kaden regained movement of his muscles. He felt weak, his first steps sending him to his knees.
"Your Majesty, get up! We need to move you to a secure location!" a guard screamed in his ears, but Kaden didn't respond. Instead, he looked out at the gardens, at all of the screaming people, at the turf destroyed and stained with blood. It didn't feel real.
Rough hands yanked him up by the armpits and practically dragged him away from the line of fire. Kaden was stumbling along, moments away from being picked up and carried. He knew he wasn't helping his escort, but he couldn't find it in him to move on his own. It was like he was paralyzed with fear.
Another metallic clank, heavier this time. A projectile launched their way, no bigger than an egg.
"Grenade!" One of the men on his arms shouted, trying to pull Kaden out of the way.
They didn't make it far enough, catching the tail end of the explosion as the grenade went off. Kaden could feel the heat close on his back, a fire that burned fiercer than anything he'd felt before, burned through the back of his jacket and deep into his skin. What was worse was the force that sent him flying forward, landing hard on the concrete patio. He could hear the crunch of his arm as he landed, another pain causing him to cry out.
His ears were ringing. The smoke from the grenade was making his eyes water. His nose was bleeding. He couldn't find his guards, but he suspected the worst.
He needed to get to safety.
He needed to get everyone to safety.
Everywhere he looked, he only saw destruction. He forced himself up and stood in the middle of the battlefield, shell shocked and horror stricken at all of the violence surrounding him. Screams fell on deaf ears as he watched people run for their lives. Guards shot at the enemies, enemies shot back. It was a never ending loop of carnage.
"Kaden!" someone screamed his name, a female voice drawing him out of his stupor.
He turned to the source of the voice to see Lady Katrina standing a few feet away. She was ducking behind a pillar, beckoning him over. He managed to get his legs to work, running over to her as fast as he could. Up close, her dress was torn, her hair in knots, and she looked like the hell they were living. He couldn't have been in much better shape.
"Come on, we need to get out of here!" she grabbed his hand and started to run. The doors inside were only a few yards away, but they'd have to cross through the wide open grass. It was dangerous, it was risky, but it was their only hope.
"On three," she suggested, lacing her hand in his. "One, two, three!"
Together, they dashed through open fire, ducking their heads low as they stumbled and ran along the grass. They were so close to being indoors. They were so close to getting to a panic room. Kaden could see the guards waiting for them on the inside. It was all within his grasp.
But then there was a scream. A scream that stopped him in his tracks, pulling Lady Katrina with him.
"What are you doing?" she cried, tugging on his arm, but it didn't register.
He was searching for the scream, scanning the area as best as he could. Between the carnage and dead bodies and what was left of his gardens, Kaden could pick out the source. His heart crept up his throat and his heart stopped as he saw Lady Maddy being pulled along by a hostile man.
"Free Illéa!" The man screamed on the top of his lungs, over the gunfire of his rifle and the desperate screams coming from the lady he held hostage. Loud enough for the whole world to hear.
Lady Maddy was struggling against the man, twisting and writhing. She was starting to kick as the man pulled her closer to him, his arm wrapped around her neck in a choke hold. She was clawing at him for release, but she was too weak.
Adrenaline kicked in and Kaden ran towards Lady Maddy like a bullet, dragging Lady Katrina with him. They weren't too far away - just across the garden. Kaden had no idea what he was doing. He had no clue what he was going to do when he got to Lady Maddy; he only knew he had to try to save her. But as they got close enough to make out the man's face, Lady Katrina jerked to a stop. Kaden turned to look at her, bewildered. Didn't she know they had to save Lady Maddy?
"Jack?" she whispered, her expression one of pure surprise and horror.
Kaden was confused. Who was Jack? But by the time he went to look back at the man, it was too late.
By the time Kaden turned his head back to the man, he had opened his leather jacket to reveal rows and rows of explosives lining the inside, and Lady Maddy was still caught in his grip.
"Down with the monarchy!" the man shouted, his finger on the trigger.
And Kaden was helpless to stop history from repeating right in front of his eyes.