The Candidate ✓ (Book Two)

Chapter Twenty

Tw: graphic depiction of murder

His death has reached every news station in the world now. You can't turn on a tv or scroll through a news app without a picture of his face being on it, so for her sake- we've avoided it. The whole situation has brought attention to how shitty the royal family's security is in comparison to secret service.

Sure- palace guards and the king's personal bodyguards are incredible at what they do, but because of the limited resources- they're child's play. The secret service has a trillion dollar yearly budget. It's a lot- but it's also very necessary. They're in charge of protecting anything from me to the capital building. Some high profile members of Congress- Ally Feinstein for example, can put it requests for secret service protection when traveling to other countries. Here in the U.S, she just relies on bodyguards- because she's as loved as she is.

  I'd be shocked if she didn't run for President in 2040. If she did- she'd just barely beat Kyle out for the youngest one in history by a few months.  I could see myself endorsing her- she's smart, progressive even for today's political climate, and isn't afraid to say what needs to be said even if it pisses off members of her own party. When she's stressed she has an attitude- but for the most part- she's the nicest person you'll ever meet.

  I take a deep breath. Today- I have a decision to make. Regardless of which way I go with it- somebody'll be upset with me. On one side- Mina and Kyle. On the other-Lolita. This decision may or may not be the breaking point of the campaign. It could push us ahead by a quarter to a half a point if I decide to still go- but even Kyle would be angry.

  I might have to just suck it up and let him be mad. This is a year and a half of constant traveling and campaigning we're taking about. No matter how much I love them both, I'm not throwing that all away because her brother died.

  It's been almost thirty hours. Ordaians plan and hold funeral quickly- so just ten after we found out, we had to get on the private jet to come attend the funeral. Looking out the window of our private room- what I can see of the capital has an entirely different vibe. The few people out- male and female- wear black head coverings. Here- during a funeral, women and men cover as much skin as possible. It doesn't have anything to do with modesty in the slightest- there's a belief that spirits linger around birth and death, and the celebration or mourning of those events. Some of these spirits are good or bad, so they believe veiling is a way to protect your energy from the bad spirits.

  The sky is dull and cloudy, representing the occasion perfectly. I adjust my black top- standing still as one of the aides helps me with the head covering. "How long have you worked for him?" I ask, breaking the silence.

  "A few years-" She shrugs. "I moved here from Canada."

  I turn around, a confused look on my face. "Like...on purpose?"

  "It's not so bad if you can get pass the whole brand new democracy thing. Most of the country is incredibly beautiful- even in the poorest cities and villages." I nod- she's not wrong. There are plants and trees here that don't grow anywhere else in the world- fruits that don't taste like anything I've ever had, coffee that's naturally sweet. Most of the time- the capital looks like a movie set with how gorgeous it is. I think I would like to live here if my entire life and career weren't in the United States.

  There's a Knock on the door, and the aide shouts to come in. Kyle stands in the open doorway. "Ready ?" He asks.

  "Sure, but you'll hate me for a few days in a few hours." I think to myself. I simply nod and take his hand. In the hallway- Mina sits on a a lounge chair, her face completely void of any expression. No- I'm not letting her lose it like I almost did.