Women in the small kingdom of Aeriana are disappearing.
Iris Daniels, a budding painter in the East Territory, is trying to keep her head down. In a kingdom filled with abilities, music, and Destined love, Iris is determined to build a career out of...
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"Another young woman was found dead yesterday morning, her body dumped in a water treatment plant on the south side of Mountain Ridge. Police are working to identify her. If you have any information that might lead to an arrest, please call..."
—Joden Thomas, East City Daily News
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Galina said, blinking through tears. She bowed low, then made her way out, leaving just him and Reese in the small infirmary room.
Demitri's head fell back onto his pillow. "I don't see how we will keep this from the kingdom any longer."
Reese said nothing.
Three to five weeks. His cancer had spread much faster than they'd thought it would. And although they'd done what treatments they could, it had not been enough. Even before they'd begun what they could, under the radar, he'd known this was coming.
When they'd first noticed his condition, they'd warned him. They'd told him it had spread wildly, before they'd even known of its existence. That it would get bad. That, eventually, the kingdom would have to be notified.
Somehow, he'd deluded himself into thinking he had more time. That he could prepare himself and the kingdom for this day.
That wasn't the only thing he'd deluded himself about.
"It's just an estimate," Reese said. "It is not definitive."
"Exactly," he said. "It might be sooner."
"Or it might be longer."
"You've never been the optimistic one between the two of us, Reese."
"I suppose someone has to be."
Demitri lifted a hand to his face. Even the action, small as it was, was exhausting. The doctors had officially put him on complete bedrest. Other than a few paces down the hall to keep his muscles moving, they'd instructed him to rest.
He didn't want to spend his last days resting until he finally died.
Something dangerously close to a sob rattled in his chest and up his throat. He closed his eyes and took as deep a breath as he could.
Eyes still closed, he said, "my regrets might take me out before this cancer does."
Regret and sadness had been his companions for so long, he didn't know how to kick them out of his life. After the doctor's visit today, they both hung heavy on his shoulders.
No, he mentally scolded himself, do not let your last few weeks be painted in self-appointed misery.
"Catalina is set to arrive tomorrow?"
"Yes," Reese confirmed.
"We will need to tell her the news," Demitri said. His tone wavered as he spoke around the ache in his throat. "And jump right into a crash course."
