Above All Else

Chapter Seventeen

He's still dead.

I stare at the array of large arrangements of flowers on the table by the window. I woke, forgetting it all. But, those were only five seconds of peace. Five seconds where my life was still manageable.

I turn, glad the door is closed. Glad I'm alone. Every time Mia is close, I feel her gaze. I feel her pity and confusion. I feel the words she wants to so desperately say but I just want to forget this.

I just want to forget.

...

"We need to move this too," I say, wiping my forehead. "It is coming with us."

The movers pick up the large standing clock that used to belong to Henry's father, bringing it into Buckingham Palace. As it is the last load, I'm relieved to be on my way back to Stoneham.

"Please be careful with it," I breathe, looking down at my cell phone that is ringing. I answer, seeing Ivan's name.

"Ivan?"

"Henry has been drinking," he says immediately. I freeze, blinking. What?

"Since when?"

"I have no idea. I don't understand how he's gotten it. He hasn't left the room. But Daniel just informed me that he saw him downstairs, grabbing bottles."

Fuck. I sigh. "There are passageways in Stoneham he told me about once." Passageways only he would know about. Dammit.

"I'm coming now."

...

I open the door to the bedroom, finding Henry fast asleep on the bed. There is an entire bottle of scotch that has been consumed next to him. I close my eyes, breathing in to calm myself.

I walk to the nightstand, grabbing the bottle. There is another one that hasn't been touched yet on the ground. I grab that one too and walk back to the door.

...

"No, sir. I wasn't able to speak to him today," I utter, frustratingly to the Prime Minister. "I will do so when he wakes. He had... a rough time."

"A rough time?"

To say the least. "Yes. But... at least he showed movement today. He will be up and about soon, I'm sure of it."

"We need him to be, Ma'am. England needs him."

I nod, swallowing. "I know."

...

I feel only anger when I wake. Blistering anger when I realize Mia has removed the only thing that can make me unconscious again. The only thing that can numb this ache, this empty void within me. It gets worse when I open the private exit door beside the wardrobe, finding a guard standing in the hallway. He makes eye contact with me, nervously.

What the bloody fuck is going on.

I slam the door closed, turning back into the room. I waste no time in getting the main door, opening it with brutal force. Ivan is standing beside the door.

"Henry," he says, shocked to see me up. I glare at him.

"Where is Mia?"

"She is outside in the garden... sir, are you feeling alright?"

"I am damn fuming at the moment. Were you the one who took the scotch?"

He gears himself for an uncomfortable chat and I know my answer then. "I informed Miss Mia that you had been downstairs to get some, yes."