The River (Book 3 of The Claiming Series)

Chapter Fifteen

The wedding invitation is beautiful.

The Royal Family cordially invites you

to attend the wedding of

Elijah Rutland

&

Paisley Willard

August 1st

7:00 PM

The Summer Palace.

Their wedding is in two weeks.

I've been home for one week, and I still haven't heard from Eli. I've texted him twice.

The first time, I said something along the lines of: "Hey, your sister came to see me, and she handed me a wedding invite. Can we talk?"

No response.

The next message I sent him was: "I'm home. It'd be nice to hear from you."

I know I'm not really invited to the wedding—there was no RSVP slip inside the envelope. Ruth did it to spite me.

The media on TV is loving all the news on Eli and his fiancée. Promises of peace between the two nations, a beautiful couple to lead us all, etc., etc.

My heart breaks every time I think about Eli now. I'm convinced it's over. Everything he said, all the promises he made—all empty. It doesn't add up, though. He cared for me, slept by my side, kissed me like his life depended on it, told me he loves me. Now he's disappeared and living the life his parents lined up for him.

I still love him.

And it hurts.

In the meantime, I pack for college. Mom and I have gone shopping about every other day. Bedding, lamp, notebooks, backpack, pencils, bathroom things, a rug, everything I need for the dorms. I got an e-mail saying my roommate is someone named Eris Midson. We have similar interests—solitude, sleeping, studying in quiet, reading late into the night.

Hopefully we'll get along all right.

I like the distraction, though. I can't sleep at night anymore when I'm alone with my thoughts. I miss Eli and how present he used to be. I confided in him so much and he held me when I fell apart.

And now he's just... missing.

I can't decide if I'm angry at him or worried about him.

It's eight o'clock at night, and Mom's helping me put some clothes into boxes when my phone on my side table buzzes.

I haven't looked at it at all today. I hate seeing all the posts about the famous couple. There're pictures of them together faking smiles and acting like they're on dates. Eli has his arm around her in some, and she's absolutely stunning.

I hope he's happy now.

I walk over to my side table and sit down on the edge of my bed. I pick up the phone warily.

There's a single text.

From a number I don't recognize.

All it says is: "The river"

My heart speeds up.

It pounds hard in my chest, painfully. Aching.

Eli.

It has to be.

Eli.

Is this like, now?

What if it isn't him?