The Prince's Gift

Chapter 22.

*Photo: King Maddox

Ana's POV

Pain. Pain and aching sadness ripped through my chest. Fresh tears streaked my cheeks, no longer trying to fight them back. No longer needing to look more ok than I was. There was no need to be strong in here. The darkness consumed us all, only a small light in the back of the cab lighting the silhouettes below. I could hear sobs all around me, feel Braelyn's trembling hands clutching to mine. We were heading into an unknown future and there was nothing any of us could do to stop it. Some were pulled from awful owners, but most were selected from the royal household, seen as a prime offering with the treaty's trade deal.

I had no idea how far away the kingdom was, but Zane had said it was a full days journey to drive the distance. I leaned back against the cold wall behind me and felt Braelyn's form lean in closer. She was so young. Too young to have been given so freely.

"What do you think will happen to us Ana?" her voice said shakily. I could hear her sniffling back tears as she pulled herself tighter to my side.

"I don't know. I wish I did. The only thing I know is that we will hopefully be sent to the King. After that, I can't say." I said quietly, trying to reign in my own emotions in a failing attempt to comfort her.

Silence surrounded the two of us before she finally spoke. "I'm not ready."

I sighed and pulled her arm through my own, taking her hand in mine as her lead fell to rest on my shoulder. "I know." I leaned my head down to rest atop hers and spoke soothingly. "Just rest now. We have a while before we get there."

I felt her body begin to slowly relax and then steady breathing replaced her sharp breaths from before. Her head felt heavy on my shoulder and I could feel that she was asleep. I tried to calm my own racing thoughts but it proved harder than I had thought possible. How could this have happened so quickly? How could this have happened at all?

I couldn't believe that Isla would have allowed us to be given this way. For me to be taken from Zane without a second thought. She didn't even say goodbye. In the end, she was my Queen, and I was her slave. I was her property that she cared for and that was all. I knew she treasured us, but in the end, we were property, something to give away. Why should it matter now to whom?

I had to keep my thoughts from going back to Zane, to his face as he watched me be loaded onto the truck. Hopelessness. Desperation. But underneath, running through the current between our thoughts, was the promise he'd made. It was hard to push down the hope that he would keep it. I knew he meant it, but I wasn't sure he'd actually be able to keep it. Not when he was without true power. Not with her on his arm, soon to be his mate and future Queen.

I let my head fall back against the wall as I tried to close my eyes, focusing on breathing in and out, slowly relaxing against Braelyn. I needed rest. I needed to restart. I needed this awful journey to all have been a dream, but I knew that wouldn't be the case. It was a nightmare. It was real, and I had to accept that. I'd always known my life could end up this way, but when I was given to Zane, I'd actually believed I'd beat the odds. I was foolish. I felt the darkness beginning to pull at my senses, my mind desperately trying to cope with the sadness filling me. I finally let it, unsure of what I'd awake to. My mind and heart needed a break, even if it was only temporary.

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I woke suddenly as the car bumped down the road. Braelyn's head had fallen in my lap, and she quickly sat up, sleepily yawning as she sat back against the wall next to me. "Are we there yet?" Her voice was thick with sleep.

I shook my head before remembering she could barely see me. I had no idea how long we were asleep, but I knew it had been long enough. The cab wreaked of urine and bodies sitting against one another. We hadn't stopped the entire trip and I knew it had to have been half the day at this point. I had needed relief myself, but I hadn't been able to bring myself to that point yet. I was going to lose that battle before long.