AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The news hit me like a sudden drop on a roller coaster, my stomach in my throat and my world upside down in an instant.
Prince August was coming to Kastonia.
“But why?” I asked. “He knows I want nothing to do with him.”
“And since when have you known him to take no for an answer?” Father asked. “That’s one of the things I admire about the man. When he wants something, he goes for it.”
My father’s insight into Prince August’s determination only deepened my resolve. Admiration for his tenacity was one thing, but being the object of his unwanted desire was another thing entirely. My life felt like a chess game where I was a pawn, not a player. It was imperative that I took drastic action in order to rectify the situation. I was in absolute control of my life, and I would not let anyone change that.
“Please excuse us—there’s something Daphne and I need to tend to.” I stood and reached for her hand, then pulled her away from the curious eyes of my parents and the impertinent Caleb.
“What is going on?” she whispered urgently as we retreated down the hallway toward my chamber.
“I’ll tell you in a moment.” I shut the door behind us. “You asked if I fancied a vacation. I do.”
“Because August is coming,” she realized, not missing a beat.
I nodded. “You know I can’t risk it.”
August’s charm and allure were so powerful, even a pendulum on a clock would forget to swing. Although I wanted nothing to do with him, I was smart enough to know I could not take a chance by being in his insipidly charming presence for an extended period.
“Count me in,” Daphne answered without hesitation. “It’s been a while since I have flown on the royal jet. I can’t wait.”
I shook my head. “The royal jet is not an option. My parents are flying to France after their dinner, remember?”
“Wait a minute …” Daphne’s expression changed to sheer disbelief. “You want to travel on a public airline? With real people? I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
She sounded as if I’d suggested we butterfly stroke across the Atlantic.
“It’s like taking a bus when you own a Rolls Royce, plus you’ll attract too much attention,” she added.
“It will be fine—we’ll go incognito,” I said. “Prince Oliver did it when he went to Los Angeles and not a soul recognized him when he went out to eat at a restaurant.”
Daphne smiled as she nodded her head. “Ooooh! I love a disguise! This will be so fun! Do you think we have time to get good wigs and fun clothes? I have to say, I love this adventurous side of you.”
“This is my paranoid side,” I corrected her. “We need to get out of here, fast! And we’ll have to use your credit card, since my purchases are traceable in the royal account. I’ll reimburse you, of course.”
“What are you in the mood for? London? Sydney? Vienna?” Daphne rattled off the destinations, her eyes wide with excitement.
I waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter. We just need to escape. Take your pick.”
Swept up in the spontaneity of our hastily hatched scheme, Daphne excitedly dug through her purse, retrieving her phone in an instant. Her fingers danced across the screen with practiced ease, scrolling and tapping as she scoured the internet for flights. Unfortunately, her initial excitement quickly soured.
“That’s strange.” Her brow furrowed as she intensified her search.
“What’s going on?” I was perplexed by her sudden shift in demeanor.
Daphne shook her head, her frustration clear. “I can’t find any flights that leave this evening.”
“None?” I paused, considering. “That makes no sense. There’s still plenty of time before the curfew kicks in.”
Kastonia had long ago instituted a nighttime flight curfew. With most of its inhabitants and tourists within earshot of the airport runways, a strict no-flight policy had been implemented between the hours of 11 pm and 6 am. Despite the curfew being hours away, the search for flights proved fruitless, puzzling both Daphne and me.
“I think I know why,” she said. “The film festival! Everyone must be trying to head back home at the same time.”
The realization that we were competing with thousands of festival attendees for a way out of town before the curfew made sense, but added an unexpected twist to our already challenging adventure.
“You’re right—that has to be it,” I agreed. “But I find it hard to believe that one hundred percent of all flights out of Kastonia are booked. Forget about the most popular destinations. I really don’t have the luxury of being picky at this point. Let’s just go with the first flight out of the country. I don’t care where it’s going.”
