Page 53 of Falling for the Queen Mother

"There's been an accident. I don't know the details, but I have to get to the hospital." She reached for the handle. "Can you handle this?"

He stood. "I can, but I think the better option would be to take Alice to the nursery and I'll go with you. Emilia will understand."

She hesitated then nodded. "I would appreciate it."

Nate looked around for a diaper bag. "Do they have supplies in the nursery? I don't see a bag."

Alaina nodded. "They do. They keep whatever each child needs on hand."

"Good." He followed Alaina out of the door and down an unfamiliar hallway. They hadn't made it very far when they were met by Kay.

"Let me take her." Kay reached for the baby. "I heard what happened and knew you'd want to leave immediately." She gently took Alice from Nate. "Go on. I've got this."

"Thank you." As soon as the baby had been securely handed off, Nate rested his hand on Alaina's lower back as they hurried on.

They went straight to the garrison where an auto waited for them. In just a few seconds, they were seated in the back and they started moving even before their seat belts were fastened.

Nate held on to Alaina's hand and didn't ask any questions. He didn't even know what kind of accident they were talking about. Auto? Ice skating? Skydiving? He guessed it would be one of her children, but he had no idea which one. Probably not Queen Victoria of Dellisole because they'd be headed toward the airport not another part of the city.

He supposed it could be one of her friends or even Queen Elise, but it didn't feel that way to Nate. The SUV went through a side entrance and underground at a local hospital.

Once they came to a stop, he realized another vehicle stopped right behind them. At first he suspected security for Alaina, but the way a member of security came out of the car and turned toward the back to open another door, he realized almost immediately that wasn't the case.

King Frederick emerged and took several large steps until he was at his mother's side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they were ushered inside. Nate tried to keep up with them for the first few steps, but realized security had - likely unintentionally - separated him from them.

He stayed as close as he could, but got further behind after they disappeared around a corner. By the time he reached it, they'd disappeared.

"This way, sir." Someone he recognized as a member of Queen Elise's security detail approached with several others as well as the current queen.

Nate nodded and fell into step behind and to the side of Queen Elise. They went through a door and down another hallway, then into an elevator.

He had absolutely no idea where they were. They weren't walking through the main hallways with signage to give him clues. It made sense given who was with him. They wouldn't want to walk through the main portions of the hospital, especially after they'd taken such pains not to be seen coming in.

Queen Elise slowed her steps allowing Nate to catch up with her. "How's Alaina?"

"Worried. We didn't really talk on the way here. She just stared out the window." He also had no idea what was actually going on, but he hesitated to say that. What if there was a reason and this queen decided he shouldn't be with them.

"Ricky was about the same. He's worried about his brother, but didn't want to talk about it."

That confirmed his suspicion that it involved one of Alaina's children, but he still wasn't sure about anything more than that.

They were ushered into a waiting room of some sort. Alaina was already there with her eldest son's arm still around her shoulders as they spoke with a medical professional of some sort.

The queen walked directly toward her husband the king's other side and took his hand. Nate hung back, uncertain about where he should be.

He couldn't quite make out what was being said, but he didn't try too hard. If it wasn't meant for him to hear, he didn't want to know.

The door behind him opened and he turned.

An orderly was pushing a wheelchair with a young woman, covered in bandages. It wasn't until she looked up that Nate recognized her.

She looked from him to the other group and back as her eyes went wide. "Where is my daughter?"

18

With Frederick's arm still around her shoulders, Alaina turned to see Emilia in a wheelchair with bandages all over.

"What are you doing here?" She asked a question rather than answering the one Emilia asked.