Drake kept going. “And it’s a good thing since you were with a woman other than your fiancée.”
Trev sighed, regretting telling his friend about the girl. “It was nothing. I’ll never see her again, and I didn’t even get her name.”
Drake paused for a moment longer, then nodded. “As long as you understand that it’s far too late for a fling.”
“It wasn’t a fling.” Trev motioned to the waitress to bring another plate of food.
Hoping to dislodge the skeptical look from Drake’s face, he changed the subject. “What did I miss while I was gone?”
“The rest of the men traveled ahead north to Oakefor. The mayor is expecting us tomorrow afternoon and promises a crowd of people to greet you.”
“I hate the big production. I just want to see the town, shake a few business owners’ hands, and meet the people. Nothing too structured.”
“I know that’s what you want, but that’s not what your father wants.”
“My father isn’t here.” And thank goodness for that. The trip would have been miserable with his father in tow, criticizing him the entire time.
“I know, but he’s right. You need to win over these small towns. The election is in a few months, and Joniss Doman grows more popular every day.” Drake shoved a massive piece of chicken into his mouth.
Trev scoffed. “I can’t imagine how.”
He watched as Drake chewed the meat down enough to speak. “Joniss is schmoozing people all over Albion. Flattery is his strong point. I know you don’t like it, but you have to play the game. You have to be just as appealing as he is.”
“And fake?” Trev asked bitterly.
“But that’s just it. You’re not fake. You really want what’s best for the people of Albion.” Drake stopped talking as a waitress approached their table, balancing a tray in one hand.
“Thank you,” Trev said as she set a platter in front of him, his eyes focused on the food.
Drake dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “We still haven’t received word from Hoskins and Brey. Hopefully, they’re only a few days behind us.”
Trev took a bite of his meat, savoring the salty taste, and sat back against the bench. He had dispatched the two spies three weeks ago to gather intel on the kingdom of Tolsten. There were rumors that the neighboring kingdom was creating more sophisticated weapons—weapons like the ones before Desolation. Weapons of mass destruction were against the Treaty of Essentials. During the rebuild, all seven leaders from each of the new countries had signed the treaty. If Tolsten went against the agreement and built sophisticated weapons, it could lead to war, something that Albion and the surrounding kingdoms were desperate to avoid. No one wanted to ignite another Desolation-style conflict.
Trev swallowed. “We’ll just have to get their information back in Albion. Whenever they arrive.”
“What time do you want to leave for Oakefor in the morning?” Drake asked.
Anxiousness settled deep in Trev’s stomach. Traveling to Oakefor only brought him closer to the Albion Ruler’s Palace; these were his last few days of freedom. You would think a man in his position had anything he wanted, including freedom, but freedom was the one thing he didn’t seem to have. What little freedom he had now would soon be smothered by an arranged marriage and government duties that kept him at the ruler’s palace. He was desperate for a few more hours to himself before that happened.
“Later rather than earlier. I’m in no rush to get to Oakefor,” he answered.
Drake nodded. “All right. We need to make sure we’re there by midafternoon. That’s when the meeting with the mayor is.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be there.” Trev wanted to meet with the mayor. He just wasn’t in a rush to leave this place.
Thankfully, Drake seemed to understand what he needed. Understand how everything in his life was about to change and that he just needed a little more time. Maybe that’s why his friend pretended not to notice the next morning when Trev awoke early and left on his PT. At least this time, Trev left a note.
He headed south thirty miles, back to the pond by Wellenbreck. He tried to convince himself that it wasn’t to see the girl again, but there wasn’t any other plausible reason to go back. Still, she likely wouldn’t be there. Trev didn’t have much experience with fake drowning, but he was pretty sure it didn’t happen often.
He slowed his PT to a stop, searching the area for any sign of her. The pond was quiet and still. Trev exhaled, disappointment knocking the wind out of him. He stood there for a moment, surprised by how letdown he was. He didn’t even know her and now, he would never get the chance. The realization left him feeling unsettled and full of regret.
Still, it was for the best. Nothing could happen with her anyway.
But even that knowledge didn’t ease his disappointment.
Renna
The sun broke through the window in Renna’s room early that morning, spoiling her sleep. She wanted to stay in bed, but escaping would be much harder later on. She needed to leave before Seran woke up, and Renna’s duty to the princess began. All of Seran’s friends were here to see to Seran’s every whim. Surely she didn’t need Renna, too.
Slowly, she lifted her legs out from under the covers and pulled herself out of bed. She scanned the room for one of her suitcases but didn’t see anything. She supposed they were with her maid, Nora, but she didn’t want to wake her. She didn’t want to wake anybody.
Renna’s eyes fell on an old, gray day dress hanging in the closet across from her. She remembered sneaking into her mother’s room years ago and snatching it away to play dress-up. It was a typical day dress for a working-class woman, cut straight and loose with a high, square neck. Two oversized, rectangular pockets rested just below the hips, good for shoving your hands into, but not great for carrying things.
Clothing hadn’t changed much over the years, especially for the working class. Day dresses were long, covering the legs and arms and were always in neutral colors. Renna hated how hot they were, but they were practical, designed to protect her from the sun and elements when she worked in the fields.
On her tiptoes, Renna crossed the room, examining the dress before throwing it over her head and undergarments. She let out a deep sigh. The fit wasn’t great, now that she was grown. The sleeves were three-quarter length instead of long, and the dress ended mid-calf, but it would have to work for today. She had forgotten how unflattering these dresses were. When Renna had moved to the Government Center, the first thing she had welcomed wholeheartedly was the upgrade in clothing.
Renna opened the door to her room and peered out. She looked down the hall to the master bedroom where her mother slept. The door was closed.
Thank you, she whispered to herself.
Seran’s door was cracked open, but if Renna was quiet, she might make it past undetected. She crept down the hallway, each step deliberate until she reached the top of the stairs. She took each stair slowly, knowing exactly how to dodge the creaks in the old wood. Reaching the bottom of the stairs safely, she quickly glanced into the front room where Seran’s friends were sprawled out, still sleeping. That wasn’t a surprise. They’d sleep all day if they could.