KING CADEN DELORENTES (King of the Kingdom of Crysauralia)

Age: 48

QUEEN ARABELLA DELORENTES (Queen of the Kingdom of Crysauralia)

Age: 42

PRINCESS BROOKE DELORENTES (Princess of the Kingdom of Crysauralia)

Age: 5

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“What is wrong, Ash?”

I poked at my breakfast. I could feel my scowl deepening with every passing second.

“Ash.”

“What?”

“You have been glaring at that pancake for almost ten minutes. Is something wrong?”

I glanced up at my mom. Her brows were knotted in worry. I wasn’t feeling very hungry, but the concern in her eyes alerted me that she was about to start asking questions. And I wasn’t feeling generous enough to give any answers.

The last thing I wanted to do was talk about her.

So I just focused my anger into shovelling the pancakes into my mouth.

“Did something happen at the party last night?”

I didn’t have to answer because he spoke up for me. His expression was disgusted.

“Nothing more happens at those parties than him being a complete disappointment. Drinking and smoking and sleeping around. That’s all he does.”

“He said it, not me,” I said lightly.

“Ash…”

My mom was concerned and she sounded a little disappointed. I didn’t even think they could still be disappointed after everything I’d done. At this point, my actions were a given.

“When are you going to accept your role?”

I froze at his question. I slowly chewed the huge chunk of pancake that I had stuffed into my mouth.

“Good morning,” Brooke chirped as she came downstairs and slid into the chair beside me.

Her light tone didn’t fit in with the suffocating tension at the table, but being five years old, she didn’t realize that.

“Good morning, love,” my mom smiled.

She glanced at the door, hoping that maybe CaVaughn would come.

“Ashie eats like a pig,” Brooke grinned, puffing out her cheeks to imitate me.

I did not look like that. Did I?

“I asked you a question,” the king pressed, still glaring at me.

“I don’t want a fiancée. Besides, I have a girlfriend.”

“That’s not the same,” he growled.

“She’s hot though,” I grinned and I knew I was starting to irritate him.

“That is not the same," mom sighed. “Your father is right, you need to find a wife if you are to become the next king.”

My eyes hardened again and she winced, knowing that was the last thing I wanted to hear. Suddenly I didn’t feel hungry anymore. So much for a family breakfast.

“I don’t know when I’ll ever do that. Settling down isn’t for me,” I grunted.

“You are eighteen now. I was hoping they would find her before…” mom trailed off.

“She’s dead,” I mumbled.

“Missing,” she corrected quickly. “She went missing.”

“I still have a girlfriend at least, your majesty,” I told the king curtly.

A frigid silence descended on the room.

“If you’re talking about that pathetic excuse for a girlfriend, you should really rethink that. There’s no way I’d let someone like her into this family!” he thundered.

Brooke looked between us, suddenly aware of the tension in the room.

“Mom, why are daddy and Ashie angry?”

“They are not angry, honey. This is just how they make their points.” She shot us a warning glance.

“You should call him daddy, not your majesty,” Brooke reprimanded me. “It’s not polite.”

“I couldn’t care less,” I muttered, standing up.

Dad? He didn’t deserve that title. Not after everything he'd done to us...

“I don’t want a wife either way, so that’s that,” I said.

“But you will love her,” mom said, trying to convince me. “Especially if she is your soulmate. When you meet her, you will get all these special feelings.”

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. I couldn’t hide this forever, but at least for now, I could.

“I’ll pass on those special feelings or whatever.”

“You agreed to become the next ruler,” the king thundered again, then his voice turned arctic. “I couldn't care less about what you want, you know that. I won’t allow you to take up the position unless you have a fiancée.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose irately.

“I don’t want one!”

“But you will love her, Ash,” mom persuaded.

“I don’t need love.”

“Do not say that.” Her voice was soaked in disappointment now. “This is not a joke, Ash. You know that. The people want answers. We can only put it off for so long. They want to meet their crown prince.”

I chuckled darkly and the king narrowed his eyes.

“This whole thing is a damn joke.”

“Why would you even say something like that?”

“Because Elizabeth’s a joke!”

They all stared at me and I realized what I just did.

F*ck.

“Elizabeth?” mom asked me carefully.

I clenched and unclenched my jaw as I avoided her gaze.

“You mean the Elizabeth?”

“No, she’s nobody important.”

“Then why did you bring her up?” Brooke asked. Her face broke out in a grin and she pointed at me. “Ashie’s found his soulmate,” she sang.

A slow smile spread across the king’s face.

F*ck indeed.

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