Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 72146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“I asked him for a kiss, which he gave to me, but then he left. I did not know what to do.”
“Then you came down this morning…”
“And it was him. Prince Casen. Prince Casen is Prince Jasper’s brother, and he was the man in the shadows. I have had them both, Isabel. They have both taken me.”
“Is this journey… Are they attempting to hide what they have done? To hide you?” Horror flashes over her face. “Do we need to find some means of escape?”
“No,” I say quickly. “No, Isabel. They do not mean to hide me or steal me. They mean to…have me. Share me. They mean for me to be Prince Jasper’s wife, but belong to both of them in private. They both wish to have me, and there…cannot be a child, otherwise. Prince Jasper is a good man. That is why he has asked you to come as my companion. I think he is trying to show me that there is nothing to hide, other than—”
“The fact that you would be wedded to two men?”
“Not publicly, but…yes.” I lean back into my seat, exhausted from reliving the emotions as I told Isabel the story. But I pop up again right away. “You cannot tell anyone. It has to stay a secret between us.”
“I would never tell,” she promises. “You have my word.”
Isabel looks out the window for a long while. “My God,” she says under her breath. “I would never tell, but…my God.” When she looks back at me, her eyes sparkle. “I would have never guessed you had so many secrets, Cora. My sister”—she starts and then shakes her head—“I have stories to tell you one day, but for today, let’s…well let’s get through this adventure, shall we?”
Chapter 27
Cora
The ride seems both very long and too short. Though the carriage is the finest one from the royal collection, the road still jolts us too much to sleep. I do not think I could nap anyway. I feel a strong urge to chase after the princes and wonder constantly how far they have gone ahead of us.
It cannot be so far, I promise myself. An hour ahead, perhaps, and Isabel and I do not need to make any stops along the way.
In the early afternoon, we round a corner in the road, and Isabel gasps. “Look, Cora! The castle!”
I had not thought I would be awed by the sight of a castle, having grown up in one myself, but the princes’ castle shines on a cliff overlooking the sea. It looks like something out of a fairy tale, with shining blue water spreading out forever behind it and green fields rolling down to the road. It is tall and white with many spires, and colorful flags waving from the top of each one.
The carriage takes us up the hill to the main gates, which are thrown open. Soldiers in gleaming armor line both sides of the road. We roll into a large courtyard paved with large, flat stones, and there, on the steps of the castle, are the princes. Prince Casen stands at his brother’s side, dressed as well as his brother, who will be king, and none of the servants gathered to greet us or the men at arms seem surprised by his presence.
I’m glad for that. It comforts something inside me to know that he is at home here, even if he might not feel that way when visiting other castles.
The princes come down the steps to help us out of the carriage. Prince Casen offers his hand to me, and Prince Jasper helps Isabel. The two men are quite a sight. My heart beats quickly around them and I struggle to maintain my composure. Heat makes its way through me.
I think…I think I love them with all my heart. I just hope this isn’t a mistake. I hope they will love me as much as I love them. I hope this can work. For all of our sakes.
The castle towers before us, but it does not seem foreboding. It seems airy and welcoming, and even more so as we are ushered inside.
Prince Casen hands his brother a slip of paper.
“My brother offers his greetings,” Prince Jasper says with a broad smile. His brother does not smile quite so broadly, but he does smile, and he gives us both a polite nod. “He writes when he has something to say, and I assure you, he often has much to say.” Casen’s expression is polite and charming, and he offers Isabel a bow of his head.
“What gentlemen you both are,” Isabel replies and bows her head respectively with a wide smile on her gorgeous face, then she peeks at me and my ever growing blush seems to set my cheeks on fire. Both men look at me and I quickly turn my attention to the castle gardens. I’ll never tell them I told her everything. But perhaps they can read it on my face.