Blooming Life (Fate's Intent Book 10) (18 page)

Chapter 30

Zayden

I was proud of him. He took it much better than I expected, more like a man would have.

We began our journey back and even his run had improved. We didn’t have to break once and made it back to his mother where we would now be separated.

“We missed you around here.” Adele’s squeeze around him was deathly.

“Mother.” He groaned, feeling more embarrassed these days about getting hugs around other people. “I’m fine. Really. We had fun.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

“Me too.” I said. “But I should be getting back.”

“So soon?”

“I should. They may need me. Who knows what kind of disarray the palace has fallen in.”

“All right. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks. I just needed to get away for a while.”

I smiled and touched her chin. “I know. I expect it to be a summer occurrence. The boys could do some good with this break as well.”

“Where are they?” Seth asked.

“They’ve been outside all day. They needed something to occupy their time while you were away.”

“May I go see them, mother?”

“Of course you can. They’ll be glad to see you. Say goodbye to your father first.”

Seth turned to me with the quickest of hugs. “Thank you, father. I had fun. Have a safe trip back.”

“I will. You just go and enjoy your stay here.”

“Bye.”

He waved and was gone up the stairs with Rift happily following.

“So, what did you do?”

I was still watching the stairs and her question kind of caught me off guard. “Huh? Oh, not too much. We worked on perfecting his gift, well, the one I gave him but I made it seem like the work was fun. He enjoyed himself.”

“That I see. I really wish you would consider staying.”

“I know, Love and I’d love too but I don’t like leaving anyone else in charge while I’m gone. It doesn’t matter who it is.”

“Can you at least stay long enough to say goodbye to me properly?”

My mind must not have been thinking clearly because it took me a while to realize what she meant and just as I did, I heard Ruby’s voice from just around the corner in the lounge. “She wants you to fuck her, Zayden. Gees.”

“Ruby!” Adele’s high voice carried. “Language with the boys in the house!”

“But they’re not in the house and that is what you want. It was safe to say it.”

She rolled her eyes and I took her hand. “Come on. I always have time for that kind of goodbye.”

She sighed but let me lead her upstairs to our room.

I really didn’t want to leave. Staying here was nice like I remember but since I’ve become King, I haven’t had much time to come back here. I haven’t had much time to have any kind of vacation, actually. Maybe I needed to change that. Seth’s youth has been such an inspiration to me lately that it almost made me feel younger. Adele certainly wasn’t complaining but at this point, I’ve perfected my gift when it came to pleasing her and I could have it last as long as she needed it to. That’s what made her happy most of all and for the time, our life seemed perfect.

Seemed but it wasn’t true. I was still dreading that day Ryon had told us about in Seth’s future. I made sure he knew exactly where he was at all times when we went into Dorlin but this obviously wasn’t the year. It worried me only because I don’t see why he would go back there to see her when she’ll be coming to Seni next year and it couldn’t possibly be the year after. That’s when Adele will have her, secluded somewhere where they can train without distraction. I haven’t mentioned that to Seth yet but this didn’t seem like a good time. He didn’t need to be worrying about that just yet. It was still years away.

He got used to the separation and it soon came that another year was passing. He was doing well at the Academy, lots of friends to occupy his mind and he was growing into me more and more every day, except for one thing; he liked being Prince and looked forward to the new duties he would have when he reached sixteen. As for me, I was stubborn when it came to things I was required to do. I’ve outgrown that now and was glad he was not steered onto the same path. It was better this way but he was still stubborn in some ways that he did not get from me. They were traits he acquired from his mother that I could have done without.

He was growing up but Adele almost refused to see it and wanted to force him to go back to the mountain palace with her for the summer.

He, of course, protested without being able to explain but Adele always won. Even I was no help and he didn’t much appreciate it.

“Father, can’t you do something? I don’t want to go. Cadence is going to be coming here, remember?”

“I know but this is what your mother wants.”

“And what about you always being on my side when it came to the girls?”

“She can’t know that’s the reason.”

“I know but—”

“Listen. Just go with her and when Cadence comes, I’m not even exactly sure what day but when she comes I’ll send for you.”

“But father—”

“No. Don’t upset your mother. She loves you too, you know.”

He sighed deeply and didn’t argue a word further. “All right but you let me know the second she comes. Use the hawk.”

“I will and you can be here probably the same day.”

“Thank you, father. For doing this at least.”

“Of course. Now, go pack your things. You can bring everyone in the morning.”

“Do I really get to do it?”

“You’re fourteen now. I think that’s old enough. You’ve done well at practicing. You’re ready.”

“Okay. I better rest too then.”

“Yes of course.”

He hurried off and I was glad we came to some kind of an agreement on the matter. He wouldn’t leave angry or at least, I didn’t think so.

He was still showing his mother attitude the following morning and wouldn’t speak more than a few words to her.

“He’s upset.”

“It’s all right.” I assured her. “He’s just used to being around people and he’s liking it more than I ever have.”

“But I’m not taking him away for a year. It’s just a few weeks.”

“Like I said, he’s grown used to being here, that’s all. Once he gets there and realizes how nice it is to have a break, he’ll come around.”

“I hope so.”

“I promise everything will be fine.”

“All right. I better get out there. They’re waiting for me. I love you.”

“And I love you. See you in a few weeks.”

Our goodbyes have gotten easier over the years and I solemnly saw her tears when we would have weeks of separation between us. It was when she returned after only a week that her tears flowed like rivers and it was the saddest she’s ever been.

“What’s wrong?”

I took a quick notice to the five that have arrived back and my son that was missing.

“It’s Seth!” She cried. “He hates me for making him go. I think he ran away. We can’t find him anywhere! You have to do something, Zayden!”

The dread filled me but I calmly tried to get her to calm. “It’s all right. You go settle in. I’ll go search for him, okay?”

She nodded and Jaylyn and Ruby had to guide her through the main hall or else she wouldn’t have walked on her own. She was completely devastated by Seth’s disappearance but there were two that didn’t seem so surprised.

Bryce and Dirk started to turn casually like they were going to settle in too.

“Wait.” My deep voice stopped them and they started to turn back, looking guilty as ever. “What do you know?”

“Know?” Bryce stuttered.

“We know nothing.” Dirk said.

“Nothing about anything.”

“Boys?” Darius chimed in with his deep voice and they caved like melting ice.

“It wasn’t our fault!” Dirk said. “We had nothing to do with his plan.”

“What plan?” I asked.

They were silent again.

“Bryce?” Troy demanded.

“A messenger hawk came by when we were outside.” Bryce explained. “Seth got anxious, saying it was probably from you but when he read it something changed.”

“I didn’t send him a message.”

“We figured it wasn’t from you when he became—I don’t know—different.”

“Different how?”

“He was frozen almost, at first.” Dirk said. “Then he started to tremble and I seriously thought he was going to cry or something but instead, he disappeared inside.”

“And?”

“We followed, of course.” Bryce said. “He was in his room packing a bag. We tried to get him to tell us but all he kept saying was, ‘this can’t be happening, she can’t, why would she,’ like we didn’t exist at all. Then he said he was leaving and not to tell anyone so they wouldn’t worry but we have no idea where he went.”

I sighed and rubbed my brow. This truly was the year. The message was from Cadence and he had gone to Dorlin. Something disrupted this year’s visit to Seni―again.

“You know where he is.” Dirk said, more like it was a fact and not a question.

I nodded. “I know where he is and I’m going to need your help.”

“All right! An adventure!”

“To save Seth’s life.” I cut in. “It won’t be a game.”

“He’s really in trouble, isn’t he?” Bryce asked.

“I’m afraid so. Come. We take the portal to Dorlin.”

“We have a portal?” Dirk asked, almost excitedly as they all followed to the throne.

“It’s only used for emergencies and this happens to be one. It will take us right to Aleksander. Troy, Darius, I need you to—”

“We know.” Troy said. “Go. Bring him back. Things will be fine here.”

“Thank you.”

“Dirk.” He stopped and turned to his father. “You better do only what Zayden asks and nothing else. Got it?”

“Yes, father. Understood.”

“All right, this is going to feel a little weird for a moment but I need you to walk straight through and don’t turn back until you’re in Kalu’s throne room.”

“Okay, Zayden.”

I placed my crown in the engraved impression of the sun on the back of the throne and a light filled the area, showing us an image of Kalu like a mirror.

“Go. One at a time. I’ll follow.”

I knew they were a bit nervous to be finding out about this at all but they did what I asked. Dirk, being the braver of the two, went in first and Bryce followed.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Go teach our sons how to kick some ass.”

I smiled. “Hopefully it won’t have to come to that. Look out for Adele.”

They nodded and I stepped through the portal. My body felt tight like I was being squeezed but it only lasted for a second until I reached the other side.

“Zayden, thank goodness.” Aleksander was right there to offer his worry. “We heard what happened?”

“Have you heard from him, seen him?”

“No.” Trever answered. “And there’s another problem.” His eyes flickered to the boys like he didn’t want to say it in front of them but did because of my anxiousness to know. “Our contact to the other world has been severed.”

“What?!”

“We don’t know how or why but they’re dead to us now.”

“And Ryon?” He only shook his head for my answer. “But he knew this would happen. He said he’d be here. It’s why I let him be here!”

“Looks like we’ll have to pull our resources. We’ll find him. Do you remember the vision?”

My head was spinning and I tried to think. “It was dark, he was surrounded and—Cadence. Where’s Cadence? She might know where he is.”

“Your majesty!” My head turned to the call even if it wasn’t for me and a guard came in cradling a body in his arms. My heart raced. “This girl just asked for you and collapsed outside. She’s hurt bad.”

“Cadence!”

I rushed towards the guard; I didn’t care if he saw how fast I was and I took her from him.

“Thank you.” Aleksander said. “We’ll take it from here.”

The guard left and I brought Cadence to a side table, clearing everything off it so I could set her down. She was covered in cuts and bruises on her face and her clothes were torn and dirty.

“Who is she?” Bryce asked.

“She’s the she you heard Seth mention.”

“What?! He had a girl this whole time and didn’t tell us? Now I’m mad.”

“Dirk!”

“Mad figuratively. Don’t worry.”

“Bryce, help her.”

“Of course, Zayden.”

I let him approach and he seemed hesitant to touch her but he began to heal her like I asked.

Her breath became deep and she tried to sit up, almost with a scream.

“Cadence! It’s all right!” I said, trying to keep her down. “It’s us. You’re safe.”