Heir in Exile by Danielle Bourdon Read Free Book Online Page B

they're absolutely forced to.”
    Chey recalled that the Queen of England, quite late on in her years, had yet to hand her title down to her son. She wondered if the Queen would continue to rule until her death, or until she became mentally incapable. Perhaps there were laws in place preventing her from handing power down before then. Chey couldn't be sure.
    “You would be surprised at what goes on behind the scenes, Chey,” Sander said. He lowered his voice, watching her face as he spoke. “Some are far worse than my father, who thinks he is in the right to press his hand. Maybe he is, but it's not in my nature to bow to that kind of pressure. They groomed me to be King—and that's what I will become.”
    Chey regarded Sander's determined expression. He was a different man now than the one who had sat so stone faced in the hotel room. Yet she detected gears turning underneath his calmer exterior, working out ideas and plans in the back of his mind. She believed him, too, when he said he would one day become King.
    “I guess I would be surprised, though I shouldn't after Elise's failed attempt to kill me and your father's order banning me from the country,” she said.
    “All of this will make you stronger should your relationship with Sander progress,” Mattias said. “One thing you must remember, however, is that my loyalty, without question, is to Sander. No matter what I say or do, no matter what you see, there will always be a reason for it. Sander knew this evening before he ever left the hotel room that I was fronting and covering.”
    Chey wondered what Mattias would think if he knew that Sander had already proposed. “I had a hard time believing you would do those things,” she admitted to Mattias. “It just didn't seem like the man I'd come to know. After the Viia thing, though, and the Queen—one just never can tell. I'll remember.”
    “Good. Because it means my loyalty is also to you while you're with him,” Mattias added.
    “Which will be for a very long time. I've already proposed, and she said yes,” Sander said, putting the news into the open.
    Mattias arched his brows and reached into the breast pocket of his coat. From it, he withdrew a little velvet box.
    Her ring box.
    “That explains my surprise when I found this in the safe in your suite. I thought you meant to propose on the trip. Congratulations, then,” Mattias said.
    Sander inclined his head. “Thanks for thinking to sweep the room and check the safe. I would have rampaged if that fell into the hands of those hooligans.”
    Chey, relieved beyond reason, stood up off the couch and approached Mattias. He handed the box over to her with a smile.
    “Thanks,” she said, taking the ring out. She hated taking it off for any reason. It went back onto her ring finger for now.
    “You're welcome, future Queen of Latvala.”

Chapter Five
     
     
     
    I should not be writing any of this down. It isn't even on a page in my real journal, which is locked away at a castle I do not currently have access to. This is a scrap of paper I salvaged from one advertisement or another. Right now I'm sitting in a hotel in Dubai and it's 3:47 in the morning. I haven't slept yet, for good reason.
    Earlier, Sander and I were accosted in the elevator by a group of men with guns. Just as I had let my guard down a little, just when I thought any danger like that was past. I should know better by now. It turns out Mattias infiltrated the group and he managed to waylay the more sinister plans they had for Sander and me. The King is the ultimate culprit—and I'm definitely not surprised about that.
    He wants to send Sander into exile, strip him of his titles and his right to the throne. After all, Sander threatened the King with the same. It was a brazen move on Sander's part, but I honestly think Sander is doing it for the good of the country and not because he has empowerment issues.
    This has become a tedious mess, the whole of it. My nerves are shot after a