Royal Elite: Leander by Danielle Bourdon Read Free Book Online

castle assistants hand her a plain white envelope.
    “This came for Leander a few minutes ago. Rush delivery, with instructions for him to open it immediately. Something urgent, the messenger said.”
    Wynn frowned and took the envelope, examining the front and back. “Thank you. Oh—was it a personal delivery?”
    The assistant said, “Yes. Brought to the gate a little while ago. It took us a few minutes to realize Leander wasn't on Pallan Island, so we decided to leave it in your care.”
    Wynn understood that. As his fiance, she should be able to contact him when no one else could. If only she could admit the irony. Leander likely wouldn't be taking any calls until his return. “All right, thank you.”
    The assistant inclined her head, curtsied to Chey—who stood at Wynn's side—and departed.
    “What's that about, I wonder?” Chey said, peering past Wynn's arm to get a look at the envelope.
    “I don't know. It needs to be read immediately and it's urgent, she said, which makes me wonder if someone in his family has taken ill or something. All it says is Leander on the front and a return address on the back, but no name.” Wynn flipped the envelope over to show Chey the back.
    “Northern California. That's strange,” Chey said, looking from the envelope to Wynn. “Who's in northern California?”
    “I have no idea. Leander doesn't talk about his family very much. A vague reference to his father now and then, when I press him about it. Less about his mother or siblings. I guess he doesn't have any.” Wynn frowned, then held the envelope up to the light, looking for anything unusual inside. A simple line, like folded paper, was the only visible mark.
    “He's secretive like that. Sander's mentioned a time or two that Leander won't even talk about his past to any of them, and they're a tight circle of friends.”
    “Yes. I don't get too crazy about it, because I don't want to upset him, but I'm curious. What could be so urgent?” Wynn hadn't ever opened any of Leander's mail before. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen any correspondence for him arrive at the cottage.
    “I think it's telling that it came by private delivery. It's not a short distance from California to Latvala, and then taking a ferry over from the mainland to here,” Chey said.
    “Exactly.” Wynn debated for a second, then carefully opened the envelope. It was the type a birthday card might come in rather than the longer rectangle suggestive of bills. The paper, heavy weight and secure, indicated someone had spent a little money on stationary. Pulling a single piece of paper out, Wynn unfolded it and held it at an angle for Chey to read at the same time.
    Leander,
    I've tried and tried and tried to contact you by phone. Stop ignoring my calls, this is of the utmost importance. Since you've forced me to seek alternative methods of contact, I shall be blunt and brief: you need to see me within the next four days or you will die. Did you get that, son? You. Will. Die. You know I can't explain here, so you'll have to trust me and wait until we're face to face.
    This isn't the time to let old grudges stand in the way of action.
    Dad.
    “ What the hell?” Wynn said, her voice arching higher with surprise. With shock. The open threat to Leander frightened her more than knowing he was off doing some dangerous mission.
    “Does that mean his father means him harm? Or that he wants to help? The context is confusing,” Chey said, frowning.
    “I don't know. But Leander said he thinks they'll all be gone for two to three days, at least. If he continues to ignore his phone, then he won't know what's going on, and something bad might happen to him.” Wynn fretted over what to do. Then, she turned to Chey, who looked as concerned as she felt. “Chey, can you try to call Sander? Or Mattias? I don't think Leander will answer his phone. Not when he's gone like this. He says he has to turn it off so it doesn't chime at the wrong time when he