Chapter 32

32

S teel

Some of the walls in the palace are hollow. They’ve been specially constructed this way to facilitate an escape if the building is ever raided. First and foremost, it is imperative that the royal family be saved. That, at the very least, one of the royals makes it out unscathed.

I am one of the few who knows about the walls. Considering I was almost convicted of treason four years ago, that I was very nearly put to death for my crimes, I am shocked to find that nothing in the palace layout has changed.

What the fuck!

Ice clearly doesn’t give a damn or take his role seriously. I can’t say I’m surprised. Right now, it’s a good thing they never made changes because I found it easy to get into the palace, and I’ll be in the royal apartment in just a jiffy.

I have to walk sideways as I carefully make my way through the wall that leads there. One thing is a little different; there are guards posted everywhere and patrols circling the grounds nonstop. Something is up. Surely all of this is not just for me? It can’t be. It feels like something more is going on. I can’t worry about that now.

It’s late. There is no way in hell that Arctic is anywhere but in bed. I need to be quiet about this, or he’ll sound the alarm, and about fifty guards will descend on his apartment in seconds. They’ll think the worst. And this time, I will be beheaded for treason. No one will save me. I get a pang somewhere in the vicinity of my heart when I think of being put to death or jailed. Neither of those two things can happen. Jen needs me.

I get all soft and sappy inside when I think of her. I warm. I light up. I turn into a fuzzy-as-fuck mess. It can’t be helped. That female needs someone to finally have her back. I’m it.

It’s going to fucking kill me to watch her leave, but I can do it. I can do all of it…for her.

I take a few deep breaths and then I click open the panel on the wall. The one that leads to the royal living room.

Just as expected, all is quiet. It’s dark. I glide through the space into the formal lounge, then to the formal dining room, and into the hall. I make my way past the library, which doubles as a study, and past the bedroom that would have been a nursery. I pause for a few seconds, my mind on Anya. On the life she never got to live. On the baby she never got to carry.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper into the darkness. Something eases in me. It’s small, but it’s a start. After taking a deep breath, I walk down the hallway to the master bedroom. The room where she died. Arctic wouldn’t leave this place. Wouldn’t hear of it. He still sleeps in the same room he watched her die in. It doesn’t get too much more fucked up than that.

The lights on the panel by the door are a bright red, telling me that the lock is engaged. Arctic is inside this room, and six digits stand between him and me. Let’s see if I still know him.

I quietly rub my hands together. I’ve had plenty of time to think about what the numbers could be. I’m pretty sure I know. I’m not sure of the combination, though.

He will have chosen days that are important to him. Arctic is extremely analytical and logical.

I carefully key in the code in chronological order of the events in which they took place. Anya’s birthday, the day they met, and – I swallow thickly – the day she died. A soft beep signals, but the panel stays red. Wrong! I have two tries left. I only hope he doesn’t sound the alarm before I have a chance to use them.

It has to be those numbers. I try a different order and get another beep.

Fuck!

Maybe I don’t know him at all anymore.

I shake my head. Do I still have the order wrong? Fuck! Then it hits me: Arctic would not want to remember Anya that way. He wouldn’t want to be reminded of her death every time he keys in the code. So, he hasn’t used the anniversary of her death.

“That idiot!” I mutter to myself as I realize what the code is. I have one last shot, so I hope I get it right. He will have to be a complete ass to keep it exactly the same. He will have made a change, but nothing crazy. It’ll still be logical. I think I know. I know him. I do! Arctic might hate me, but he’s my best friend and always will be.

I say a silent prayer and key in the six digits. There is a beep, but this time, the keypad turns green. The door clicks as the locks open.

I turn the handle and walk in. Arctic jumps to his feet, the sheet pooling on the floor. He’s naked, his eyes wide.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” I tell him in a low voice.

“Steel! What the fuck are you doing here? Have you lost your ever-loving mind?”

“You still use the same code? You haven’t changed it? Do you have a fucking death wish?” I take a step toward him.

“It’s not the same,” he mutters. “What are you doing in my bedroom?”

I roll my eyes, ignoring the question. “You swapped the numbers of each date around. Whoop-di-fucking-do! It’s practically the same. Thirteen became thirty-one. Everything else is exactly the same.”

“You only get three tries, and then the alarm sounds. No one would have guessed it in three attempts.”

“I did.”

“You did, yes, but there is no one else out there who would guess such a thing. No way.” His expression seems to soften for a moment before his frown is back in full force.

“Yeah, I suppose. I only guessed right because you did the same thing with the password to your computer. You used Anya’s birthday, just swapped around.” I shrug.

His eyes darken, and his whole demeanor changes. It turns prickly, to say the least. “What are you doing here? You’re in a ton of fucking trouble. You shouldn’t have come. I’m going to have to call in my guards and have you arrested. You know that, right?”

“I’m sorry I barged in like this. I mean you no harm. Please hear me out. Let me explain. That’s all I ask.”

He folds his arms. “Why should I? Give me one good reason.”

“I didn’t do what they are saying I did.”

He narrows his eyes. “Try harder. Bring me evidence.”

“Why would I abduct the human? What would I have to gain?”

“Because you’re fucking her and want to keep her for yourself,” he deadpans.

“It’s not like that at all.”

“Which part? The part about fucking her or the part about wanting to keep her?”

“I’m not fucking her,” I growl under my breath.

He narrows his eyes. “Bullshit! I’ve had feedback from my males. I’ve seen footage of the two of you. You’re fucking her. I know you better than you know yourself.”

He does know me, through and through.

“I’m not fucking the human.” I sigh. “Okay, I am…well, sort of. No, no, I’m not, because it’s more than just fucking.”

He groans and runs a hand through his hair. Then he chuckles. “You’re not helping your case here.”

“I have feelings for her. I’m in love with her. I wouldn’t abduct her. I wouldn’t hurt a hair on her head.”

“Tell me, would you kill to protect her?”

I know where he’s going here. “Yes, but I didn’t kill that guard. I didn’t hurt Rex. I didn’t do any of the things they’re saying I did.”

“So, you’re saying that Rex is lying?” He gives me the side-eye.

“Yes, but you will have to take my word for it. I don’t have proof.” I shake my head. “Jen was drugged. She doesn’t remember much of anything from that night, she was drugged but I swear to god, I didn’t do what they are saying. I didn’t kill or hurt anyone. I injured one male and didn’t so much as touch Rex.”

“Why would he lie? Did he injure himself? I have to tell you, I’m not convinced.”

I make a noise of frustration, looking down at my feet. After all that happened, I can’t blame him, but I have to convince him. “You don’t have to trust me. You’re accusing me of abducting Jennifer Harris in order to keep her for myself. If that’s true, then why am I here?”

“I wish you would enlighten me.”

“I’m here to plead for Jen’s safe return to the Mainland. If I abducted her to keep her, I wouldn’t be pleading for her safe return home.”

“Why didn’t you bring her in? Why did you run in the first place?”

“Because I don’t trust Ice. Nor do I trust his lieutenant. Not one fucking bit. That means I can’t trust a single guard, since they all report to them. Case in point, Rex is lying through his ass. Jen needs to stay where she is, right up until she leaves. My people will bring her in. Please believe me when I tell you that you can’t trust anyone, Arctic. You need to watch your back and, for the love of god, change the password on that keypad. Make it something random.” I point at his door.

“It’s Your Royal fucking Highness to you… not Arctic. Funny you say I can’t trust Ice because he has said the same about you. It’s his and that guard’s word against yours. Ice doesn’t have very many nice things to say about your human, either. He told me that she plans on outing shifters on the Mainland. She plans on going to the tabloids for money.”

I groan. “Not this again. He’s talking bullshit. Jen is amazing. She’s the sweetest, kindest person I know.”

“You used to say the same about Lake, and look how that turned out.” He narrows his eyes, his jaw tightening.

“I’m not the same person I was a few years ago. I’m not na?ve. I’m not so blinded by love and lust that I can’t think straight. It took a while for me to start to trust Jen. When I think back, the writing was on the wall with Lake. I can’t believe I didn’t see it.”

“Love is blind. You could be blinded now.”

“I’m not!”

“So, you trust her, then?” he asks. “Be very sure before you answer.”

“Yes.”

“You trust her with your life? With the life of everyone on this island?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation.

“Okay, then.” He pushes a buzzer on his side table, and the room floods with guards within a few seconds. “Arrest him and take him to solitary confinement.”

“No!” I shout as I’m being carted away. “Please.”

Arctic doesn’t respond.

“Watch your back!” I yell, realizing that it could be taken the wrong way. As a threat instead of a warning. It’s too late to explain because I am being marched out of the apartment and down the hallway.

So much for years of friendship. For everything we’ve been through together. I can’t blame Arctic. I fully deserve what I’m getting, but Jen doesn’t. At least she is safe with Roscoe. That’s my only consolation.