Chapter 2

"Another blueberry scone, Your Highness?" the servant offered with a kind smile, holding out the silver tray in front of me for the fourth time.

I eyed the crumbs on my plate and grimaced. "One more and you will have to call the tailor to let out an inch of my waistline. Thank you, but I think three is my limit."

Actually, two was my limit, but I had used the food as a distraction while I waited for Veronica for what seemed like an eternity.

"Of course," the servant replied, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement as he cleared away the remnants of my indulgence.

"Would you know how much longer Princess Veronica will be?" I asked, growing more impatient by the minute as I started wondering whether she was actually avoiding me.

"I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness. I do not know, but I shall inquire if there's any update for you," he said, bowing slightly before exiting the tearoom.

A few seconds later, I heard the familiar light-hearted whistling of Prince Caleb, Veronica's brother. He peeked inside the tearoom, his eyes going wide after seeing me.

"What a pleasant surprise," Caleb said as he strolled in, a grin spreading across his face. "Did you escape the clutches of the state dinner to indulge in our special scones?"

"Actually, I wasn't invited to dinner." I stood, took a couple of steps toward him. "That won't happen until I am?—"

"Crowned king—of course," he said.

Besides the whistling, Caleb was also known for finishing other people's sentences. He was a smart young man and always a delight to be around.

"It's so good to see you," he added, pulling me into a fraternal hug.

We'd known each other for years, and we had learned to leave the formalities and protocol only for public events.

"And you as well," I said, squeezing his shoulder.

"I guess this means you're here to see Veronica," Caleb said.

"Yes, but she's in no hurry to see me."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I saw her leaving with Daphne over an hour ago. How long have you been waiting?"

"About that long," I sighed, my frustration seeping through.

Caleb nodded. "It appears as though my sister is avoiding you."

"Agreed," I said, wondering how long she would be gone. "My bet is that she went to Daphne's place."

He arched an eyebrow. "You really underestimate my sister."

I chuckled. "Good point. She knows that is the first place I would look."

"Sounds like you're going to have to wait this one out. How long are you planning on staying?"

"As long as it takes," I said.

"Determined—I like it," Caleb said with a grin. "Are you already settled in your room?"

I nodded. "Yes, and I brought enough clothes for at least a week. I don't think it will take me that long to win your sister back, but knowing her, I packed a few extra things. I've been traveling lighter lately."

"You have no idea how much I enjoyed watching you document your travel across South America on your motorcycle. I was living vicariously through you every time you posted something new on social media. Every new post, you were somewhere else—amazing landscapes, incredible cultures. It looked … freeing. Just so you know, you're my role model."

I supposed that from an outsider's perspective, it looked like the trip of a lifetime: the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, the bustling markets of Lima, the vibrant streets of Buenos Aires, and the lively beaches of Rio de Janeiro, to name a few of the more noteworthy destinations. Each stop in South America played a part in my futile search for clarity, but every attempt to find answers had come up empty, leaving me more lost than before.

I shrugged. "Freeing? Perhaps. But it's funny how freedom can feel a lot like floating aimlessly without an anchor. When I left, I thought I was searching for myself, for some sort of profound understanding I was supposed to gain after losing my father. But in reality, I was just running away from everything that mattered."

Caleb tilted his head to the side. "You mean … Veronica?"

I nodded. "I thought she'd wait. Foolish, I know. When I returned and saw that she had moved on …" My voice trailed off as the memory of that realization hit me anew.

"August, you were grieving," Caleb said. "Maybe you needed that escape to deal with your pain in your own way. Losing a father is not like losing a friend. Not everybody mourns the same way."

"Maybe," I conceded. "I paid the price, but at least I learned from it."

There was a long pause, then he asked, "What will you do now?"

"I have to make things right," I said, feeling the determination settle in. "Starting with Veronica. I've never had regrets in my life until that trip, but I'm going to fix it."

Caleb nodded, understanding flashing in his eyes. "I'm rooting for you."

I managed a smile. "Thank you. It's time to face things head-on. My lapse in judgment is behind me."

"Hey, if you need a wingman, you know where to find me," Caleb said. "We can be like Batman and Robin." He smirked. "As long as I can be Batman."

I laughed. "Okay, Batman, help me find Veronica. Where do you think she could be?"

"Looks like we're about to get some answers," Caleb said, gesturing outside through the large front window.

I followed his line of sight to see the family driver returning, then stepping briskly from his car. We rushed down the corridor and pushed through the front doors just as he reached the top step.

"Your Highnesses," the driver said, bowing. "Are you in need of a ride?"

"No—we're looking for Veronica and Daphne," Caleb said, a hint of urgency in his voice. "Where did you take them?"

The driver looked back and forth between the two of us, his expression on the hesitant side. "I'm not at liberty to say, Your Highness."

"How long have I known you?" Caleb asked.

"With all due respect, not as long as I have known Princess Veronica, Your Highness," he answered.

The driver obviously had clear directions from Veronica to not reveal her whereabouts, but this was ridiculous. I needed to find her.

"That's fine," Caleb said, waving it off. "Of course, I understand. I will just interrupt Mother's state dinner to let her know that her beloved daughter, the Princess of Kastonia, has gone missing. I'm sure she can get to the bottom of it, which will start with questioning you. I certainly hope I don't cause a scene with all those dignitaries." He turned toward the front door in what appeared to be a brilliant bluff.

"Your Highness!" the driver said.

Caleb stopped and turned back around. "Yes?"

"I don't know Princess Veronica's final destination, but I know where I dropped her off," the driver said, his eyes on me this time.

Caleb stepped forward. "What about Daphne? Were they together, or did she stay behind?"

"They're both traveling together, Your Highness."

"We know you're protecting her confidentiality, but unless there's a bodyguard with them, you could be responsible if something happens to them," I said. "We'll handle this from here. Where are they heading to?"

The driver hesitated, then finally said, "Africa."

The word hung in the air between us, absurd and heavy.

Caleb laughed. "It sounded like you said they went to Africa."

The driver nodded. "I did, Your Highness. I dropped them off at the international terminal at the Kastonia airport."

Caleb's laughter faded away as the driver's words sank in.

I tried to wrap my head around this revelation. "Why Africa, and why on earth would they use a commercial airline instead of the royal jet?"

"King Gustav and Queen Camille need the jet to fly to France directly after the dinner," the driver said.

"Wow," I said. "Imagine the chaos at the airport when everyone sees Veronica."

"They may not recognize her," the driver added.

"Why wouldn't they?" Caleb asked.

The driver shifted on his feet, uneasy under our scrutiny. "We made a stop at a particular souvenir shop on the way to the airport to pick up a few things. Princess Veronica and Miss Daphne are going incognito."

"Incognito?" I repeated, my voice tinged with incredulity. "What in the world are they up to? And Africa is a mighty large continent. Where exactly are they going?"

"They did not say," the driver answered. "Only that the flight leaves at nine."

"This shouldn't be too difficult to figure out . . ." Caleb was busy on his phone, scrolling, tapping. "The only flight leaving for Africa at that time is to Nairobi, Kenya."

"And do you know where they might stay?" I asked, a note of desperation creeping into my voice since I had traveled to Kastonia for the explicit reason of seeing Veronica, and nothing more.

"No, Your Highness, I don't," the driver admitted. "She only mentioned that she needed to get out of town, and she was in quite the hurry."

A pang of guilt washed over me, realizing the extreme measures Veronica was taking to avoid me. I hadn't been proud of my past behavior, the mistakes I had made with her, leaving her behind as I roamed across South America on a motorcycle. As a result, she wanted nothing to do with me. This realization cut deeper than I expected, but it wouldn't deter me from finding her and making amends. That would be my challenge and my mission. I would prove to her that I had changed, that she could count on me, and that I'm the same man she once loved.

"Did you overhear any parts of their conversation?" I asked. "Anything at all to give us a clue where they might go?"

"I overheard them mention Sir Richard Branson, Victoria Falls, and something about sleeping in a tent," the driver said. "They were loud despite the music. I wasn't eavesdropping, I assure you."

"Sir Richard Branson? What does he have to do with anything?" Caleb said. "And sleeping in a tent surrounded by wild animals? Have they lost their minds?"

"I think I know where they are going," I blurted out. "Sir Richard has a safari camp in the world-famous?—"

"Maasai Mara," Caleb finished for me. "You're right, I completely forgot. It's right in the path of the annual Great Migration. Veronica has always wanted to go there. Okay, now that we have this information, what exactly are we going to do with it?"

"I will take care of it," I declared firmly, the decision setting in my mind like cement. "I'm going to Africa."

"Not without me, you're not," Caleb added quickly.

I tilted my head to the side. "And why exactly do you need to go?"

"Veronica is my sister," he said. "I'm worried about her."

"Now, tell me the real reason," I said.

A smile grew on Caleb's face. "Do I really need to answer that?"

"You do not, unless it's a reason other than Daphne," I said, very aware that he had been pining for Veronica's best friend for almost as long as I had known him.

He shrugged. "You're right, although I have always wanted to fly in your jet. It's much bigger than ours."

"Size isn't everything," I said, then held up a finger when Caleb's smile got wider. "Don't say it."

I pulled out my phone and called the pilot.

"Yes, Your Highness," he answered on the first ring.

"Prepare the jet," I said. "We're flying to Nairobi."