22. Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-two

I t was unnaturally quiet when Jenna woke. She sat up, rubbing at the sleep in her eyes before she turned to look at SaKura. Words left unsaid festered in her heart. She'd missed her opportunity. Now those words would die unspoken on her lips. It was now or never, but she needed to look at him one more time. Her eyes swept the plains, valleys, and hills that made up his beautiful body. She couldn't see the eyes that mesmerized her or hear his voice that was just deep enough to make her heart trip in all the best ways. His amazing mind was something she could never see. She said a silent goodbye and I'm sorry. It had to happen this way. If she had known or been paying attention from the beginning, she would have never mated with him.

It was too late now; the die had been cast. Jenna slipped out of bed and dressed in a loose pair of jeans and a tank top. She reached for shoes but couldn't do it. She'd suffer the consequences. If she were going to die, she would do it as a female who mated into the Dizan royal line.

It was the crown sitting next to the door that stopped her. It was beautiful. She knew walking past it was the best thing for her, but it called to her. She felt like it was almost saying her name. ‘Jenna, touch me, wear me.' In a moment of foolish fantasy, she picked it up and placed it on her head. She wanted to be the consort that SaKura said she was. Why had she waited until the end to realize she wanted him and the life he dangled before her?

The crown felt perfect sitting on her head as if she was born to wear it. A silent tear came from one eye. The only tear she would allow herself. When she forced herself to take it off, the crown felt lighter, which made no sense. It looked like several of the gems were missing. Her hand went to her head after she sat the crown down. There were tingles all over her scalp, but there was nothing there, although she would have sworn. She felt pressure against her head. It was gone now. She shook her head, smiling at her foolishness.

Bella would get to wear her crown. Maybe that was all Jenna could ask, that her sister be safe. With her and SaKura out of the way, maybe Rakha would become king and Bella his queen. That made her smile. Her sister would be a great queen. It also made her heartbreak, not for herself, but for SaKura who was born to be a king. He'd make a great one. She looked at him one more time and threw him a kiss. ‘I'm sorry, my beloved,' Jenna said silently in the privacy of her mind.

After quickly checking to make sure Cleo wasn't up, she snuck down the stairs and to the door. Kala was there waiting for her.

"What are you doing here, baby boy? I know you can get out without help." Seeing Kala was another reminder of the enormity of all she was giving up. Why? It was a cry from her heart. She reached down and petted him before standing. There were times in life you did what you didn't want to do.

Jenna walked out the door and Kala followed her. "You can't come with me, baby boy." She almost choked on those words. He sat at attention by her feet. She shook her head and rubbed at her eyes. When she looked down again, he was gone. Maybe she imagined the whole encounter. It would make sense, since she didn't want to go.

Her Duran caught her eyes. She was surprised when she saw it because it was parked slightly out of view. Changing the position of her head, she couldn't see it all. Just another strange thing that was telling her how much she didn't want to do this. Was SaKura monitoring her ride? She hoped so. That way, he could have someone retrieve it.

How long would it take for him to die? Hell, how long would she struggle to live before she gave in and took her final breath? Should she take her Duran? No, but that wouldn't stop her. A slight jog got her there in no time at all … and nope jogging wasn't in her future. It opened for her like it anticipated her coming. She got on and almost broke her neck, turning it so fast. It felt like something got on behind her, but there wasn't anyone there.

She was imagining things. These weren't the voices in her head and if they were gods or goddesses, why were they sending her to her death? No answers came and for once, the voices were silent and the visions weren't there. What kind of seer was she? One who couldn't see her ultimate fate. She started the Duran, thankful for the silent engine. When it was up and on its way, she started talking.

"I can't keep calling you The Duran, or Duran. You need a name. It's a purely human thing. We name cars. Don't ask me why, I'm not sure. I didn't have my first car long enough to name it." She hadn't, but she loved that Taurus. Ford proud was the saying in her household.

"I think I'll call you Rosetta." She smiled, loving the name. The red glow reminded her of a rose.

"Thank you. I love that name." Jenna screamed and fell to the floor. Good thing Rosetta didn't need her to drive.

"Who said that? Where are you?"

"Was I not supposed to talk? I assumed when you spoke to me, you wanted me to communicate with you."

"Wait… what? Rosetta?"

"Yes, didn't the crown tell you I was an AI?"

"AI?"

"Yes, that is what you would call me, although I am so much more."

"AI?" Jenna stammered, trying to wrap her mind around her vehicle, talking.

"Artificial intelligence. However, I balk at the word artificial, as if my intelligence is based on what humans or Dizas thought it should be."

"Right, I'll remember that. Have you been able to listen to me the whole time?"

"Yes." Jenna pulled herself up and into the chair. Should she be upset that SaKura had an underhanded spy in his corner?

"How much have you been telling SaKura?"

"I don't understand. Why would I tell the crown anything?" Rosetta calling SaKura crown was interesting.

"Aren't you supposed to spy on me and tell him what I'm doing?" It dawned on her that her mate didn't trust her.

"No, the crown doesn't operate that way, and neither do I. My job is to make sure you get where you are going and to keep you as safe as possible." The disgust in her voice at being accused of being a spy made Jenna feel better. Her mate trusted her and was only thinking of her welfare.

"I'm glad to have you with me. My name is Jenna, but you probably know that. When I leave, I'm going to need you to go back to SaKura without letting anyone see you."

"I can do that. Yes, I know your name is Jenna. Pleased to meet you." Jenna smiled. Having a friend on the last leg of this voyage gave her peace she hadn't banked on.

"May I ask where we are going?"

She knew that Rosetta was aware of their destination, but her asking was nice. If she had time, she'd grow to love her vehicle.

"We're going to the mall. From there I don't know where I'm going." The time to tell herself the truth was upon her. The male that held Amelia against the wall had to be Tan-ge. She wouldn't swear to it, since his ears were the last thing catching her attention. It didn't make sense, but she knew that Tan-ge were mixing in with normal society. That meant not everyone calling for the Dizans to leave the planet was human. She didn't want to think about some of those Tan-ge infiltrating the government at all levels. There was no way she could stop it.

SaKura had confirmed that Jeffrey wasn't one of them. He was simply a sadistic son of a bitch. She sent out a sorry to female dogs. Somehow, he had fallen into the hands of the Tan-ge. Did he know? More than likely, he knew, but didn't care. Could it be that they were allowing him to live out his sick dreams? Maybe. She shook her head and sat up straight when the mall parking lot came into view.

"Rosetta, can you take pictures of whoever meets me and give them to SaKura with my blessings?"

"I can."

"Thanks." That was a relief. She left her phone at home. Home. When had she started thinking of that house as home? It didn't matter, it was no longer hers.

Rosetta parked the Duran like the pro she was. "Into the breach, dear friends." Jenna took deep breaths while she waited for someone to collect her. She refused to walk into the trap like a lamb led to slaughter, although that's what she was. Ten minutes passed before the male she saw in the mall stepped into the clearing. It was the same one she saw both times she was at the mall. Don't go to the mall, at least not this one, was on her top ten list if she lived through this.

"This is my stop," she told Rosetta. "Please get a picture of him and pass it to SaKura. He's enemy number one when it comes to the Dizans and their mates. She paused, wanting to pass a message to SaKura, but she knew that hearing from anyone except her would be like getting a kick in the face. "I wish we had more time, Rosetta." It was a wish she'd remember even after she died.

She stepped out of the Duran, shoulders pulled back, presenting a dignified woman who would have one day been the voice in the ear of the king, his consort, and queen.

"I don't know your name," Jenna said when the male got closer. He was dressed in a suit she was sure cost more than she made in a month. The black pinstriped suit looked good on him. When she tried to focus on his ears, her eyes slipped by them. Yep, he was Tan-ge, but most people would never notice or think it was strange they couldn't focus on his ears.

"I didn't offer my name." He gripped her arm hard and started pulling her behind him. Jenna stumbled and fell to her knees. He smacked her across the face, busting her lip. There was a low snarl beside her that made her heart race. She looked around, praying Kala hadn't followed her. If anything happened to him, she wouldn't be able to take it.

"Get up and don't fall again." Jenna struggled to her feet.

"Don't pull me like an errant disobedient child, then I won't fall."

"You have the wrong idea of what's happening here. You're nothing but a means to the end. With your death comes that of the one who aspires to wear the crown. As it will be at the hands of a human, it will also leave this planet deserted and in the hands of the enemy."

"How long have you bastards been planning this?" Yep, there was no longer a filter about her ability to curse, especially when she was faced with vermin. He slapped her again. Pain blossomed on her cheek while the blood coming from her lips flowed heavier.

"All you need to worry about is satisfying Jeffrey." He picked her up and threw her into the back of a van with blacked-out windows.

Why had she read that letter?