73. Chapter 73

Chapter seventy-three

A fter a headache of a day, meeting with all the lords and royals from other kingdoms, Haven was ready to collapse on her bed and sleep for about three days. If she'd have known being Queen forced you to talk to so many people, she might not have accepted the crown.

Unfortunately, there was still one more thing on her to-do list for the day before she could collapse into her bed and sleep. A knock at the door told her she wouldn't have to wait long to take care of it. She'd already let the guard outside her room know to let him pass when he showed up.

"Come in" She called

Delroy opened the large door, entered the sitting room and closed it behind him .

"You wanted to see me?" He asked

"Yes," Haven nodded, "Are there any updates on Nik?"

Delroy shook his head, a defeated look on his face, "No, not even a whisper of his whereabouts."

Haven shoulders slumped, she stood from the couch and walked to the open balcony doors. The night sky was lit up with what had to be hundreds of thousands of stars.

"That's disappointing."

"Yeah it is." Delroy responded. Coming to stand next to Haven, she could tell how much this was beating him up. She knew he likely felt abandoned and heartbroken, as she did.

"We'll find him." She assured

"Maybe he doesn't want to be found"

Delroys words hurt but Haven couldn't deny she'd been thinking the same thing. There was no trace of him, nothing in the local villages, no whispers about a prince being taken hostage. Worst of all, there was no ransom, no demands for his safe return. The more Haven thought about it, the more she decided what happened that night had been Niks doing.

With her thumb, she rubbed her left ring finger where a black ink tattoo banded around it. She'd taken off her wedding ring but the black ring hadn't gone away. During the day, she used makeup to hide it, to hide her connection to him. Haven doubted Nik had meant to let it get that far, to let them actually be wed. Or maybe Nik had thought nothing final could happen until after the priest used the wedding ribbon to tie them together.

Whatever Niks intentions had been, she assumed he had failed. Haven assumed he meant to leave them behind without a trace.

"What is that?" Delroy asked, noting her anxious movement.

Haven stretched her hand out to Delroy, showing him the black marriage ink.

"Wow,"" He remarked, "Something tells me he hadn't meant to let it get that far."

"I felt the same"

"At least we know he's still alive." Deloy commented

"What do you mean?" She asked

"The only way that mark can be removed is through death. The magic that binds the two of you together is strong even though the ceremony went unfinished. Not even cutting off a finger could remove it. The tattoo would simply move to another finger." He explained.

"Wow" Haven wrapped her arms around herself. It was a small comfort to know that Nik was still breathing but a comfort nonetheless.

A few minutes of silence passed before Haven decided to get to the real reason she asked Delroy to meet her,

"Would you be interested in becoming my personal guard?"

"What?" Delroy turned to her.

"Well, since I have been unable to get around the council when they say that I must be guarded at all times, I figured it would be better for me to have someone I don't completely hate and somewhat trust following me around. I already picked one other person so that the two of you can take shifts but I want you to be my main guard. You'd need to move your chambers to one of the spare rooms on my floor as well as travel to Shaston with me."

Delroy was silent for a moment, forcing Haven to blurt out ,

"You can say no. I won't hold it against you. No one knows you're being offered this position so it's entirely up to you. Take a few days to think about it if you want."

"Are you sure you want me?" Delroy began, "For one, we barely know each other. I know you didn't like me in the beginning and it was obvious I didn't really like you either. Two, I'm not even a higher ranking guard. I mostly patrol and help keep things running smoothly in the castle."

"Don't belittle what you do and who you are," Haven told him, "What you do is important and if I didn't trust that you could do this then I wouldn't have asked you. About the whole, us not liking each other thing, I think we can move past that, don't you? Especially if we are heading where I fear we are. I'd rather have someone I feel I can trust guarding me. So, will you do it?"

Deloy didn't hesitate, "I'd be honored."

Haven nodded. Things were silent for a moment, the two enjoying the peaceful night air and quiet before Delroy asked,

"When you say, where things are heading, do you mean?"

"War," Haven finished for him, "I know in my heart and in my head that the crown regent is not going to let things go that easily. And if what we found in his office is any indication, this has been going on longer than I've been alive."

Delroy nodded, "I agree, I've known the man since I was a child and never once have I seen him give up on something. He is a horrible man willing to do horrible things to get what he wants. Worse, there are fae out there who will support him, who will be right by his side as he does those horrible things."

Attempting to lighten the mood even slightly, Haven said,

"You know it's funny, I've been around the man for months, he could become the largest hindrance to the future of the realm and I don't even know his name."

Delroy thought for a moment,

"Evan, Niks fathers name is Evan."

A chill crept over Havens spine and her blood ran cold as she realized just how far the crown regents, or rather Evans, hatred ran. If he had been the Evan from her mothers journal, the one that had been in love with Morana then there would be no stopping him.

Images flashed through Havens mind of blood, tears and death. Death of her loved ones, death of her people. She was frightened for them and for herself. If there were any gods listening she prayed they'd aid them in this bloody journey.