Broken Road (Fate's Intent Book 7) Read online

  “Oh no.” Jaylyn sighed as she had to cover her face. “Please tell me he was joking.”

  “He wasn’t. He’s still convinced that Ruby is going to leave him and so he’s trying to move on already.”

  “But we can’t let that happen.” Troy said.

  “Exactly. So we agree that she can’t replace Ruby?”

  “Definitely agree.” Zayden said. “But what can we do? We already tried talking to them and that didn’t work out.”

  “I don’t want to end on bad terms with Meg because she really is a good person. So, we’ll have to get her to part from us with something she can’t refuse.”

  “Okay but even if we can do that where will she go?” Troy asked. “It’s still dangerous.”

  “Yeah and especially because she’s pregnant.” Jaylyn said.

  “What?!” Zayden and Troy shouted at the same time.

  “She’s pregnant?” Zayden asked, trying to be quieter. “Darius?”

  “No. Wyatt.”

  “Phew!” Troy sighed. “You almost just did it for me there.”

  “Then that makes this worse.” Zayden said. “Wyatt will definitely want to get to her just to check if that’s true. Where could we possibly send her to be safe from that?”

  “Sharlet.” I said.

  Jaylyn gasped. “That’s a great idea, Adele! No one will find her there and she should go willing!”

  “Wait, who’s Sharlet?” Zayden asked.

  “She was Prince Venny’s first and only wife of Hintus. He was different from most Hintins you’ve seen. He loved her and wouldn’t marry again. When he died, she knew it wasn’t an accident and had her thoughts pointing to Wyatt. She confronted him with what she knew and he had her exiled from the country. She’s been staying in these mountains, far to the south. I know she would gladly take Meg in. Not even the Hintins know where she is.”

  “Okay. That sounds like a reasonable plan but how are you going to explain all this to Darius?”

  “We’re not. Meg is going to leave willingly and she’ll tell him whatever she feels will make him let her go. That’s when we’ll work on getting Ruby and Darius back together.”

  “How are we going to do that?” Troy asked.

  “I don’t know but we’ll think of something. Meg just has to be out of the picture first because I won’t see them split and I won’t see them just try to tolerate each other because of a child. We’re going to make this work. Just don’t say anything or act like you know.”

  Everyone nodded and started to get up.

  “When are you going to contact Sharlet?” Jaylyn asked.

  “Now.”

  “How?” Zayden laughed.

  “With our messenger hawk.”

  “Didn’t know you had one.”

  “Because we don’t need to use her that much but she’s always around. Her name’s Honey.”

  “Honey?”

  “She’s a golden hawk.” Jaylyn smiled. “She looks like honey in the sunlight.”

  Zayden laughed as he started towards the door, tapping his leg for Rift to follow. “Cute. Okay. How long do we have to keep this quiet?”

  “Till we hear back from her then we’ll talk to Meg. I can reach her in hours with Honey. It should be by dinner. I’m going to write the message.”

  “Then we’ll wait.”

  They walked out and I stayed behind and went over to the desk to write the letter. I wrote up a quick inscription explaining the situation and asking for help then folded it up into a small square then rolled it so I could attach it to Honey.

  I hid it in my hand as I left the study and climbed every stair in the palace to the highest tower. I stood at the window and looked around before letting out a long whistle that echoed through the mountains.

  I waited for a moment then heard a bird cry back and saw Honey approaching from the horizon. It was beautiful as the sun reflected off her golden wings and she landed on the stone windowsill in front of me.

  “Hello there, old friend. I have a job for you.” Honey let out a sound and I attached the rolled up letter to her left leg. “Take this to Sharlet. You’ll find her in a little cottage to the south. Wait there for her reply.”

  The bird cried out and took flight back to the skies, heading south. I was hopeful and it took just as much time as I thought it would because I didn’t hear back from her until that night. I was thankfully alone in the kitchen when Honey appeared outside the window. I didn’t want anyone to see her that shouldn’t know about this so I immediately stopped what I was doing to go to the side door. I looked around before I opened it and lightly whistled to Honey, hoping no one else would hear.

  She landed on my arm and I took the reply from her leg. “Good girl, Honey. Fly home. I’ll call if I need you.” She flew off my arm back to the skies.

  I closed the door and walked back over to the food as I opened the reply and started reading it.

  Adele,

  It was good to hear from you. I will most definitely assist with your request. Send Meg my way as soon as you get the chance and I’ll be sure she’s kept safe. Don’t worry, I’ll show her the way.

  Sincerely,

  Sharlet

  I held the letter over the fires of cooking to get rid of the evidence. “Perfect.”

  “What’s perfect?”

  I jumped and turned around to see Zayden. “Oh. I just heard back from Sharlet.”

  “Really? Well?”

  “She’ll help. We can send Meg off in the morning. We’ll have to talk to her tonight.”

  “What about Darius?”

  “After dinner, you and Troy can ask him to join you outside so he’s distracted and far from hearing anything.”

  “Good. We can do that.”

  “Great. Dinner is almost done. You can start gathering everyone and I’ll bring it out.”

  Zayden nodded and kissed me before turning and leaving the kitchen. I got everything ready on plates and started bringing them out, leaving one in the kitchen, knowing Ruby would come get it when she was ready.

  Dinner went as normal as ever and I hardly made eye contact with Darius and him me. No one really made any kind of lingering eye contact with me at all so he’d never suspect that I told everyone right after I found out. I guess that was better but I just kind of wanted to get this over with. With everyone not even striking up conversations, we finished quickly and Zayden and Troy started to get up.

  “Hey, Darius, we’re going to have some fun outside.” Troy said. “Join us.”

  Darius’s eyes finally looked at mine for a split second but I looked away as if nothing were wrong. I didn’t want him to get suspicious at the wrong moment.

  “Yeah. Sure. We could use some.”

  Zayden smiled and gave him a quick pat on the back. “We’d love to see how lazy you’ve gotten.”

  Darius laughed and pushed Zayden towards the door playfully. “Oh, now you’re going to get it!”

  Zayden and Troy ran out of the dining room with laughs and Darius chasing after them like children.

  “Awe. That’s nice to see.” Jaylyn smiled. “They’re still big kids at heart.”

  Meg laughed. “Most guys have that somewhere.”

  “Yeah.” I agreed. “So, Meg, how’s it been going for you here?”

  Meg looked up and both Jaylyn and I were looking at her. “Ah, good. I thank you for letting me stay.”

  “Yes but perhaps we should get right to the point. This thing between you and Darius can’t happen.”

  Meg sighed. “He told me you found out.”

  “You must understand.” Jaylyn said. “We do really like you but this is our family.”

  “I do understand.”

  “Then I think it’s time you leave so Ruby and Darius can work out their problems.” I said.

  “But he doesn’t think they will.”

  “I understand that you may feel something for him, Meg but Ruby is the one carrying his child and you’re—”

 
“Not. I know.”

  “You know it’s for the best.” Jaylyn said. “This doesn’t by any means mean we can’t be friends.”

  “Of course not. In fact, we’re going to give you a little security for you to leave. We know what will happen to you if they find you and you give birth to a girl.”

  “And you are having one.” Jaylyn said. “I’ve confirmed that.”

  Meg’s head lifted right up and she looked very worried. “Then they can’t find me!”

  “Even if they do, we promise that you’ll keep your life and so will your daughter. That is, if you leave come morning.”

  “How can you promise that? You know what they’re like.”

  “Yes but I’m going to offer the chance for your daughter to become my successor and in that case even Hintins will see honor in it.”

  “You mean, have her be a Kalu Assassin? Oh, Adele, that would be—such an honor.”

  “Then do you accept? Leave in the morning and tell Darius whatever you need to but the truth.”

  “But where do I go?”

  “We’ve made contact with Sharlet.” Jaylyn smiled.

  Meg gasped in amazement. “Sharlet! You know where she is?”

  “She’s south of here in a little cottage.” I said. “She’s waiting there for you and will be your host until your daughter is born.”

  “Oh. Wow. This is amazing. Yes! I accept and I will leave tonight if you need me to.”

  “No. You’ll need rest for the journey. It’ll have to be one foot. It’s the only way to get to her but she’ll help you find your way.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard she was telepathic. It’s true?”

  “It is when you get close enough. She’ll be waiting by for you.”

  “Okay.” Meg just had a big hopeful smile as she got to her feet. “In the morning then.”

  “We wish you all the luck.” Jaylyn smiled back. “And look forward to the day we can train your daughter.”

  “Thank you so much. You’ve really saved our lives.”

  “You’re welcome, Meg.”

  “I guess I’m going to head up stairs and shower. I’ll have to think of something to tell Darius.”

  “Whatever works. Goodnight, Meg.”

  “Yes. Goodnight.” She turned from us and headed out the door.

  “It worked.” Jaylyn smiled.

  “Our part. Now she has one to do and I hope Darius will let her go.”

  I was skeptical because I knew how determined Darius could be but I also knew Meg couldn’t take no for an answer. She was desperate for a way to save not only her life but her child’s life. Wyatt would never stop looking even if she remained with Darius and he wouldn’t be able to protect her from everything. This was the only way and I hoped that it would work. I hoped I wouldn’t see her in the morning.

  Chapter 26

  Meg

  I made my way to the third floor bathhouse and took a hot shower while thinking of what I would tell Darius. It wasn’t going to be easy because Adele was right. I was starting to feel something for him but I also knew I didn’t want to hurt everyone else’s lives by being with him and it would. He belonged with Ruby. That’s the way it had to be and somewhere inside him, he knew that too.

  I waited up in the room for Darius to get back from spending time with Zayden and Troy outside and went over the conversation in my head a few times. I hoped it’d work. I had to get him to see that it was the right way.

  He walked in just shortly after and saw me sitting up on the bed. “Waited up for me, darling?”

  “How was playtime with the boys?”

  “It was great but I don’t feel tired yet.”

  My smile started to fade and I knew what I had to do. “That’s good because I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “Okay.” Darius sat on the other side of the bed and started taking his boots off. “Go ahead.”

  I took a quiet deep breath and thought it would be best not to drag it out. It seemed to work for most all situations around here so I tried it. “Um, look, Darius—I’m leaving in the morning.”

  He turned right around. “Leaving? Why?”

  “I don’t belong here. I think I’ve stayed long enough and it’s time for me to move on now.”

  “But you said you’d stay. What about the Hintins searching for you? What about me―us?”

  It was hard for me to do this without emotion but I tried my best to stay calm and collected so I wouldn’t cave to him. “We both know that it wouldn’t work, right? Ruby’s the one carrying your child, not me and I have to do what I can to protect mine.”

  “You can do that here. I said I would be there for you and father your child if I had to. No one would get to you.”

  “I know but that’s not how things can be. I have to go. It will be better for everyone.”

  “Not for me.”

  “You don’t need me like you think you do, Darius. You need Ruby.”

  “I can’t if she doesn’t need me.”

  I paused for a moment and decided to say what he never would. I didn’t really want to but had no other choice. “But you love her. You always will. No amount of time with any other woman will ever change that and I—I can’t be that woman. I’m sorry, Darius.”

  “I’m not using you, Meg. I know I’m not.”

  “But you are. You’re trying to forget when you know you won’t. I’m just passing the time for you.”

  “But where will you go?”

  “I know someone who can keep me hidden for as long as I need. I’ve already made contact with her.”

  “So, in the morning then?”

  “Yes. With the sun. I know a lot of people aren’t good with good-byes so maybe it’s best if you didn’t see me go and just wake up alone.”

  He took my hand as I started to get up. “You won’t stay with me tonight?”

  “I never should have in the first place but I’ll never forget, Darius. You taught me how to trust again and I thank you for it.”

  I turned my back to him for the very last time and walked out of the room. My tears fell before the door even closed and I just couldn’t stay there anymore. I left the mountain palace, heading south into the dark with only a small torch to light my way on this broken road. I couldn’t even look back. It was too much to bear. The conversation was much harder than I thought and I was truly sorry it had to end that way.

  Chapter 27

  Darius

  I did exactly what Meg said I would; I woke up alone.

  The sun was higher up than usual and I knew that she was gone. I sat up with a sigh and rubbed my hands through my hair. My legs hung over the side of the bed and I slowly rose to my feet.

  What was next? Meg was gone, Ruby was still not talking to me and making sure we never saw each other. What was I going to do? I didn’t have the answer right off and started to make my way downstairs. I was really tired as if I didn’t sleep at all last night but I never remembered waking up once. I had to hold the railing while I went down and finally reached the first floor.

  Everyone was sitting in the lounge because breakfast has already come and gone and that included Ruby. I saw her sitting next to Jaylyn. It was the first time in weeks and it was like I started to remember how much I missed her. I guess Meg was right. I didn’t want to think about her right now but seeing Ruby made me realize everything I wanted.

  Ruby even turned her eyes up and looked at me but I felt almost ashamed and was first to look away. I couldn’t even bring myself to say anything to any of them. I just head into the kitchen for breakfast instead.

  Chapter 28

  Zayden

  This was something of a sight. They actually looked at each other and Ruby still had her eyes in that direction even when the door closed behind him. Rift looked up at me and back and forth to make sure I was seeing it. It was kind of strange that he knew what was going on but I was still glad about the things I was seeing.

  “So, what’d you think?” Jaylyn asked
.

  “Of what?”

  “His hair.”

  “I hate it.” Ruby said abruptly. “Probably why he did it.”

  “Oh, he did not.” Adele sighed.

  “Something he’d do.”

  “How long are you going to make him wait?” I asked.

  “What?”

  “You’re the one that got mad at him. Not the other way around. He’s been waiting for you to apologize.”

  “Oh, I’m the one that’s supposed to apologize for my husband being a controlling bastard? Yeah! That makes total sense! Well, I am sorry that he is one but that doesn’t make him sorry for it, does it? Now if you’ll excuse me.” Ruby got right up and started racing up the stairs to get away from us as fast as she could actually go and these days, it really wasn’t that fast. Rift even whined in kind of a frustrated way like he even hated how stubborn she was.

  “Well, that was great.” Jaylyn muttered.

  “Actually, it really was.” Adele smiled. “We got her to at least admit what she wants.”

  “You mean him apologizing for trying to protect his son?” Troy asked. “I don’t think he will. We already figured he was going to be overprotective.”

  “But he doesn’t have to completely apologize for it.” Adele said quietly as she leaned forward. “Just enough to admit that maybe he was a little strict by not letting her do anything and maybe if he explained to her why he was that way, she’d understand at least a little and accept him back.”

  “You know, that could work.” I said.

  “See? Now someone has to go talk to him and get him to do it. With Meg out of the picture, he should want to.”

  There was a pause and everyone turned their heads to me. “Oh, me?”

  “It should be you.” Adele said. “He listens to you and I think you should do it alone, meaning Troy stays. We know he’d never listen to him.”

  Troy laughed. “Just as I wouldn’t him.”

  “Exactly. Go, Zayden. Before he comes out.”

  I sighed, unsure of my success but started to get up. “All right. Rift, you stay here. I’ll tell you how round two goes.”