Page 4

Luc

I checked my watch.

Late. Unacceptable.

Annoyance had begun to build. Punctuality had always been important to me, especially in my line of work. Ava didn’t seem to give a damn about any of that, however, a fact made clearer with each minute that ticked past ten.

The coffee shop was bustling all around me—tables packed with men and women in their twenties, most of them with facial piercings and tattoos, their hair dyed in wild, unnatural colors. I couldn’t believe that Ava, Analise’s daughter, was one of these types. The idea of bringing her back home with that purple hair and big silver ring in her nostril was almost unthinkable.

I sipped my coffee, which I had to admit was quite good—much better than back home. As bizarre as these young people looked, they brewed a fine espresso. I sipped and passed the time observing the strange people around me, the skies through the tall front windows of the shop the same thick gray they were the day before.

I glanced over at my phone, strongly considering calling her and demanding to know where she was. I thought better of it, however. If she’d skipped out on the meeting, calling to scold her would only make Ava more certain of her decision. I checked my watch one more time.

Ten minutes. If she’s not here by then, the meeting’s off. Not sure what I’ll tell Alaric, but I’ll figure that out later.

Just as I looked up from my watch, I heard the sound of the entrance door opening and closing. The woman that entered was dressed in a leather jacket and denim shorts, along with a purposefully ripped white T-shirt for one band or another. The sleeve of the jacket rode up enough to see the bottom of a tattoo that appeared to snake up her forearm. I was ready to turn my attention away from the woman until I spotted the now-familiar shade of silvery purple hair atop her head.

Ava looked up, pulling off the rockstar-style sunglasses from her face, the low light of the coffeeshop glinting off her nose ring. I still couldn’t believe that this woman was Analise’s daughter. Never in a million years would a woman like her raise someone like this.

All the same, it was impossible to ignore her beauty. Despite her rough-looking clothes, garish tattoo, and unnaturally colored hair, she was stunning. Her features were sharp and striking, her body curvy in all the right places. Her eyes were such a brilliant blue that they shined like little lights as she whipped off her sunglasses and strode into the place.

The way she walked, the way she carried herself with such confidence and fearlessness was mesmerizing. She effortlessly commanded attention wherever she went, noticing but not caring, not getting wrapped up in it.

As she made her way into the coffee shop, I realized what it was – regal bearing.

Ava blew past me, heading to the counter and exchanging a few friendly words with the barista, the two of them chatting and laughing like old friends for the few moments it took to prepare Ava’s coffee. Once her drink was in hand, she laid those gorgeous blue eyes on me and strode right over.

Ava dropped into the seat next to me, setting down her coffee.

“You’re late,” I said, my tone sharp, as if I were scolding a subordinate.

“Easy,” she said, noticing my tone and rejecting it. “My car died. The battery gave out and I needed to get a jump from my neighbor.”

“You should’ve called me. I would’ve been more than happy to take care of it for you.”

“Thanks, but I handle my own business.”

I should’ve expected that Ava would’ve said something like that. Everything about her, from her look to the small business she’d built herself screamed self-reliance.

She shrugged off her jacket and I could see that the tattoo was an intricate floral piece that dotted not only on her forearm, but wound its way to her shoulder.

“Tell me, what on earth is that ?” I gestured toward the tattoo. In spite of how much I was against it, I couldn’t help but notice the brilliant colors of the design, the artistry of it.

Her reaction was without hesitation. “Are you seriously scolding me about my tattoo the second I was nice enough to come down and meet you? Why don’t you mind your own business?”

I smiled slightly. As impudent as she was being, I couldn’t help but admire her nerve, her fearlessness in standing up for herself. It was another trait that reminded me of her mother.

“Even better,” she went on, “why don’t you get to the point and tell me what the hell all of this is about? How do you know my mom? What do you want from me? What the hell is this important business you wanted to talk about?”

When she was done saying her piece, she took her coffee, lifted the lid, and blew on the steaming liquid. Silence filled the air as she sat back. The way she pursed her lips drew attention to her mouth, making me acutely aware of how plush and sensuous it was.

All the same, I was frustrated.

“I have to say that I’m having a hard time processing this. I came here expecting to share the news I have with a sophisticated, charming, polite young woman, like your mother once was.”

I caught myself after I said the words. While I had accurately described Analise, she was far from a docile, plain woman. She had a spine, no fear sticking up for herself.

Ava scoffed. “Well, this is who I am.” She swept her hand over her body; her nails painted a deep silver. “Take it or leave it.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her attitude. The way she behaved and looked might not have been what I’d been expecting, but there was a certain level of amusement to it.

“Anyway,” she said. “What’s the news? What is this all about? I have zero free time with my business, so it better be worth it.”

“It’s most definitely worth it,” I said. “And since I’m getting the impression that you’re not one for beating around the bush, I’ll get right to it.”

She nodded, signaling for me to go on.

“Are you familiar with the nation of Edoria?”

“Edoria?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. “Is that a real place?”

I smiled, amused. “Yanks have never been ones for geography.”

She narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed. “The point, if you don’t mind getting to it.”

“Edoria is far from a well-known kingdom, and that’s by design. Edoria is small, about half the size of your Rhode Island, and tucked into the side of Switzerland. We do our best to stay out of the affairs of greater Europe. Edoria is a beautiful nation of rolling, emerald-green hills and shimmering lakes, villages dotting the landscape. But we have our urban life, too. Lausanne, our capital, is home to nearly a million people.”

“This all sounds like great copy for a travel brochure,” Ava said. “But get to the point of telling me why you’re explaining this to me.”

I smiled once more, eager to get to the heart of the matter.

“Because, Ava, Edoria is your home. More specifically, it’s your kingdom.”

Ava regarded me for a long moment, as if she weren’t sure that she’d heard me right.

Then she laughed. Ava tilted her head back and let out loud peals of laughter, the noise so loud that she managed to attract the attention of nearly everyone in the place.

I sat patiently, waiting for her to finish. Finally, when she’d wiped the tears from her eyes, she turned her attention back to me.

“You’re screwing with me, right?”

“Not at all. You’re Princess Ava of Edoria, next in line for the throne.”

Ava shook her head, throwing her hands up as if she’d just heard all she’d ever need to.

“Alright, thanks for the laughs. I’m kind of annoyed that you wasted my time, but this was probably a little more entertaining than spending the morning bumming around my apartment.” She began to stand. “Nice to meet you, Luc. I think.”

Luckily, I’d anticipated her disbelief.

“Before you go, let me show you something.” Without waiting for her response, I leaned over and opened my leather briefcase, taking out my tablet and turning it on. After a few swipes, I had the photo I’d been looking for on the screen. “Here.”

I held the tablet up to Ava, who was now standing over me. A suspicious expression on her face, she took the tablet from my hand and checked the screen.

The color drained from her already fair face the moment she looked at it.

“What is this?”

I rose, placing my hand on her shoulder.

“Why don’t you take a seat and I’ll tell you all about it, your Royal Highness?”