Chapter 9
The headaches started on her third visit to Umora. She had been with Spencer for nearly nine months, and she was glad for an escape to the dragon planet when her school holidays came up. Exams had been stressful, and her parents had basically put her on the front desk every moment she wasn't in class. They also were suspicious of Spencer's extended stays, despite his charm. They knew she was with him, and they chose to just shake their heads quietly. Romance with guests was a faux pas, even if they respected their daughter's choices as an adult. Still, she was grateful for the break from her hotel world, even if it meant packing a suitcase full of Tylenol.
“I'm just going to sit in the library for a while,” she told Spencer when they got there. “It's dark and quiet there, and it helps.”
“I need to be in the throne room,” he said worriedly. “But maybe I can–”
“No, you have work to do,” she said to him, giving his hand a squeeze. “I'll still be there when you get back. Don't worry.”
“You summon me if you need anything at all, all right?” he made her promise. “Someone can get me in an instant.”
“I'll be fine,” she assured him. “It's just a headache. Too little sleep.”
“We will make sure you turn in early tonight then,” he said, kissing her head. “If I see any of the princesses, I will send them to you.”
“I would love to see them, regardless of my head,” she said, splitting off from him in the hallway.
Entering the library, she just wanted to sit by the fire and read a book. It was usually empty during the day, with everyone scrambling around for work, so she was surprised to find Cole going through the shelves, looking confused.
“Hey,” she said, and he looked up.
“My favorite hotelier,” he said with a smile. Since the first visit, they seemed to be on better terms. She quite liked him, texting when they were away, and speaking with him and Enya frequently.
The truth was, although she didn't have too much in common with Enya, she felt it was proper to speak to his wife more than him. She didn't want Enya to think that she liked Cole a little too much.
“What are you looking for?” she asked, settling down in a chair. It was so different from the first time they met. Before, they couldn't speak without snapping at each other.
“When you are royal, everything is documented,” he said. “People take pictures, they make paintings, they write about every appearance that you ever made.”
“Sure,” she responded.
“So I'm looking for photos of my father, records of if he has ever been to certain places, even briefly.”
“Shouldn't all that be digitized?” she asked as he opened and closed books.
“Not all of it,” he gave her a smile. “Umora is a funny place. We're lightyears ahead of Earth in one way, and behind in others. Most of the royal records are still here.”
“Why are you even looking?” she asked, confused.
“Because there have been more reports of his appearances. There have been photographs coming from unknown settings, letters, but something about them doesn't fit.”
“Is this about the letter from the first time?” she asked. “Didn't they say it was arranged before he died?”
“My father was not that organized,” Cole snorted. “Not organized enough to send letters arranging regular meetings between rulers at regular intervals ten years in the future.”
“So, you think he's back.”
“Except,” Cole answered, “I saw him die.”
“Well,” she drew up her feet, “Spencer saw me die.”
He didn't say anything to that. She knew the topic of whether or not she was Spencer's first love was still up in the air, at least on Umora. Cole opened and closed another book or two before he turned to her.
“There's something I want to show you,” he said after a while. “This can wait.”
“What could you possibly want to show me that is more important than your father returning?” she smiled.
“Come with me,” he said, beckoning her. “Don't worry about my crazy father for a moment.”
She laughed at that and pushed herself up. It took a moment for her head to stop pounding, which it often did when it was like this. She winced, and Cole put out his hand.
“I'm all right,” she said. “It's just–”
“I know you're all right,” he said, “but there's no reason to suffer stubbornly.”
He took her hand before she had a chance to react and pushed magic into her. It was something that Spencer did on occasion. She knew it was temporary, but it was a better pain relief than Tylenol and Advil.
She was grateful for Cole's persistence and took a deep breath.
“Thank you,” she said. He met her eyes, looking down at his hands and then back at her. The moment lasted a bit too long before he beckoned her into the hallway.
“I'm surprised your boyfriend didn't do that,” Cole said, as they walked down the hallway.
“Sometimes, I feel like I've built up a tolerance to him,” she said. “His magic isn't always effective. Is that possible?”
“Maybe,” Cole seemed half distracted as he walked. “Or whatever is going on with your head is getting worse. I can't cure Enya, and it's harder to push magic when it's on Earth. He could have run out at the time or not been strong enough to push it properly. But most supernatural beings respond quite well to magic.”
“Maybe I'm just tired,” she said, with a shrug, missing his meaning. “What are you showing me?”
“Just something you left here last time,” Cole said, as he took her down a flight of stairs. He pushed open a door, and she gasped.
Inside was a room packed to the rafters with treasure. There were gold, jewels, tiaras, and swords. This was clearly their treasury room. What baffled her the most was how there was no guards at the door.
“It's spelled,” Cole said. “Only those of the throne's bloodline can get in here. If one of us breaks in and steals things, that's on us. But otherwise, no one else can so much as set foot in here without one of us.”
“This is so much,” she spun around, looking at the hordes of treasure. “You really are a prince.”
“In case you doubted the palace setting,” he said, as he went to a chest. He opened it, and she watched as he pulled out a small, white box. Turning back to her, he placed it in her hands.
“What's this?” she asked. He smiled, crossing his arms.
“If I told you, that would be cheating,” he replied. “Go ahead. Open it.”
Katianna cracked open the box with curiosity to find a plain gold band staring back at her. There was nothing special about it that she could see. It wasn't extravagant or particularly large. It had no jewels, no markings. It looked as if it were bought at any generic jewelry shop on Earth.
That thought hit her like a smack on the face.
“Is this mine?” she looked up to Cole. “This is a wedding ring. Is this my wedding ring?”
“What do you think?” he asked, leaning against a pillar.
“Why would I leave it here?” she asked. “Was it an accident?”
His yellow eyes flashed as he shifted positions. He looked so handsome standing there, watching her.
For one moment, Katianna saw what she thought was the past. Cole, standing in the hallway, his arms open as she flew to him.
She took off the wedding ring, pushed it to him, and shook her head.
“Did you give me this?” she asked, her voice a whisper.
“Did I?” he asked, his voice also low. “Or did someone else?”
“Did Spencer…” she put a hand to her mouth. “Did we…?”
“You always said your connection to Spencer was the reason you believed him,” Cole replied, standing up straighter now. “What about your connection to me?”
“I…” she trembled under the weight of the memory.
“Do you feel nothing, Katianna?” he asked.
“I came to love you,” she said. It slipped out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying.
They stood in silence for a long moment. Her hand closed over the ring box, her knuckles white.
“Did he know?”
“He ran away with you right afterward,” Cole answered. “So, I have no idea what you told him. I am discreet in my affairs, but he's always been on guard about me.”
“What happened?” she demanded “Cole, what happened in that lifetime? Ah!” Her headache came back with a vengeance, and she bent over, trying not to hit the floor.
He didn't offer magic this time, flexing his hand as if the magic was flowing without consent.
“You died,” he said simply. “The rest doesn't matter.”
The silence this time was much longer. He waited until she straightened up again. She pushed the ring toward him.
“I don't want this,” she said. “I don't want to know.”
“You don't have to have it,” he replied. “But if your argument is based on the feelings you have inside, you should focus on more than Spencer's eyes,” he said. “Come on, I'll take you to your room.”
“I think I can go by myself,” she said, trying not to cry. “Please don't tell him.”
Cole shrugged. “The past is the past, Katianna. Nothing can change it.”
She said nothing to that, turning on her heel.
She barely got into her room before the hot tears spilled down her face. She pressed her hands against her face, trying not to completely dissolve.
What had she done? What was happening?
If Cole was lying, she couldn't find the reason behind it. And he was right about her feelings. Despite the fact that she had once found every word that came out of his mouth annoying, she couldn't deny what she was starting to feel for him.
But she loved Spencer, didn't she? Hadn't she always loved him–been fated to love him?
She couldn't think straight; she didn't know what was real and what was not.
The pounding in her head didn't make things any easier. She curled up on the bed, trying to block out the sunlight. Life had been so easy a year ago. She had thought this new life was what she wanted: excitement, travel, and romance. But all she wanted was to be home in the hotel, in her own bed. A year ago, her biggest problems were that she had to go to class too early. Now, she was wondering if a previous incarnation of herself had done something unforgivable. Was she being punished for the sins of the past?
She couldn't bring herself to face Spencer the rest of the day. She stayed in her room, napping and working on homework, trying not to cry. When he checked in on her, she claimed homework and skipped dinner, her chest aching.
She loved him; she knew that. But she had loved Cole, too, she realized the more she thought about it. Had Cole loved her back? What had happened before this body of hers took an old soul?
She closed her eyes as the sun set, searching her memory.
She had done something terrible once, she knew that. But she wouldn't do it again, she vowed. She loved Spencer more than anything. She wanted to be with him in this life and any other. But to do that, she needed to be far away from Cole.