Ava
Chapter 41
“How in the world do you get out of this thing?” Eve complained, as she stopped in the middle of the castle’s gardens. “I swear, no matter what way we take, it’s like going around in circles!”
George chuckled behind me, and I tried to not follow suit. We both knew how to get out but wanted to see how long it would take Eve to become frustrated.
Eve glared over her shoulder, then twisted to face George, pointing her finger at him. “You should know.”
George shrugged. “You didn’t ask.”
Eve huffed. “What do you think I like doing, George? Walk around in circles? I’m not that daft.”
That made me laugh, which turned Eve’s glare in my direction. She threw her hands up in the hair.
“I give up with the both of you!”
She sauntered off ahead of us as I stared after her, my hands on my hips. I heard her mumbling, only imagining what she could be saying.
“Hot temper,” George said. “I don’t think you two should be together when you’re both mad.”
“Normally, one of us keeps the other in check.” I tapped his shoulder with mine gently. “How are you doing?”
George looked forward, blowing his breath out of his mouth. “Fine, just trying to figure this whole Garrett-Sophia thing.”
I felt disloyal. Guilty.
I was going to run away and not tell him.
It was going to sting. After everything he’d done for me, I was going to abandon him here, alone. And with me goes his two siblings—his only family.
My brain started to rethink this plan.
How could I do this?
Yes, I wanted to be with Garr.
Yes, I wanted to be happy.
No, I didn’t want to betray my oldest and dearest friend.
“There has to be a loophole,” he continued, scratching the blond stubble on his chin.
“I don’t know, the Chitwoods seem to have thought of everything.” I started to fidget with my fingers.
“Don’t worry.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to him. “I’ll figure something out.”
We walked in silence, which only ate at my shame. George’s body stayed close to mine as we found our way out of the garden.
“Where is Eve now?” I asked, regarding the back courtyard.
George sighed loudly. “I’ll go find her.” He walked back into the garden, disappearing around the corner.
Eyeing a stone bench, I took a seat as I listened to the birds chirp. The sun was hidden away by clouds threatening to pour rain, which didn’t help my mood.
Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself. I couldn’t speak to Garrett about changing our plan. There wasn’t any loophole in the marriage contract; it was written clear as day in black ink. A death sentence to my future with the man I was falling head over heels over.
In the books I read, they spoke of bold decisions and brave actions—I felt neither of those applied to me. I was a coward. Betrayal wasn’t a bold or brave decision, but an act of selfishness. I agreed to it, sure, but could I just leave?
You’ve wanted your freedom for years—what makes this any different? You would have had to leave this place anyway.
Then why did it feel so dirty?
“You’re a hard person to get alone, Ava Barlow.”
That voice slinked up my arms and rattled my sanity. I peeped over to find Sophia promenading toward me—a victory smile plastered on her face.
I held up my hand. “Don’t come any closer to me”—I scowled at her—“or this hand is going to go right across your face again.”
Sophia tsked, and took a seat next to me anyway. Moving to the other side of the bench, I rubbed my cheek anxiously. The negative vibe she was giving off was grating on my nerves, and I stood to leave.
“I know what you have planned, Barlow,” she mused, picking at her emerald green gown, her brown eyes determined to make me squirm.
“And what might that be?”
She stretched her arms lazily as she stood. “It’s honestly quite cute that you are so strong-minded as to help a man get out of a marriage that has already dried on paper.” Her voice turned steely. “It’s over. Pack your belongings and leave with the rest of your pride.”
I chortled. “Back to trying to order me around?”
“A smart woman knows when she has been defeated.”
“Don’t worry about me, Chitwood. I’ll be just fine.”
Taking a step forward, she pressed on. “Divorcing me will do nothing.”
I turned to fully face her, my temper and curiosity getting the better of me.
I raised a brow. “Do I need to explain to you what that is?”
“There won’t be any reason for him to divorce me, and I won’t partake either. He can do whatever he wants; keep me in the palace or keep my funds limited—I already have plans for all that.”
“And what are those?” I crossed my arms.
She waved her finger at me, smiling slyly. “That’s a secret.”
I rolled my eyes. “Are we done here?”
Sophia continued to stare, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think you’re taking me seriously.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Get wise, Barlow. This won’t work in your favor. I won. The late King wanted me as his son’s bride. I’m not going anywhere. I’m even having an agreement drawn up that there will be no mistresses named Ava Barlow involved in my marriage.”
I clenched my fists. “Thanks for the warning.”
“Keep pushing me.” She stepped closer. “I’ll make sure Hara is married off to some old geezer.” She paused, then her eyes lit up. “Oh, better yet, a young chap who is spiteful and—”
“Quit acting like you have all this power. You’re not going to be a queen.”
“But I’ll still have a hand in the King’s decision-making. My father is the most powerful judge in Parliament.”
“But George will always have the final say.”
She dismissed me with a wave of her hand. “There are ways around that.”
My irritability started to turn into blind rage. My adrenaline pumped through me, and all I wanted to do was wipe that cocky smirk off her face.
“If you keep pursuing Garrett, I guarantee that I’ll make not only his life a living hell, but Hara’s as well. Now that I have myself within the Royal family, I can put things in disarray. I’m not naïve enough to think he’ll love me. Cranfield will probably hate me for the rest of his life. I’ll try to sway him, but he is a stubborn man; a woman can only do so much.
“All I need to do is get myself with child and I’m set for life.” Before I could open my mouth, she continued. “I already know what you’re going to say. He won’t sleep with me. There are other ways around that too.”
“You are a disgrace,” I sneered. “Why are you doing this?”
She smirked. “I think I’ve answered enough of your questions. There is much, much more up my sleeve, Barlow, darling. I hold more power than you think I do.”
A branch snapped behind me, and we both turned toward the sound.
“Lady Chitwood, to what do we owe this surprise visit?” George addressed, his voice void of his usual pleasing demeanor.
“Enjoying the beautiful summer afternoon, Your Majesty,” Sophia reveled with a big smile.
“Then you’ll excuse us,” he quipped. “Ava and I have a lot of planning to do.”
∞∞∞
I faked a headache.
I needed to speak with Eve alone.
The threats Sophia made started to scare me more than I wanted to admit. Lord Chitwood was a powerful judge; I just didn’t know how much supremacy he held over the other judges and men of court.
Going against Femme Fatale, and who knows how many other men, was frightening. I felt feeble and defenseless. George needed their support for his army, along with their coin purses. He couldn’t afford to lose them. With that money and backing, though, came the daughter of the most influential judge of them all.
Wanting to marry my Garrett.
In the large library, I sat in the chair Garrett found me all those months ago. I remembered being curled up, asleep, and startled when he kept my fire going. The memory hit me, the bitter taste of defeat starting to set in.
Eve sat down in the chair next to me, holding my forearm. Her lavender perfume filled the space between us; the same perfume I remember smelling at the Melon Berry picnic, worn on ladies dancing around us.
“What did she say?” Eve broke through my torturing thoughts and memories that would continue to haunt me for the rest of my life.
“She told me to stay away. She threatened Hara’s future too.”
“That little wretch! You should have slapped her again.”
I chuckled. “Trust me, I wanted to.” I looked over at the fireplace that held no fire. It was cold and empty; exactly how I felt right now.
“She can’t do this!” Eve ranted. “She can’t just ruin people’s lives.”
I looked at my best friend, and my jaw started to quiver. I could feel an uncontrollable sob wanting to rack my body.
“She already did, Eve. It’s over.”
She shook her head. “No, no. It’s not.”
“It is.”
Eve brushed my arm with her thumb. “Don’t give up yet, A. You love him; he is the only thing that has made you smile every day since you’ve been back. I’ve never seen you so blissful.”
“It’s not that I’m giving up,” I retorted. “But that I can’t gamble these people. Hara, George, and Garr—all of them will be affected.”
Eve came closer to me. “How?”
“George will lose the support of the Lords. He needs the money. If people start thinking that George can’t run and protect this country, they can order a regulation of release.”
She furrowed her brows. “What does that mean?”
“It means that if Lord Chitwood can get Tellivan allies to agree he is unsuitable to protect his people, they can force him out. It’s a protection clause with the treaty. No king wants a weak country standing next to them, in case needed. They could frame him for negligence, or that he wasn’t trained properly for the role. There are just so many possibilities.”
“That’s preposterous!”
“She knows Garrett’s plan about divorcing her. She’ll get money from her father, so she’ll want for nothing. She already has her foot in the door with being married within the only Brandon heir left in Tellivan—George. Now he will be a pawn if I keep pushing my suit.”
“They may still do it, even if you do give up.”
I sighed. “They could. But then there is Hara to think about. Sophia is pressing her to marry someone horrible.” I shook my head. All the things Sophia could try and do, just by asking her father, were endless.
We were both silent for a few moments, the air thick and heavy. Every minute that went by felt like a lifetime. I wanted to see Garr but knew that I would break down and keep at this charade of his plan.
If we left, George would be alone, possibly dismantled from his crown. If Garrett were here, he could conceivably protect him and Hara. His Elite Eight would be able to get whatever information he needed to protect his family.
I stood in the way.
His feelings for me blinded him from the reality of what Sophia could do if Garrett left. Out of spite, she would ruin George’s life. And I wasn’t sure how many Lords were here that favored George over any lies that may be told by Lord Chitwood. Being that George was a new king, he had a lot to prove, and he hadn’t had enough time to do that yet.
Eve squeezed me. “What are you going to do?”