“I’ve had enough of this nonsense. He has accomplished nothing with his plan, nor do I anticipate that he will.” Aguilar was tired of the way they had attempted to gain entrance to the royal family, deciding to take an easy way out instead of showing their hand, their strength. “We’re finished with him.”

Abelardo had two redeeming qualities. His connection to the royal family through Angelica, and his access to money. Those two things had swayed Aguilar to listen to him and try his way, but time was running out, and he had outlived his usefulness.

“Good. I never liked him anyway.” Americo feared what Aguilar’s decision would mean for the group and their future actions, but he did not dare cross Aguilar. Lauriana shot him a look before she backed out of the room.

Walking outside, he spied her leaning up against the stone stronghold, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Well?” she asked, arching a brow.

Americo shrugged. “He’s out.”

“I know that,” she answered, pushing away from the building. “I need a ride downtown.”

“Fine,” he motioned to the truck. “Get in.”

She did and they started down the road, the windows down to allow the cool breeze to filter through the cab.

They both were quiet for a few miles before Americo palmed the steering wheel hard, swearing, “We are not supposed to be killing people. We are supposed to be helping people.”

Lauriana watched his angry display, her stomach churning as she thought about how many times they had failed.

Once, she had believed in the cause, believed they could make a difference and run the country how it should be. But with every turn, they had been unsuccessful to make even the slightest dent in the Royal family. Despite the protests and the acts of violence, the country still swayed toward the family. Even the death of the king hadn’t moved the nation to more of a free reign, not like she had anticipated at least. The new king, the queen, and her children had rallied on, much to their disappointment.

What if she was on the wrong side all along? What if the leaders of this great movement had been wrong to think they could overthrow the royal family?

What if she was fighting alongside the wrong cause?

Ludwig didn’t know what had shaken Angelica so much, but she was pale when Emma left her side. “What did you say to her?”

“I gave her information she requested. Anymore than that, you’re going to have to ask her.” When he stepped away to join Angelica, Emma stopped him with a hand. “If you have any doubt whatsoever that you won’t be able to stay true to her, leave. Leave now before she begins to trust you. She’s been hurt enough.”

He looked at the reporter over his shoulder. “Are you going to threaten to hurt me?”

“I’m a reporter. I can destroy you.” She removed her hand and smiled at him. “It would be an interesting challenge. I’m up for it if you are.”

Ludwig watched as she walked through the door. What was it about Angelica that made people so loyal?

He went to her and snaked his arms around her. “What can I do?”

Her arms wrapped around his middle and she held him tightly. “Just this. It’s enough.”

He didn’t believe that for a moment. Whatever the reporter had found out, it was bad and he was going to find out.

He just had to figure out the best way to do and to keep his princess safe, because she didn’t make it easy.

“I’m going to take a piss,” said Abelardo to Americo.

Americo pretended to take a gulp on his beer bottle. He grimaced and asked, “Grab another beer for me on your way back, this one is hot already.”

“Sure thing.”

As soon as Abelardo was out of the room, Americo put the beer he hadn’t drunk on the center table and picked-up the two of Abelardo’s mobiles, which were lying there.

It was time to move this revolt in a new direction. For that to happen, he needed to eliminate the weak link, the man that was holding them back from doing what needed to be done.

He unlocked the first one and smiled—he had the correct phone—and putting it in his pocket, he rose and stealthily made his way to the kitchen.

Abelardo was opening the refrigerator. From a sheath in his leg, he pulled out the dagger, one that had been in his family for generations. The heavy and familiar hilt in his hands gave him the comfort and courage to do what was needed for the sake of his country.

But as he raised the dagger to bury it in the neck of his comrade of so many revolts, Abelardo spun around, gripping his wrist tightly in his hand.

“Puta madre.” Abelardo shouted. “You think to kill me, maricón?”

“You deserved to die,” Americo shouted, fighting the other man. “You are dragging us down.”

Abelardo laughed harshly and pulled Americo toward him, yanking his arm down and back.

He lost his balance and the dagger stung as it sank into his back, a peculiar warmth spreading through his veins.

Americo tried to speak but he could not form the words, but the knife stabbed his chest repeatedly, numbness spreading through his body, the metallic taste of blood on his tongue.

His last thoughts were of how he failed them all before there was nothing.

As much as Ludwig could tell Angelica was enjoying her time, it was as if the sunshine of her soul hid behind clouds.

And he wasn’t the only one to notice that she was unusually quiet. The Alicante family who owned the rug shop did as well. They tried to cheer her up with comments and jokes, which worked for brief moments. When Angelica had moved to leave, she was tackled in a hug by the Alicante’s eight-year-old granddaughter, Alizia, who had informed Angelica that she was invited to dine with them and that she would sit next to her.

Her bodyguards stationed at the doors smiled down at the scene of Angelica melting down and accepting the invitation.

When they had first started this particular project, Harrison had been rather high strung about the entire affair, not allowing Angelica outside of his view, and liking less when people touched her. After a couple of days, he came to realize that no one there meant her any harm.

Ludwig on the other hand loved watching all of these little moments. He didn’t even know if Angelica realized how many of these tiny moments she had collected in the past few days. She had received more hugs in that time than he assumed she normally received in a year. At first, she had been stiff, but somehow she had begun returning them with ease.

Ludwig offered her a folding chair at the makeshift table, and then did the same for Alizia.  

Alizia giggled. “I almost feel like a princess.”

Angelica chuckled and shook her head. “Being a princess is not what it is in all the books. It’s a lot of hard work, just a different sort.”

Ludwig took the chair next to Angelica, his body on fire with need. Seeing her like this, so vulnerable and open, delved deep into the most instinctual parts of him. He wanted to protect her and to have her, but a part of him knew that in order for him to do that, he needed to claim her first. And while he had claimed her physically multiple times, she still hadn’t chosen him yet. He would make that happen. One small step at a time.

“Princess Angelica is going to teach me how to eat properly,” explained Alizia to him.

Her mother, Clara, snorted. “Good. I’ve been trying to teach you that for years.”

“I feel like I should leave,” Angelica said quietly so that only Clara and Alizia could hear.  

“Nonsense.” Clara appeared to be exhausted, but she gave Angelica a slight smile. “My mother will be talking about this for the rest of her life, how she was able to serve Princess Angelica dinner on a makeshift table.”

Ludwig, feeling her uneasiness, took her hand under the plywood and squeezed her fingers, and tried to make small talk to distract her. “Are you excited about the new hospital?”  

Clara handed a bowl to Angelica and glanced at Ludwig. “Well, I am, of course, but it won’t be here for at least another two years, so it’s hard to get excited.”  

Angelica smiled at her. “We were trying to get a new hospital pushed through years ago, but were turned down.”  

“Turned down?” Clara asked, her tone affronted. “You’re the ruling house. Our King didn’t want it?”  

“Oh, he did,” Angelica said hastily. It was never a good idea to make their king look weak. “It was a good idea, but we lacked the capital. And the people interested in doing it where overcharging. Took me this long to get it.”

Alizia mimicked Angelica’s movement when she raised her spoon to her mouth.

That’s distracting. A little too cute. Angelica laughed to herself.

Clara narrowed her eyes and nodded. “Over-charging.”  

“Precisely,” Angelica said. “The people won’t feel a lot of those effects, but others would and it would strain the system. So, my brother decided to do things the smart way. We upgraded the existing hospital where we could until we could build the hospital the right way.”  

Silvia turned, placing her own bowl on the table and sitting down. “That is excellent and the last political topic of conversation for the evening.”  

They laughed and moved to other topics.

When she bid her goodbyes, Angelica realized how connected to that perfectly lovely family she felt. And that was something she did not want to let go of.

Abelardo let go of Americo and watched him crumble to the floor, a sneer on his face. “Vete al demonio, lame botas.”

As that ass kisser had attempted to kill him and failed, so would Aguilar, who surely had assigned Americo the task of eliminating him. They would all fail for he was smarter than the lot of them. He alone had carried this revolt on his back, toiled through the obstacles that had been placed before him! They were the weak links, not him.

He searched Americo’s pockets as he planned his next steps.

Tomorrow was to be the day.

He would eliminate the entire royal family and put an end to this madness. He alone would be responsible for taking down those that did not care for the common people of this country.

He would ensure that this country ran as it should. And if he died in the process, that would only make it more certain than ever that he would go down in history. Not just as the savior of Aragon, but also as a martyr who died for his people.