Hunter

An hour later, Violet is waiting for me in the foyer of the castle. I see her talking to my father as I walk toward them. I can’t help but feel a little tense, wondering about their exchange. I didn’t exactly give Violet the impression that this was my father’s idea; I wanted her to think I wanted her with me. And I do, especially after I saw her in my mother’s wedding dress. She looked like more than a princess.

In that dress she looked like a queen.

It’s crazy to think that one woman, in one dress, can make me rethink my entire motherfucking life—but damn, when I see Violet, I see a future I never imagined. When I saw her, it was the first time I thought I might want to be a king.

Then I look at my father standing next to her, and I blink, remembering all the reasons I do not want this life.

“So, Sunshine, you ready to go?” I ask her.

“Yes, I’m all ready,” she says softly, her eyes on the ground. I wonder what my dad said to make her not want to meet my gaze. I doubt I want to know.

“The snowcat is ready for us, and the porter stowed our bags.”

“Wonderful.” She smiles tightly.

“I got you some gloves.” I hand her a pair of soft leather gloves—gloves that were my mother’s, gloves that I want on her hands.

My father must recognize them, because he clears his throat. “That’s good of you, son,” he says stiffly. “Travel safely, and we will see you tomorrow evening. Your schedules have been cleared, and Jemma will sort everything out. The wedding isn’t something you need to bother yourselves with anyway, is it?”

“That is so good of you.” Violet gives my father a quick embrace.

After he leaves, I take her hand, wanting her to know that, even though this trip was my father’s idea, I’m glad that she’ll be with me.

* * *

The snowcat isn’t quite what others might think when they hear the word. Sure, it has the capacity to travel across snowbanks at an impressive clip, but my vehicle differs because the driver and companion are safely secured in a roomy, comfortable enclosed carriage, not a “sports utility” anything.

We sit side-by-side on plush leather seats. The heater is running, and my hands are on the steering wheel. The snowcat can alternate from tires to skis with a single switch, depending on what ground we’re covering.

At the moment, we’re on skis that are moving us across the sloping snowbanks east of the castle—the opposite direction from the city square. I have no intention of heading toward the public.

Right now, I want to get the fuck away from the castle.

Our luggage is stowed in the back of the cabin, and Violet sits primly beside me, hands clasped in her lap. The hum of the engine is the only noise, and the farther we drive the quieter the surroundings become.

“What was my father talking to you about, exactly?” I can’t help but ask her. She’s been silent since we got in the snowcat, and I don’t know if it’s because she hates the snow, or if it’s because of something my father said, or if it’s because of something else entirely.

I’ve never been with a woman I actually care to ask these questions of. Usually I’m in the mountains with whatever woman strikes my fancy.

“He was telling me that this night away was your idea.”

My shoulders drop as I release my pent-up energy, relieved that my father wasn’t talking shit about me to my fiancée.

“Are you cold?” I ask.

“A little. Even with these gloves and this coat, and the heater going on full blast … it’s different here.”

“It’s funny, isn’t it—you and I talking about the weather? Isn’t that what old married couples do?”

“I’m not sure,” she says. “Honestly, I’ve never been around a lot of old married couples.”

“I guess I haven’t, either. I never met my grandparents, and we don’t have a lot of relatives. My dad’s sister married a man in Trulana, so I don’t see my cousins from that side often. What about you? Do you have much family?”

“My sisters, of course—Iris and Dahlia. We are as close as sisters can be. But my mother passed away several years ago, and the truth is, she was the glue that kept the family together.

“My father’s younger brother does live on Elexia, though. And he and his wife have a son. Gibraltar will inherit the throne, since my father never had a son.”

“And how do you feel about that?” I keep my eyes on the snowbank ahead, knowing we’re going to be crossing a dangerous mountainside.

But I know that on the other end it will be worth the traveling. She’ll love seeing the water. In fact, it’s fucking sentimental of me to even be thinking this way, but part of me wants to prove to Violet that my country is as beautiful as hers.

“I would’ve been … never mind. I shouldn’t say that.”

“Say what? Tell me; now I have to know. You would have been what?”

“It doesn’t even matter.” She brushes me off and tries to redirect the conversation. “Tell me about where we are right now. I know nothing about Cressia, and you seem to know your way around it pretty well. For all my love for Elexia, I still think I’d get lost if I got too deep in the rainforests. Not that my father would ever let me out by myself.”

“Is your father a little old school, then?”

“Isn’t that how all kings behave?” Violet sighs deeply. She shakes her head, and then says, “I was going to say, a second ago, that I think I would’ve been a good queen. I love Elexia with all my heart and soul, and I hate the way that things have gone for the people there.

“I could have done some powerful work if I had been given space to pour my whole heart and soul into the country. To be honest, I’m a little bitter that I’ll never have a chance to prove that—to prove to them that a woman could be ruler.”

“Well, I don’t think having a crown is the end all, be all.”

“Oh really, you’re a chauvinistic pig like my father? I love him to pieces but he is seriously living in the 18th century.”

“No that’s not what I’m saying at all, I think a woman can be a great queen, the best. I have no issues with that whatsoever. The crown can go to whoever wants it. The issue for me is, I don’t want the crown at all. It’s mine for the taking, and it’s the last thing in the world I want.”

Violet doesn’t respond, and the energy in the snowcat changes as I watch her absorb the injustice of it all. She can’t have what she wants because she’s a woman; I get to rule even though I don’t even want it, because I’m a man.

For the first time in my life I feel like the asshole everyone has always condemned me to be.

“Over there,” I say, lifting one hand from the wheel and pointing to the hill we’re about to crest. “That mountain peak is my favorite spot in this entire country. It’s called Mount Alkali. Salt and stone. The earth. And all the snow from this mountain runs down to the lake below.”

I turn off the ignition, unlock the doors, and jump out. Walking to Violet’s door, I open it for her and take her hand. The snow is deep and thick, but we’re both in coats and boots; we’ll be fine.

I grab a thermos and a blanket from the back. There’s a stone bench, and I brush off the snow that’s gathered upon it since I’ve been here last. I stop at this exact spot every time I come to the mountain cabin; I tell Violet that.

“Why do you love it here so much?” she asks.

I smile, knowing she hasn’t turned around to see the water below.

“Below Mount Alkali is Lake Alkali. There.” I take Violet’s gloved hand and pull her toward the edge of the cliff. I want her to see what I see, and a part of me wants her to love what I love.

“It’s majestic,” she breathes out, shaking her head at the beauty of the bright, sparkling water, surrounded by so much snow.

“I love the mountains. I could drive that snowcat for days; I have. I love to come out here and track wild animals, the herds. I know all their migration patterns. Just like the gaillia we saw last night—I’ve tracked those creatures across this country. I’ve spent my whole life doing that.”

“This morning must have been hard for you, then,” she says softly.

I take her hand and lead her back to the bench, where I spread out the blanket and pour hot chocolate for us both.

“Hard, but reality. We live in the mountains; it’s a harsh climate. I love this land, but it isn’t perfect here.”

Violet nods in understanding, then asks, “So when you track the herds, what do you use the information for?”

“It’s incredibly useful for the forest and ranger departments of Cressia. It’s become my area of expertise—though my father doesn’t find it altogether valuable. To him, a ruler should be on a throne or behind a desk.”

“I see,” Violet says, smiling. “So you actually are pretty devoted to your country, for all the attitude you give, the glib responses to the paparazzi that see you having your wild parties. They don’t do much reporting on your nine-to-five job, do they?”

“Nine to five? I don’t do that bullshit. In fact, the whole reason I like this gig is because it keeps me free, keeps me in the wild, exactly where I want to be. But living in a castle? It would fucking kill me.”

Violet takes a sip of her hot chocolate, and I watch her mind working. She’s an easy read. I don’t mean that in a bad way; I mean it in a beautiful way. She’s not hiding behind anything. She’s making no false claims on her heart’s desire, nor am I. Maybe that’s why we have a connection that’s bigger than our titles.

“How’s that going to work, Hunter?” she asks me. “I mean, how are you going to be the prince, married to me, the princess—how are we going to someday be the king and queen, if you don’t even want to live in the castle?”

“I don’t know, Sunshine. There’s the rub.”

“Are you really going to marry me?”

The question catches me off guard. “Hell, where’d that come from?”

“I’m wondering, like, how serious are you about all of this? About me? My father thinks you might back out at the last minute.”

“Are you always this heavy?”

She laughs softly. “You got me there,” she says, shaking her head at herself. “I called my sister after you invited me on this overnight—mostly because I was pretty terrified of being alone with you, if I’m completely honest. “

“Oh, be honest.”

“Okay, well, the thing is … my father warned me about sleeping with you before we took our vows. Because the truth is, you could walk away and leave me at the altar.”

“I’m not going to do that.” I snort. “Hell, I honestly hadn’t considered it. Of course I don’t like that my father chose my bride—but the truth is, he did a damn fine job of it.”

Violet’s eyebrows knit together as she studies me. “I want to trust you.”

“Good. You should. I may be an ass, but I’m not a fucker who’s going to hurt the virginal princess. God.” I run my hands through my hair, hating that my reputation has gotten me here.

“My sister Iris told me that I should enjoy this time with you and not overthink it.”

I raise an eyebrow, not expecting this addendum from Violet. “And now? Are you overthinking?” My hand moves to her face, and I tuck this strand of hair behind her ear.

“No,” she whispers. “I’m not overthinking anything right now. Right now I want to stop thinking altogether.”

“That’s something I can help you with.”

I kiss her. It’s different, though, than when we kissed in her bedroom—because, right now, no one is around for miles.

Right now, the sky overhead is bright blue and crystal-clear, and the air is clean, and the timing is right.

Right now, her mouth meets mine, and it’s not lust that we’re looking for. We’re looking for something deeper—a connection, a spark.

I swear, we’re looking for something we’ve already found. When she talks with me, I’m not trying to be a bastard, an asshole, a prick. When we’re together, I can be myself.

I kiss her, and I don’t think I know how to stop.