Ever After (Unfinished Fairy Tales #3)(3)

When I am halfway through a draft, someone raps on the door. Unlike the suite, my office door remains open to visitors. However, should anyone require a private conversation, I have a receiving chamber that adjoins the office.

“Edward.”

“Your Highness!”

To my astonishment, three of my friends have arrived at my office. My cousin Henry has come with his fiancée, Elle. To the right is Poppy, who is Kat’s dearest friend, as well as Elle’s cousin.

“We had an urgent reason to see you, and George told us you were here,” Henry says, as though reading my mind.

“What is the meaning of this?” Poppy shakes an envelope in front of me in a rare display of boldness. Normally, she behaves like a timid mouse when Kat tries to have her talk to me, but this time, perhaps out of concern for her friend, she has forgotten her shyness.

“She said she contracted an incurable disease and had to leave,” Henry says in a disbelieving tone. “If that is true, why didn’t you let her see the doctors? Of so many professionals at the Royal Institute, there has to be someone who can cure Katriona’s disease.”

“Kat. Not Katriona.” I interrupt. Katriona is the name I reserve for Bianca Bradshaw’s sister.

Henry is startled, but before he can continue, Elle speaks. “We would like to know where Kat is,” she says, her voice quiet but firm. Like Poppy, she does not manifest any nervousness, though she used to be mild and meek when she worked with Galen. “I would like to see her.”

Poppy’s expression is both indignant and incredulous. “How could you let that other woman take her place? I thought you loved her.”

“Of course I do,” I snap. She looks taken aback; I doubt I have showed an angry side of me towards Kat’s best friend. “Do you think I would have let her go if there was any hope for it?”

“So she really has this disease?” Henry says. “Is she alive?”

It might be easier to say she is dead. But I find I cannot bring myself to say those words.

“She is,” I say. “But it makes no difference. She cannot survive in our world.”

Elle looks at Poppy. “When you showed me Kat’s letter, you mentioned to me that she is not from Athelia. Is that why she cannot stay?”

A few maids pass by the door, carrying baskets of laundry. One of them gives me a quizzical look before hurrying along.

“Come inside,” I say, opening the door to the adjoining chamber. “This is a matter I do not wish to be overheard.”

In the next half hour, I relate the story of Kat’s origin. Henry and Elle are naturally shocked, but as I am usually disinclined to be flippant, especially where Kat is concerned, and when Poppy chimed in and confirmed my story, they accepted the idea with a tad reservation.

“To tell the truth, I’ve always thought there was something strange to her after she fell down the stairs,” Elle says, twisting her fingers together. “Lady Katriona was never so kind to me before. But I thought it had something to do with her getting hit on the head and losing her memory, and it wasn’t my place to question anything…”

“So that is the reason why she knew iodine.” Henry exchanges a knowing look with me. He is referring to that day when we met at Dr. Jensen’s house. Henry hasn’t failed to recall the shock he received when Kat recognized iodine.

Poppy glares at me. “If you love her, you have to get her back. You shouldn’t let that other girl come here and take her place. What’ll you do when Kat returns?”

I look away, unable to meet their eyes. “She isn’t coming back,” I say, trying to conceal the stab of pain whenever I think about Kat. “Her body is not equipped to survive in our world.”

“What is the matter with her?” Henry asks, frowning. “She seemed healthy enough when I last saw her.”

I tell them what the goblins had related about Kat unable to consume the air in Athelia. Poppy’s eyes grow larger and larger, Elle has a hand over her mouth, while Henry looks as though I am out of my mind.

“Poor Kat.” Elle bites her lip and looks at her hands. “To think that she was transported to our world, all alone, and ended up marrying you, but had to leave...how much she must have suffered.”

“What about that other woman that is posing as princess?” Poppy says indignantly. She will not relent until I provide an explanation.

“We met her on our way here,” Elle says. “Is she Lady Katriona?”

I shut my eyes for a second. “Yes. It was not my idea, but a temporary measure I reluctantly agreed to. Consider how the public would react if Kat suddenly disappeared. However, once the trial is no longer fresh on their minds, I plan to divorce her. I would rather stay unattached, even if there was no woman in Athelia but her.”

Poppy sucks in a quick breath. Henry regards me with anxiety. “But you have only been married for a year. Everyone has been expecting you would produce an heir, and…”

“That is why I will need your help.” I level him a firm, unyielding look. “I plan to abdicate. I want you to take my place.”

Henry looks as though I have given him a blow in the stomach. “Edward, don’t talk nonsense. We both know you would inherit the crown since we were children.”

“I don’t want it,” I say harshly. “As long as I am crown prince, I will be expected to take a wife and bear an heir. There is no one I wish to marry and beget children from, other than Kat. And she is lost to me forever.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “Henry, you are the only person among the aristocracy that I trust will work hard for the welfare of our people. And you are now engaged to Elle. There is no one better for the throne than you.”