The Heir (The Selection #4)(48)

“Let’s get you to the hospital wing,” I urged, pointing Ahren down the hall.

“Your Highness, should we take him with you?”

I looked at Jack’s limp form, noting the rise and fall of his chest.

“No. Get him on a plane, conscious or not.”

I piled into Ahren’s bed with him on one side and Kaden on the other. Ahren was flexing his wrapped fingers, which were badly bruised.

“Does it hurt?” Kaden asked, seeming more excited than worried.

“A little, but I’d do it all over again in a second.”

I smiled up at my twin, so grateful for him.

“If I had been there,” Kaden started, “I’d have challenged him to a duel.”

I giggled as Ahren reached across me to ruffle his hair. “Sorry, buddy, it all happened too quickly for me to think of that.”

Kaden shook his head. “All those years of sword-fighting lessons for nothing.”

“You were always better than me anyway,” Ahren said as Osten came in without knocking, a phone to his ear.

“If you had only practiced more!” Kaden chastised.

Osten landed on the bed chatting into the phone. “Yeah, yeah. Okay, hold on.” He turned the receiver away and looked to me. “Eady, where was that Jack guy from anyway?”

I tried to remember his form. “Paloma, I think.”

Kaden nodded. “It was Paloma.”

“Awesome.” Osten spoke into the phone again. “Did you hear that? I’ll be in touch.”

He hung up and slid the phone into his pocket as we all stared at him.

I laughed. “I’d usually try to stop whatever you’re doing, but I’m not even going to ask.”

“I think that’s for the best.”

I looked around at all my brothers, so caring and smart and puckish. So many times I’d hated them for not being older than me, for forcing me into a role I never wanted. Tonight, maybe for the first time, I loved them for exactly who they were. Kaden was distracting, Ahren had defended me, and Osten . . . well, he’d help in his own way.

Osten had left the door open, and Mom and Dad walked in to find all their children together.

Mom seemed happy to see her family safe, but Dad was shaken.

He put one hand on his hip and gestured with the other. “Everyone okay?”

“Slightly spooked,” I admitted.

“And a little bruised,” Ahren added.

Dad swallowed, taking us all in. “Eadlyn, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how he slipped through the cracks. I thought the applications were vetted, and I had no idea . . .”

He stopped, looking as though he was close to tears.

“I’m all right, Daddy.”

He nodded but didn’t speak.

Mom stepped forward, taking over. “We’d like to put some guidelines in place. Perhaps have a guard nearby on any dates from here on out, or have all dates in a public area.”

“That or have photographers. I think that would help, too.” I cursed myself again for not remembering earlier.

“Excellent idea, sweetie. We want to keep this safe.”

“Which reminds me,” Dad said, under control again. “How do you want to proceed with Jack? Should we cover this up? Press formal charges? Personally, I’d like to tear him limb from limb, but that’s really up to you.”

I smiled. “No charges, but let’s not cover it up. Let everyone know exactly what kind of man he is. That will be punishment enough.”

“Very wise,” Ahren agreed.

Dad folded his arms, considering. “If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do. I’ve been told he’s on his way home now, and that will be the end of it.”

“Thank you.”

Dad put his arm around Mom, and they turned to leave, Mom taking one last look at all of us.

“By the way,” Dad said, glancing over his shoulder, “while I agree with the sentiment behind throwing him out without seeing if he regained consciousness, if he had died, that would have looked really bad.”

I pressed my lips together, but I knew my eyes were smiling. “Fine. No more carelessly tossing people out through the gates.”

“And more sword fights!” Kaden yelled.

While Ahren and I laughed, our parents shook their heads. “Goodnight. Don’t stay up too late,” Mom warned.

And we didn’t mean to, but we did end up talking for a long time. I eventually fell asleep with Kaden’s back pressed against mine, Ahren’s arm under my head, and Osten holding on to one of my feet.

I woke early the next morning, well before the others, and smiled at my brothers, my protectors. The sister in me wanted to stay. But the princess in me got up and went to prepare for the new day.





CHAPTER 20


WHILE WE SAT AT THE breakfast table the next morning, I found myself looking over the boys, searching for signs that anyone else might be like Jack. I kept thinking that if I’d paid more attention those first few days, I’d have been able to see there was something off about him.

Then my eyes passed over some of the others I’d gotten to know, like Hale and Henri. Even Erik’s presence was a welcome one. After meeting them, I couldn’t let one boy make me fearful of all the others. And in truth, I really didn’t have the privilege of being fearful.