The Prince's Soulmate | ✔

Chapter 100

Chapter 100 is dedicated to all my silent readers. You might not vote or comment, but the fact that you're giving my book a chance means a lot to me!

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“But won’t that give away the fact that the princes are here?” I pressed. “Word could get out.”

I was in the king’s office. After finishing a surprisingly uneventful class with Madame Lucille, which was the first class I’d managed to make it out of without being chided about something, I was whisked away to this meeting. Ashton met me on the way there.

The king had announced that there would be a gala of sorts held in the palace in a few weeks. That wasn’t very surprising since I’d learnt that the royal family usually gathered once a year for this. What made it surprising was the fact that the entire royal family was expected to attend, including Ashton and CaVaughn.

“That brings me to the next thing you need to know,” he smiled. “I’ll be announcing the return of the princes before the Solar Gold Festival.”

Ashton and I stared at him in disbelief. Where was this coming from? Doing that would just put them in danger all over again and that would be a recipe for disaster. It was too soon.

He must have read the expression on my face as he sighed and leaned forward on his steepled fingers.

“It has to be done. It’s a bit sooner than I’d planned, but everything is already in place so it doesn’t make sense to put it off. Thanks to the prime minister, the entire kingdom’s been buzzing with talk of the crown prince.”

Ashton frowned beside me, clearly not pleased with his father’s agenda.

“They will only know that you’re back,” his dad spat, sensing Ashton’s darkening mood. “They won’t see you for a few more months.”

They were both still pretty much on unpleasant terms with each other. They had argued over and over about who should rightfully be crowned the next king. Ashton insisted that CaVaughn be given the chance to recover before the king made a final decision.

“It’s time to face reality,” the king continued. “CaVaughn won’t work. I’ve already decided that, so stop trying to change my mind.”

Ashton rolled his eyes, clearly displeased with that answer. We sometimes talked about him becoming the king, more times at my house when he dropped by. My mom had all but given him the residence keys. She had taken quite a liking to Ashton. My dad refused to be won over so easily, but I could tell that he was not as averse to having Ashton around as much as he used to be. They saw his best sides. The sides I’d come to know and love; the sides I’d gotten used to.

Ashton wasn’t exactly eager to take the throne and assume his duties as the seventy-eighth monarch of Crysauralia. However, he did care for the kingdom. I could see it in his eyes. I could hear it in the way he spoke about the people and the cities. This was his home and legacy.

He just didn’t think he was ready, and he wanted to give his older brother a chance to claim what was rightfully his. He was afraid to become what his father was, and what his father wanted him to be.

The king ignored Ashton, as he usually did when they disagreed, and instead focused his attention on me.

“You must also be in attendance, Elizabeth.”

Huh?

“Of course you have to be there,” he frowned at the surprise clearly written on my face. “It is time to introduce yourself as Ashton’s betrothed.”