Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Paris smiled.
His heart fluttered. At that moment he would have killed for another one of those smiles.
“I’m excited to finally see her again after all this time. It’s really easy to picture London because all I have to do is look into the mirror and see her. My mom on the other hand, I barely remember what she looks like.”
“She’s tall, and dark with one of the most beautiful skin hues I’ve seen besides yours. Queen Calliope has a smile that lights up the entire room. People are drawn to her.”
“She sounds lovely.”
“She is a most worthy queen.”
“Zahn?”
“Yes, Paris?” He liked the way her name rolled off his tongue.
“Do you think I can have some time alone? I need to think.”
Just as suddenly as his happiness had come when he saw her smile, it left. He’d obviously imagined her despair about him marrying London. He wasn’t going to be the one to tell her it wasn’t likely to happen now.
“Of course. I’ll give you as much privacy as you’d like.” He turned on his heel, leaving her as she requested. Where had these inconvenient feelings come from all of a sudden?
Paris felt like her world was crumbling. When she and Zahn had come together, it had meant something to her. He was her first lover, but there was more to it.
She found herself wanting his company for more than just the sex and the incredible things he did to her body. How could he make love to her like that and then turn around and tell her he was marrying her sister?
Not to mention, the callous brute had the nerve to say she’d have to participate in the ceremony. To hell with that. There was no way she could stand casually and watch Zahn and her sister get married. Was this love she felt for him?
Paris wasn’t sure, but one thing she did know, she wouldn’t stick around to see the happy celebration. It would be like a kick in the teeth. A thought suddenly occurred to her. Maybe London didn’t want to marry Zahn. There was always that possibility.
Even if the pretext of London leaving Thibius was to search for her, she could have had another motive.
Paris snorted, thinking that if she’d been betrothed to Zahn she wouldn’t have run away. Why did life have to be so damn unfair? The first man she’d fallen for in a long time and he was marrying her long lost sister.
Chapter
Nine
The moment was finally here. Paris would meet her mother, after all this time.
Before they landed on Thibius, Zahn had contacted the queen to let her know he’d found her. They were waiting for her.
They’d made a detour to Zahn’s palace first, however. It was a nice place and Paris could easily see herself living in this luxurious home, but instead it would all be London’s someday.
Ever since that conversation in his room, Zahn had treated her with a polite aloofness, and she couldn’t stand it. Why was he suddenly keeping his distance from her? She didn’t like it one bit. Maybe she’d take matters into her own hands.
She knew they were supposed to leave in moments, but she couldn’t go to meet her mother without telling him how she felt. Paris went in search of him. His palace was so large, one could easily get lost in it. She had to finally ask one of the servants for Zahn’s whereabouts and was directed to his private study. She knocked on the door hoping he would answer.
“Come in,” he called from the other side.
When she walked in, he frowned. Paris took a step back. This wasn’t the reception she’d expected. Was she making the mistake of her life by approaching him?
“Yes, Paris. What did you want? We should be leaving shortly.”
“About that. I wanted to talk to you about a few things before we left for the Emperor’s palace.”
“What things?” He wasn’t being very approachable right now. She wondered why she was even bothering.
“I wanted to… to talk about us actually.”
“Us? I wasn’t aware there was an us.”
She wanted to throw something at him and tell him to stop making this so hard for her. “Look, this isn’t easy for me, and I’d appreciate it if you let me finish speaking before you interrupt.”
“All right, speak your mind, Paris.”
“First, I want to know if you really plan on marrying my sister.”
He was silent for a moment. “What does it matter to you? You said yourself that you wouldn’t be there for the ceremony.”
“Of course I won’t be there. Not when I know you’d both be making the biggest mistakes of your lives. You can’t marry my sister when you have feelings for me!” She blinked back the tears threatening to spill.
Zahn stared at her with his mouth agape.
When he didn’t speak she went on. “I have feelings for you, Zahn. I may not be the twin you intended to take back to Thibius, but I’m the twin you want to be with. And I think if my sister had truly cared for you, she wouldn’t have run away from your betrothal or am I reading the situation all wrong?”