The Reluctant King (The Star-Crossed Series) Read online

  “That was the front gate,” Talbott announced after clicking off his cellphone. “Jericho is here. I told them to have him meet you in the receiving room.”

  I rolled my eyes at Talbott’s formal behavior. I was the one that appointed him head Titan, so I really couldn’t complain. But still, the receiving room? I didn’t need to meet Jericho in the receiving room. I needed to meet Jericho wherever I damned well pleased and then we both needed to get the hell out of Dodge, or uh, the Citadel in this case.

  Gabriel glared at me, sending me one of his “I know exactly what you’re thinking right now” looks and I swallowed back the leftovers of a Rebellion I was supposed to be done fighting.

  “Thank you Talbott,” I replied formally.

  I started to leave the room before I made myself turn around and act like the responsible ruler of a nation I knew I was. “You’re right Gabriel. I need to stop pouting. The people want a king and I am in no position to argue with them since I killed their last one. Besides, Eden will be back in today and she can share the responsibility. I will do my best to embrace this position and do what I can to better the existence for our people.” I finished a little bit dramatically, but overall I thought it was a very diplomatic speech.

  “So you’ll consider finding a wife?” Angelica piped up.

  And I needed to get out of the room. I could try to be diplomatic, but not that diplomatic. I watched right along with the rest of the Kingdom how love turned my sister’s world upside down. And not in a good way…. There was absolutely no way in hell I was going to get sucked into the rabbit hole called Love.

  It wasn’t worth it.

  Chapter Two

  I walked through the somewhat empty corridors of the old castle trying to suppress my love for the ancient building. The stone walls and worn tapestries should feel cold and distant. The massive size of the building itself should feel overwhelming.

  But it didn’t.

  I reluctantly loved it here.

  I was always trying to talk myself out of it. My people were tortured and imprisoned here, some were even killed. A tyrant walked these same halls and brought the magic that ran through my people’s blood to near extinction. The walls that surrounded the Citadel had been impenetrable for centuries. I was nearly murdered here. My sister was nearly murdered here. My parents were murdered here.

  I should definitely hate this place.

  And yet…. it had crawled its way into my small, skeptical, unfeeling heart and made a home. This was where my grandfather was originally chosen to be King, where it all started. This was where my people had realized that Lucan couldn’t continue to hold them under his thumb and had fought back. And this was where I could feel my parents…. Not because of some creepy reason like their ghosts haunted the grounds. But because this was where they had fallen in love, this was the last place they had really called home before they went on the run. And this was where we had spent the majority of our relationship.

  Until they were murdered.

  Lucan was so lucky he was already dead.

  When Eden had exchanged herself for me, she had not only saved my life, but she had given up the one thing that could never be taken from me. The one thing I could never repay her for.

  Time with our parents.

  I opened the door to the receiving room before I could have another thought about it. My best friend in the world turned from the window and looked at me incredulously. There was no awe in his expression, no reverence, not even a hint that he’d missed me.

  Thank God for Jericho.

  “What are you so pissed off about?” I huffed.

  “You make people wait for you now?” he rolled his eyes. “You really have turned into a pretentious prick.”

  I laughed, loud and full, a sound that felt foreign, even to my own ears. “That’s what happens when all your friends abandon you! You lose sight of the little people and embrace the douchebag crown you were given.”

  He cracked his wide grin and walked forward to take my hand. “It’s good to see you again, Avalon, even if you are a complete and utter sell out.”

  I let out another burst of laughter and my lungs definitely felt underused. “Where have you been?”

  Jericho’s face turned serious, his smile faded and I noticed the lines around his smile and near his eyes. He was by no means old, only in his early twenties, but there were signs of stress since I saw him last. Or maybe I hadn’t noticed them before, maybe Angelica wasn’t the only one showing signs from that year.

  “I needed some time away,” he cleared his throat uncomfortably and dropped my hand roughly. “I needed some space from this place, you know?”

  Ok, so I was the only one that still felt attached to the castle. There was definitely something wrong with that.

  I cleared my throat too. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” I lied.

  We were both silent for a few seconds, turning our attention elsewhere in the room designed to be welcoming and comfortable. I wondered if it was a wasted effort as I looked at the chocolate-leather upholstered couches that had stiff, dark wood bench seats and a matching coffee table on top of a burgundy oriental rug. The walls were still stone and the windows were long and narrow barely letting any natural light in.

  “So, where am I staying?” Jericho interrupted the comfortable silence, his eyes meeting mine again.

  “You decided to stay?” I asked, trying to disguise the hope I felt with a masculine tone.

  “Yeah, I, uh, I don’t have anything better to do,” Jericho shifted uncomfortably, which in turn made me shift uncomfortably.

  I knew he was over my sister. Well…. for the most part. But I knew seeing her again after all this time was not going to be easy for him either. He had loved her; like the real deal loved her and she had chosen someone else. Well, truthfully, he had walked away before she could officially choose Kiran, but he had been hurt pretty bad.

  That sucked. Just another reason to avoid the whole love fiasco waiting to happen.

  “Oh, I get it,” I smirked, needing to ease the heavy tension in the room. “You missed me.” I winked at him, knowing it would get under his skin.

  “Geez, it’s like that gold has seeped right into your brain and made you so damn sure of yourself. It’s disgusting really,” he joked. God, it was good to have someone around with a sense of humor. “Are you sure they counted those votes right?”

  “They better have,” I growled, more serious than Jericho was. “I made them recount them by hand five times.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Jericho sighed.

  I walked to the door and held it open for him to pass through. “Oh, I’m sorry, do you want this job? Because you can have it! I will take this crown off right now and give it to you.” I lifted the heavy piece of gold off my head and held it out to him, internally wishing he would actually take it from me and release me from the impossible burden.

  “No thank you,” he laughed. “But uh, I’ve been meaning to ask you…. the whole lopsided thing? I mean, that wasn’t just a Lucan-fashion-statement? Or are you simply trying to emulate our dearly departed former leader?”

  “It’s heavy as hell, dude,” I slipped the questionable piece of jewelry back onto my head and it fell to the side so that it lay crooked on my long hair. “You try keeping this thing on straight. It’s impossible.”

  “Huh,” Jericho mumbled thoughtfully.

  We caught up as I walked him to the room he would be staying in during the homecoming festival. We spoke every other week on the phone, but it wasn’t the same. Jericho and I had always been like girls with how much we talked to each other. It was kind of annoying. And kind of awesome at the same time. He wasn’t technically on salary, but he had been traveling all over the world, checking in on different settlements of Immortals. As much as I hated being King, we were all worried about another rebellion.

  For the most part the Kingdom seemed happy. But they had seemed happy with Lucan too. And I had never really
gotten over the notion that there were others out there plotting Lucan’s downfall. My sister had been kidnapped by a rouge group of Immortals that wanted different leadership but the same kind of oppressive power. Those were the people that kept me stationary and willing to lead. I wasn’t prepared to let this people suffer under another dictator.

  Jericho was one of the only people I trusted enough to report back the absolute truth and see through everyone else’s BS at the same time. And he was unattached and looking for a distraction. He was the perfect candidate.

  “Jericho,” Talbott called from down the hall. He met us with a huge grin on his face and a handshake extended for Jericho. “It’s good to have you back.” Talbott’s Romanian accent rolled over his words, made even thicker by his excitement.

  “Talbott,” Jericho replied carefully, taking his hand with extra precaution.

  “What?” Talbott laughed, noticing Jericho’s skeptical eye.

  “People aren’t used to it yet,” I explained, but by the curious looks both of them gave me I knew I had to use more words. “The happiness Talbott, people aren’t used to your smile.” I gestured to his olive skinned face where a big ass smile seemed way out of place next to his military haircut and thick neck bred for bodyguard positions like his.

  Talbott let out a bark of laughter and I watched Jericho flinch from the sound. I smiled at Jericho’s uncomfortable attitude.

  “It’s weird,” Jericho muttered, eying Talbott over again like he had been abducted by aliens. “It’s drugs isn’t it? You’re on drugs. The pressure finally got to you, didn’t it?”

  “No, not drugs,” Talbott grinned wider. “It’s Lilly. Lilly finally said yes!”

  “That’s great, man,” I laughed with him too and then turned to explain it to Jericho. “Talbott’s been trying to get Lilly to marry him for over a year now, but I think she’s been trying to keep her options open. Talbott must have finally worn her down.”

  “It’s not that,” Talbott all but growled at me. There was the fun-loving guy everyone would remember. “She’s been nervous; she doesn’t want to be the first interracial couple to get married because she knows it will get a lot of attention. I don’t want the attention either, but we love each other, it’s silly to wait any longer.”

  “Congratulations, Talbott,” Jericho replied, a huge grin spread wide across his face too. “That’s really exciting, I’m happy for you.”

  “I’m happy for you too,” I offered and I really was.

  “Only because this helps promote your life-style philosophy for the Kingdom,” Talbott called me out.

  I laughed, knowing it was true. “That’s only part of the truth,” I admitted. “I really am happy for the two of you. I can’t wait to throw a big old shindig here just to celebrate this!”

  “Oh really?” Talbott narrowed his wise eyes on me.

  “And invite the whole Kingdom to celebrate,” I all but squealed like a girl, envisioning how great this was going to be to promote relationships between our kind. Even though the people were free, they were still a bit skittish of actually dating someone from a different race than them. This would definitely be a step in the right direction.

  “And there we go, there’s the truth,” Talbott announced triumphantly.

  “Well, that and I was worried I was going to have to steal Lilly from you and make her an honest woman myself,” I smirked, happy to shut him up.

  I was saved from whatever response Talbott could come up with by girls actually squealing…. scratch that, it wasn’t squealing, it was screaming, and in the ear-piercing pitch only really excited girls could reach.

  “Ah, there’s the fiancée now,” Talbott murmured all love struck.

  I was writhing in pain, worried about the health of my ear drums and he was googly eyed and dreamy looking. Gross.

  “I take it that’s Eden?” Jericho asked in a low voice.

  “I’m thinking yes,” I replied, but I knew without a doubt it was her. I could feel her. I had felt her since she entered the country hours ago. Although we had turned off our shared monologue since she was now a married woman and neither one of us wanted to do irreparable damage to our subconscious, I was still forever connected to my twin sister. And I would never complain about that.

  Not even in a joke.

  “Point me in the direction of my room?” Jericho mumbled after Talbott had taken off in the direction of the still shrill sounds.

  “I thought things were alright between the three of you?” I probed a little, wondering what the big deal was. There had been lots of girls between Eden and now, even if he hadn’t actually fallen in love with any of them. Who cared, anyway, things seemed incredibly easier for him now.

  “They are,” he shrugged. “I’m just tired and don’t feel like dealing with all that.” He gestured toward the sounds and I instantly got it.

  “I don’t blame you,” I nodded, understanding completely. “Up in my wing, you’re on the first level. I don’t know which room exactly, but nobody else has arrived yet and your things should be there for you. If you get lost, just ask one of the serv- uh, employees,” I clarified. The castle used to be run by servants, but one dead king and three hundred monthly paychecks later and I could officially call the palace staff employees.

  “Thanks,” Jericho smiled. “It’s good to see you again, man. It’s been too long.”

  “Agreed,” I nodded, trying to avoid the awkward road to feelings-ville. “Now go get your beauty rest, princess, because tonight we celebrate!”

  We turned in our opposite directions and I followed the sound of girls chattering. There was silence for a beat and by the time I turned the corner to the main entrance corridor Eden had started screaming again, holding Lilly’s pale hand in hers. I narrowed my eyes and realized it was the new engagement ring that had her so excited.

  I leaned against the wall and stood back to observe. Talbott stood with his arm protectively around his future bride while she blushed to the color of her curly red hair. Sebastian, who had met up with Eden and Kiran somewhere in Western Europe was shaking Talbott’s hand while Kiran kept both hands on Eden’s shoulders as he towered over them.

  My heart relaxed at the sight of them all standing together. We hadn’t been together much since the night Lucan died, not like this. We had mourned the loss of parents and friends and we had celebrated Eden and Kiran’s wedding, but we had never been like this together, we had never just been normal.

  It wasn’t just my heart that relaxed; it was like my whole body sighed at the peaceful nature of our reunion. Eden’s black eyes flickered up to mine and we shared an understanding look. It was harder to keep things so separated between us now that we were so close, and I felt her relief and excitement in the same way she felt mine.

  “E,” I acknowledged her, tilting my chin.

  She wasn’t having that though. She raced across the carpeted corridor, ripping out of Kiran’s hands and flying into my chest. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she hugged me until I could barely breathe.

  “I’ve missed you, sis,” I whispered, trying to disguise the sudden surge of emotion in my throat.

  “I’ve missed you so much!” She cried. Actually cried. I could feel her hot tears on my shoulder, soaking through my t-shirt. “It’s good to be home,” she breathed and detached herself from around my neck. She kept her arm around my waist though and I smiled down at her.

  “Home,” I echoed. Maybe I wasn’t the only one that had grown attached to the Citadel.

  Everyone had joined us by now and I took Kiran’s outstretched hand when he offered it to me and shook it firmly. I hoped he wasn’t going to hug me and cry too.

  “Those things are a pain in the arse to wear, am I right?” Kiran gestured at the crown on my head and I rolled my eyes in response.

  “I was accused of wearing it crooked as a fashion statement,” I grunted and then tried to push it back into the center position on my head.

  “Ah,” Kiran nodded unders
tandingly. “Nobody’s head is shaped quite right for that.”

  Sebastian stuck his hand out next and I took it. “Where’s the girlfriend?” I asked, wondering if Seraphina had finally gotten under his skin enough to scare him back into bachelorhood. For some reason I had a hard time picturing Sebastian actually settling down, let alone with the likes of Seraphina who was as high maintenance as they came.

  “She’s with my sister,” he explained, expelling the notion that all of my people were free. Apparently some of them stayed imprisoned by choice. “They’ll be along shortly, but Mimi wanted to visit some of the villages nearby.”

  “Ah,” I offered noncommittally, I didn’t really know how to respond to that. I had forgotten that people called Sebastian’s sister Mimi, but in all honesty I couldn’t really remember her that well. I had only met her briefly at the wedding, and only because she was one of Eden’s bridesmaids. I did remember that she was really young though and had seemed a bit out of place and awkward next to all of the other bridesmaids that had been my age or older.

  “It’s so good to be with you again, Avalon,” Eden gushed, filling the awkward silence. I smiled down at her; she was so adorable with her mass of hair flowing around her and her black eyes sparkling like onyx.

  “Honestly, I’m glad you guys are back,” I admitted, trying to cover for my emotional reaction to having my only remaining family near me again. “There are probably one hundred decisions left to be made for this damned homecoming dinner you have me throwing for you and if I am asked to pick out a tablecloth color one more time I’m going to assassinate myself.”

  “Oh no!” Eden gasped. “Are there really a lot of decisions left to be made?” She looked to Talbott and Lilly for the truth. Smart girl.

  “You have no idea,” Lilly laughed, shaking her head at me. Lilly was probably the only girl in the world I was as comfortable around other than Eden. She was like a sister, especially since Eden had been gone for a while and Lilly had stuck around the castle in order to be close to Talbott. She had taken on the job of kind of running the castle, since I didn’t have a wife and Angelica seemed overwhelmed with just advising me. If she wasn’t so in love with Talbott I would have proposed to her myself just to get the Kingdom off my back…. and because I knew I could tolerate her for long periods of time. “Getting Avalon to make a decision about anything other than Kingdom policy is like pulling teeth.”