I hadn’t seen Aqua all day except for in piano class. It was hard being around her when I knew things
between us were over. We didn’t speak to each other after. Since Cade and Konn knew what was
going on they were fine with us not working together until Tuesday. Cade was going to aid for me again
until then.
I was finally let in to speak with my parents. Cade waited outside for me. “What did you want to talk to
us about?” My father asked.
“I’ve been thinking about my upcoming marriage.”
“Are you having doubts?” Mother asked.
I sighed because I never had to talk to them about something like this. “Yes, but the main thing I want
to discuss is if I decided to call off my engagement would there be any limitation to who I could marry? I
want to know if I started to look again.”
Mother looked disappointed; I wasn’t used to seeing that. “It’s awfully late to call off your engagement.
It’s public but if you were sure about calling it off, I don’t see why there would be any limitations.”
“We’d prefer you marry a dragon shifter.” My father said. “You probably shouldn’t marry any of our
workers or any reporters either.” There it was.
“And what if I did want to marry a worker?”
Mom frowned. “That sounds like a scandal Lexus, what’s gotten into you? I thought you loved Sadia.
She’d make an amazing Queen.”
“What if mates were still a thing?” I wanted them to be thinking about my exact situation without
knowing it was my exact situation. “What if one of the workers were my mate, in that scenario would it
be acceptable?”
“Why are we answering impossible hypotheticals Lexus? It’s not acceptable to marry someone who
works in the castle, it would be inappropriate. Your adviser being from the human world is a lot to deal
with already. We don’t need to add another controversy.”
Mother sighed. “Are you actually interested in an employee?”
“No mother, I wanted to know the details around my limitations. I’m guessing hybrids are also
unacceptable?” Aqua might have been a hybrid so that would have been two problems.
“It’s fine if you absolutely must.” Father approved but that didn’t mean much.
There was nothing else for me to ask and it’s not like I could convince them. “That’s all, thank you for
your time.”
Cade walked beside me after I walked out. “How’d it go? What did you even talk to them about?”
“I gave them hypothetical questions that weren’t really hypothetical.” I looked down at my phone when
it started ringing.
“It was about Aqua? There wasn’t any point in that, they don’t approve right?” Cade was annoying me.
“They didn’t but you already know that.” I answered my phone. “Hey Sadia.”
“Can I see you?” She asked. “We haven’t spent that much time together and I really want to. Me and
Cade did a few things for wedding planning yesterday.”
I wasn’t interested in wedding planning. “I’m fine with anything you choose Sadia.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Can I come see you?” she asked again.
“Come over later tonight.” This wasn’t the best time for us to see each other. Especially because Aqua
was on my mind.
“Oh okay. Are you with Aqua?” I wasn’t expecting her to ask that.
I didn’t have to lie, and I wouldn’t have. “No, I just spoke with my parents and now I’m with Cade” She
couldn’t expect me to say no since Aqua is my aid, but I did say no. “I'll see you Sadia.”
“I’ll see you tonight, bye.” She said before hanging up.
I sat down at the window seat. “Hannah would make a good Queen, wouldn’t she?”
Cade sat down. “Do you really like my sister that much? You would break off your engagement and
give up the throne for her?” I wasn’t sure what the throne meant to me. I thought it was cool I was going
to be King and rule. I felt prepared but it’s not like ruling was my passion.
Would it be bad if the answer to his question were, yes? “Maybe but not if it ruins my relationship with
my family. If I gave up the crown to marry the adviser, it would be a scandal. My parents are afraid of
our people seeing us as a joke like many other famous families.” I wasn’t super close with my family,
but I was close enough with them to know I didn’t want to be disowned. “We have to be a respectable
family in everything we do.” It wasn’t ever a problem for me until now. “I’ll go through with the rejection
if that’s what Aqua wants.” I sighed. “I saw her with Calvin yesterday. She must have met up with him
after she basically broke up with me. I’ve never felt so jealous before. Konn knows everything now too.”
I didn’t want Konn to look at me any differently, but he might have. If anything, he’ll probably see
himself in me since he an affair too.
“Oh.” He looked away. “Aqua wouldn’t tell me much about what happened yesterday. I didn’t know my
Father knew so I’m guessing a lot more happened than just meeting her mother. Did my father go with
you guys?”
I leaned my head against the window. “If she didn’t want to tell you details then I can’t.”
“That’s bullshit.”
I sighed. “How? It’s personal.”
Cade rolled his eyes. “My mother told me the same thing recently. Family shouldn’t be this closed off
from each other.”
“Konn didn’t go with us.” I answered his original question the way Konn wanted me to. “That’s all I can
say. What’s going on with Lynn? She’s still upset over an affair that happened twenty years ago?”
Cade leaned over with his elbows on his thighs. “I don’t expect you to have an ounce of empathy for
her situation but yeah. She said she’s not going to leave him so that’s good. It really messed her up. I
just hope she doesn’t take it out on Aqua.”
I watched Gray, Kaya, and Polly run around the open area in front of us. “It would be stupid if she did.”
Cade looked at them. “Hey, stop running around inside.”
Gray stopped and rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He walked to us. “Lexus, my Dad won’t let me go to the
ball, can you please let me go? I’m going to bring Kaya and Polly with me.”
I chuckled. “Anyone I invite needs to have been approved two weeks ago.”
Gray pouted. “Okay.”
“Gray.” Cade said to get his attention. “You’re not mad at Aqua for being the holder, right?”
“He’s not.” Kaya spoke for him. “He wants to be the holder but he’s not mad at her.” Gray nodded in
agreement.
“Are you okay with Aqua being a part of our family?” Cade asked.
Gray looked confused. “She’s been a part of our family, she’s older than me.”
Cade chuckled. “I mean are you okay with her spending time with us?”
“That’s what family does.” Gray looked at Kaya. “You spend time with Polly.”
Kaya nodded. “Now you have a sister like I do.”
“Guys, let’s go see if the butterflies are by the fountain again,” Polly said.
We watched them run off. “Why’d you ask him those questions?”
Cade shrugged. “Because of something my mom said.”
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