This was my last day in Encante-South. Sy had been quiet throughout breakfast and the long walk we had taken through the garden didn’t help matters. He barely said two words to me and I was worried.
“Do you hate me?” I asked as we had made our way into the middle of the maze of the gardens without a word being spoken.
“You know that isn’t true.” He said continuing forward adding nothing else to the awkward silence.
“What are you thinking about then?” I countered.
“You’re leaving today. Did I do enough to make you not hate me?”
I smiled, if he only knew. “Of course I don’t hate you. Do you remember that I kissed you last night?” I teased. That made him smile.
“It doesn’t mean anything when you’re returning to Kohl.” His grey eyes said it all. Defeat.
“Will you still agree to keep the treaty in place for as long as I need to make a decision?” I asked wanting to know how he felt about a delay.
“As long as you need.”
“Thank you.” I said taking his hand and continuing through the gardens.
We walked, eventually ending up in my sitting room, and talked about all the plans I had made for the coronation. Sy had veered towards safe topics, treading lightly on anything that might lead to what happened last night. I was starting to get the feeling that he regretted telling me how he felt.
He asked about the menu and guests and I happily handed him his invitation.
“There’s only one condition that comes with this invitation.” His face remained blank as he waited for me to continue. The mask that I associated with Sy was slowly falling back into place and it was breaking my heart.
“Be my escort.” Sy actually laughed. “I’m serious,” I replied defensively.
“Why wouldn’t you ask Kohl?” He replied walking through my living room and stopping once he was looking out the massive french doors that led to a small balcony overlooking the water that surrounded Sy’s castle and avoiding me.
“I want to go with you. You don’t know anyone in Encante-North and neither do I. If I go with you, we can meet everyone together.” I hated that he wasn’t facing me and I couldn’t see the smug look on his face.
“Okay, but only if I can take you back to Encante-North today.”
“Everything is always a compromise with you.” I joked.
Kohl
Jayde was going to be here any minute. I was dying to see her. After all the mess that had happened with Antonio. I had a lot to explain to her. He was gone I had sent him packing injured or not. He wasn’t too injured to try and kill me. He wasn’t too injured to get the hell out of Encante. Unfortunately, my guilt was gnawing at me since I made the rash decision. Jayde would hate me for breaking my promise to her.
Philip walked into my quarters and he wasn’t happy. “Lady Jayde is here with King Sy.” He said as politely as he could trying to hide the hostility.
I followed Philip out of my apartment and down the stairs to the front hall.
When I made my way down the stairs I heard her beautiful laugh as she held a conversation with Sy. This was not the Jayde that had left here on Friday. Was I right? Had he really brainwashed Jayde?
“Lady Jayde.” I said making my presence known. She smiled and ran to me wrapping her arms around me.
“I missed you.” She said loud enough that I’m sure Sy had heard.
“Jayde.” I admonished weakly. I didn’t really care how uncomfortable Sy was Jayde was in my arms.
“Sy knows about us.” I pulled away looking dumbfounded. What the hell happened this weekend?
She let go of me and walked back to Sy taking his hand and pulling him forward. I forced myself to remain calm even though my blood pressure was on the verge of boiling. She was holding Sy’s hand?
“What’s going on?” I ground out trying to make my voice sound less threatening and more normal and failing miserably. The smile Jayde had been wearing since before I arrived vanished.
“I wanted to tell you about another deal Sy and I came up with.” She replied visibly hurt by my short temper. Damn, I was an ass.
“It seems like every time the two of you are together you just have to come up with something.” I knew I was letting my jealousy show, but I couldn’t help it. What had happened to the Jayde I knew? The one that abhorred him just as much as me.
“Do you want to hear what we have or are you going to be a jealous ass.” Jayde snapped calling me out on my childish behavior.
Sy coughed covering up his laughter. Bastard.
“Go on.” I replied not wanting to tell her how correct she might be.
“The war is over.”
“Yeah, right.” I laughed and waited for the punchline. They were both staring at me completely serious.
“And what did you have to do this time to get Sy to agree to this.”
“Follow the treaty.” She responded openly glaring at me. “I asked Sy to come in with me to prove that he had nothing to do with Antonio attacking you. Now, I’m not so sure you deserved all the kind things I’ve said about you all weekend.” She looked at Sy who nodded and she continued. “Since you are being a jerk, this makes what I’m going to say next easy. Sy is escorting me to my coronation and he is staying for dinner tonight.” Her green eyes were hard as she waited for me to fly off the handle.
I didn’t. I reined in my temper and nodded. “Whatever you would like Jayde. I hope you and Sy are planning to better explain your deal at dinner.
“I can explain it now if you want.” Sy said finally inputting his opinion.
“I think we shouldn’t be trying to pressure Jayde into making a choice so quickly. I want to give her a chance to get to know both of us equally without the threat of war looming over her head. She has enough on her plate.”
I stared at him incredulously. This sounded nothing like the Sy I had been dealing with. Jayde just smiled and let Sy continue.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to handle an entire dinner with the two of them both acting so strange. My patience was wavering.
“Do you want to have tea or coffee in my room, Sy?” Jayde said walking toward the staircase. Sy looked at me waiting for me to say Jayde had lost her mind.
“Can I have a word with Sy, before he goes to your room?” I said to Jayde. She nodded and grabbed her luggage from him.
“What do you want to talk about?” He said with a condescending smile. That was the Sy I knew.
“What are you up to?” The smile dropped from his face.
“Nothing, Jayde needed some time to think about what she wants to do and I’m giving it to her. We can agree amicably or you can end the treaty, Kohl.”
“What have you done to her?” He laughed like it was all some big joke. It wasn’t. If he had even attempted to spell Jayde I was going to kill him myself.
“I didn’t do anything. I was honest with Jayde. We got to know each other better then with your watchful eye on us. Jayde might need more time for her choice. She was very open about her feelings for you.” He said seriously. “She thinks she loves you, but I think she might doubt that a little now.” I glared at him willing myself not to throw a punch. That was childish behavior, he was just pushing my buttons.
“I think I’ll be up front with you. King to King. Man to man. She kissed me.” That had done it. I saw red. I was blinded by anger. I swung at him, but he avoided me. “I’ll leave you with that, Kohl.” He said racing up the stairs.
I tried to regain my composure, I was failing. I was going to kill that man.
I raced up the stairs to Jayde’s room. He was getting the hell out of my house. I pushed open the door to see Jayde and Sy talking back and forth about what just happened. Was he kidding me? No one was that honest. Sy didn’t have an honest bone in his conniving body.
“Get out.” I snarled.
“Wait a minute, Kohl. Sy didn’t do anything wrong. You s
hould be apologizing for attacking him.” She replied back to me. I choked back the nasty words that I wanted to say.
“You kissed that bastard.” Her eyes widened and the anger she had quickly faded into embarrassment. God, it was true.
She slapped Sy’s arm. “You jerk, I told you I would tell him.” She slapped him again and he stood away from her relentless attacks.
“Tell me what is going on, Jayde.” I said exasperated.