Page 1 of Undertow
1
Sagan
“What do you mean my parents aren’t coming to my graduation?” I asked, my tone making it clear they better think before speaking such lies to me again.
The man I vaguely recognized from court cleared his throat. “Princess, it’s true and there—”
“My parents wouldnevermiss my graduation,” I told him firmly as I spun on him. I waved my graduation cap at him and gestured to the gown over my dress. “They love these things. I’ve had alotof them. I think it’s why they’ve had me go to so much schooling after all—”
“Princess,” he gasped, others in the room freezing. “They—of course—they were on their way and—”
“No!” I screamed, breaking my royal training for once. Pity filled his eyes as he realized I’d figured it out and wasn’t just being a bitch. I jabbed my finger in his chest as I tried to blink back tears. “You aremistaken. I don’t know who you are, but when they hear of this, they will—they will—it will be your head that—”
He clasped my hand between his. “I’m so sorry, Princess Sagan, but their plane—”
“Please,” I choked out as the tears broke free. “Please don’t say it.Please!”
“The king and queen died in the crash,” he continued anyways.
The roar I let out was beyond what any normal dragon could make. I barely registered windows and more shattering as myworldshattered. Everything was gone in that one statement.
And something broke deep inside of me… Mostly because I couldn’t fix the fight I’d had with them now. My last shitty comments about what school they would send me to next instead of wanting me at their side like family who loved me.
I was lost in my own head and missed too much because I blinked and was sitting on a plane. I glanced at the man who had told me the bad news and gave him the look he deserved. “You tell me my parents died in a plane accident and your first thought is to stick me on a plane? One ofour planes?Are you daft?”
The squint he gave me was ridiculous and as if I was being a dramatic, spoiled princess.
“Shut it down,” I ordered the pilot when I heard him saying he was about to taxi.
“Princess, we have—” the man started to say.
“I don’t evenknow you,” I snapped. “You tell me my parents are dead and then whisk me off. I’m not an idiot. I also don’t have any details from someone trusted.” I got annoyed when the pilot seemed to ignore me, jumping to my feet and going to the front. I yanked off his headset. “Shut it down before you lose your head.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” he whispered, giving me too wide of eyes.
I turned back to the first man. “Where are my belongings? I was to give a speech and—”
“None of that matters anymore.”
I let out a slow breath and ran my tongue over my teeth. “Unless you’ve suddenly become the new king—and we bothknow that’s impossible—you are speaking to the new ruler of Thovudin. This is the last time you forget that or interrupt me or you will not live to see the end of the day, savvy?”
I was glad when he went pale and finally understood what was really going on.
And who sent this man to act as if I was some twit to follow just anyone around?
I got the answers I needed before cutting him off, keenly aware of the annoyance in his eyes.He has to be an aide to one of the elders to be this sexist and full of himself.
I called the one person I trusted more than anyone. “Benson, is it true?”
“Yes,” he answered but then muttered to someone to hold on. “I’m so sorry. I wanted to be the one to tell you, but I was ordered not to contact you and it would be handled.”
Ice filled my veins. “No one has the authority to order you besides my parents or now me.”
He was quiet a moment. “I would advise you get home as fast as possible and remind some people of that. Things have taken a turn—things haven’t been going well while you’ve been gone.”
I swallowed a snort. I wouldn’t know anything about that from the way my parents kept me out of just about anything to do with my own damn country. “Who is this guy that came to pick me up?” I narrowed my eyes when the man huffed and fumed. “You have yet to introduce yourself to me and keep bossing me around like I’m your underling.”
“He’swhat?” Benson growled.
