A Guiding Light Read online

  “I explained the situation about Her Royal Majesty. They’re going to offer asylum until she can find another kingdom, but it’s our job to get her out of North Dakota. Officially, they can only offer asylum to Marshal, but my parents said, and I quote, ‘mistakes in paperwork happen.’ I take that to mean to bring everyone we can and they’ll figure it out somehow. The other royal children are officially on their own, but when my parents think Her Royal Majesty is at risk, I listen.”

  Trouble had come calling, and I packed my resentment over having to fix more problems into a box and put it aside. Until I had proof of her involvement, I wouldn’t pin any of the blame on her.

  Veronica’s mother was likely as much of a victim as me, and I wouldn’t allow my pettiness to distract me from that important truth, no matter how much it hurt.

  Ian was right; when his parents were concerned, that was the only justification I needed to involve myself. “Do you have a plan?”

  “Not yet,” Ian admitted. “I’m worried Veronica will be targeted. I can’t bring in any other RPS agents, and I don’t know if Veronica’s can be trusted.”

  “Their job is to keep me away from Adam,” she snarled. “They can go to fucking hell.”

  I grinned, set aside my laptop, and wrapped my arms around Veronica, pulling her onto my lap. “They’re not very good at their jobs, for which I’m grateful.”

  She relaxed and rested her head against my shoulder. “I hid.”

  I didn’t need Marshal’s talent to foresee even more trouble in my future. “Can your father hide?”

  “No. My father’s a gene carrier. It’s an unfortunate accident of birth he came along first. He’s also an insufferable traditionalist, so unless he gets rid of me, he can’t name a new heir.”

  I held her tighter, ducking my head and breathing in the scent of her floral shampoo. “Over my dead body.”

  Ian and Veronica sighed.

  “What? It’s true.”

  Ian grumbled a few curses. “That’s what we’re afraid he wants. If he gets rid of everyone but Marshal, he’ll hold onto his rule—or so he believes. If other members of the royal family show up in New York, my parents will keep quiet about it and see about getting the family settled somewhere safer. That’s the best we can do—officially.”

  “And unofficially?”

  “We New Yorkers do love stirring the shit pot. If I happen to cause an incident, I’m sure my parents will enjoy scolding me. They might even make a few amends to North Dakota by the time it is said and done. Who knows? Let’s find out.”

  “I’d rather eat the damned vegetables,” I mumbled under my breath. “If I understand this correctly, we need to kidnap the majority of the royal family on top of everything else?”

  “Yes,” Ian replied.

  How the hell had my life become so damned complicated?

  When Ian’s agents joined us in planning the takeover of North Dakota, the reality of the situation sank in. The RPS had one duty, and that was to protect the sovereignty of the kingdom—and royals—they guarded. They wouldn’t interfere in the squabbling of royal families unless they believed their actions would preserve the rightful rulers of a kingdom.

  Much like the original Federal government of the United States, the lines blurred for the RPS. They traveled from kingdom to kingdom.

  They held the lives of the royal families in their hands.

  When Ian’s RPS agents felt the need to contact off-duty agents with the authorization to enter North Dakota, I worried.

  Some of those agents were for me.

  The rest were for Veronica.

  If my eavesdropping was correct, we’d have an equal number of them, which worried me even more than the idea the RPS would go beyond the scope of their normal activities and interfere with the growing unrest in my home kingdom.

  While New York had started the process, the growing uprising wasn’t New York’s fault. North Dakota and her royals were to blame.

  I was to blame, too, although I was more of an accidental participant. I’d done as I needed, following my moral and ethical code. Rebellion hadn’t been a part of my goals when I’d purchased North Dakota’s banks.

  I didn’t want my fellow North Dakotans to suffer, and they would.

  Marshal had foreseen the truth, although the truth had been different from what I’d anticipated. A financial depression caused suffering.

  Civil war could tear my kingdom apart. The king wouldn’t surrender; to do so would force him to acknowledge his mistakes and hand over his crown to Veronica. The more I thought about it, the more I believed he’d do the unthinkable.

  To protect his crown, he might try to kill his daughter. He might try to kill his wife and his other children, too.

  Stopping him might mean pitting North Dakotans against North Dakotans, a thought that sickened me as much as the idea His Royal Majesty would murder his own family to protect his power.

  The actions of Ian’s RPS agents implied they anticipated the worst and would do their part to ensure the North Dakotan royal family line continued through Veronica—and through me.

  While I expected Ian’s agents to call in other New Yorker’s, their first choice bothered me even more than the impending rebellion. “Montana’s sending one of its best agents?” I asked, aware I’d already asked before. Ian’s agents stared at me as though I’d lost my mind. “Yes, it’s that unbelievable.”

  Zach chuckled. “The RPS is a close-knit group, sir. With an entire line at risk, meddling is necessary. It’s not like the New York royal line, with all due respect to His Highness. Flameweavers can be replaced. There is only one line with the amplification ability in the entire world. It’s our duty to protect dying lineages, and North Dakota’s is much like Alaska’s. With so few people who carry the gene, and with the talent’s unfortunate tendency to only manifest in the Fargo area, the RPS needs to ensure that as many members of the bloodline survive. And while it’s our duty to protect a kingdom’s sovereign right, it is not our duty to prevent a justified revolt. Our job here is simple. We protect you, and we protect Her Royal Highness.”

  “What I don’t understand is if that’s the case, why aren’t Veronica’s agents doing their jobs?”

  Both agents flinched and stared at each other. Finally, Zach sighed. “Veronica’s account of her agents’ behavior is worrisome. An agent’s job is to protect the well-being of their principal. In her case, they would be concerned with safeguarding you, her bond. Most kingdoms are far more careful with bonded royals. That’s why we requested someone from Montana.”

  Understanding struck me, and I sat up straighter. “Because His Royal Majesty is a leech?”

  “Correct. It’s up in the air right now, but if we’re lucky, we’ll have the heads of detail for both His and Her Royal Majesty along with a hand-picked team, likely of agents who are willing to relocate and ultimately become your permanent detail. Montana has one of the training centers for RPS agents for the Royal States as a whole, but theirs is better than most, and it draws some of the best talents the Royal States has to offer.”

  “But why would both heads of detail leave Montana? What about His and Her Royal Majesty?” I demanded. The idea the agents would abandon their principals for any length of time went counter to everything I’d learned when I’d still been Veronica’s official betrothed.

  “He was taught his RPS agents would be attachments who’d never be far away,” Veronica said, rolling her eyes. “Relax, Adam. They won’t be unprotected.”

  “It’s not uncommon for the Montana heads of detail to serve in the advance RPS party to prepare for their arrival. Montana has a very large security team due to His Royal Majesty’s talents. They’ll be protected, so please don’t be concerned. As Montana’s royalty will inevitably become involved and show up, they’ll be in place. Their presence will be expected. His Royal Majesty of North Dakota isn’t stupid enough to pick a fight with His Royal Majesty of Montana. He’ll have his queen and children with him, and
he’s developing quite the reputation of being overprotective. All RPS agents have been warned that altercations involving Her Royal Majesty and the children could have lethal outcomes, as have all royal families.”

  “Wait. Children? I thought he only had an older daughter.”

  Ian chuckled and rubbed his hands together, grinning like a maniac. “Their second daughter was born recently. It hasn’t been announced to the general public yet. Her Royal Majesty is insisting on another month or two of privacy before officially introducing the infant. As there’s a newborn, Montana’s security is particularly tight right now. His Royal Majesty of North Dakota won’t have second thoughts about extra Montana RPS agents being around. It won’t take much to make him believe they’re present to ensure he retains the crown.”

  “She’s adorable.” Veronica’s happy sigh rang warning bells—bells that made zero sense to me, as we both wanted a family together. If she got her way, I doubted I’d ever sleep at night again, but I’d endure without complaint.

  “She really is. Pictures have been floating around the royal families. It keeps us nosy people quiet. Alaska’s heir is due soon. No one is getting to see that baby until after the royal family visits Her Royal Majesty’s family in New York.” Ian smirked. “I’ll get to be among the first to see the baby. Everyone wants babies now. It’s becoming an epidemic.”

  With an unrepentant grin, Veronica said, “Can’t argue with him.”

  “Could you please take this seriously?” I begged.

  “We are,” the pair of royals replied.

  Veronica’s grin widened. “Children are very serious business.”

  “You can’t win this one, Adam. I just thought I’d share my wisdom with you, as I have a lot of sisters, and when they have that expression and children are involved, they win. There’s no if, ands, or buts about it. She’s won. Accept defeat.”

  I already had, but I refused to give Ian any satisfaction. “Montana’s royal family is really going to come here?”

  Zach nodded. “It’s a safe bet. Even if you and the heir manage to resolve matters with the king, Montana will become involved in some capacity. Realistically, you won’t be able to resolve matters. At this point, our goal is the safe evacuation of the rest of the royal family before someone gets hurt. His Royal Majesty may not have any dangerous talents, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a dangerous man. A gun can kill people just as effectively as magic, and people tend to forget that. Almost all monarchs are trained in mundane weapons to make certain they can protect themselves if necessary.”

  “And you think His Royal Majesty will become violent?”

  “Domestic violence is something no one wants to deal with. It rarely ends well. But yes, after hearing Her Royal Highness’s description of the king’s behavior, I believe it’s probable. There’s an unfortunate belief that royals are above violence of this nature, but that simply isn’t true.” Zach glanced at his fellow agent, sighed, and shrugged. “The reality is, you, Her Royal Highness, and Her Royal Majesty are the ones at the highest risk. If the choice were mine, I would act sooner than later. These things have a tendency of escalating quickly.”

  As my memory of the castle’s layout was flawed at best, my job was to monitor the financial situation and do what I could to mitigate the market’s decline. They asked for miracles, but because Veronica was one of the ones asking it of me, I did my best. I sank hours looking for even one way to help the market recover, but the reality of the situation hit hard from the beginning.

  One person couldn’t revive an entire economy, and until the people’s faith in the government was restored, the stock market would remain near rock bottom. I estimated it would take several years to recover, although miracles could happen if enough investors got together and strategically bought and sold stocks.

  It could be used for the better good of an economy, just like it could be used to teach New York an important lesson on minding its own business.

  In my emails, I discovered the answer to my New York problem, and I wasn’t the only one on a mission to put the kingdom in its place. A few universal truths existed, and one could make or break society.

  People needed to eat, and in New York’s quest to secure its financial stability, its ruling family failed to consider adequate protections of its food supply. The stock markets could be in ideal shape, rising hourly and earning investors their fortunes, but if someone bought out the food supply, prices in the grocery stores would rise, and that would hurt the entire kingdom.

  As I’d done, through an anonymous email address, the individual tipping me off provided proof of acquisitions, and I loved the plan. Modern-day Robin Hoods came few and far between, but for at least a while, the poor would eat like the rich, and New York wouldn’t be the only kingdom to benefit from the bounty.

  The redirection of basic supplies had already begun, but New York would feel the squeeze within two weeks, depending on how much extra stock grocers carried. I should’ve felt some guilt over the underhanded method, but for a time, the tables would turn.

  The plan wouldn’t last long, but the scare would send an important message to New York. They could be hit, too. The retaliatory attack would hit the news, the grocery stores would suffer for a week or two, and shipments would resume as normal.

  If New York didn’t want to wait out the storm, it would either have to break all of its free trade laws and ruin its reputation or overpay for common staples.

  I’d enjoy watching the fireworks.

  The next email was the distraction I needed. As I’d requested, Tanya Cartwright presented design sketches of a potential home, a modernized castle of stone, steel, and glass, transforming durability into a work of art. According to the notes, the glass would be specially made, enabling it to withstand even a wildfire. Its rating would offer me insurance deductions, too—and the woman had taken the time to include several statistic sheets on insurance premiums, maintenance costs, and utility bills.

  I appreciated the warning on how much I’d flush down the drain for the sake of building the perfect dream home.

  Looking at the exterior and interior sketches made it clear I had no idea what made a good home, but the potential spaces listed included rooms enough for five children, two offices, both of which faced the waterfall, a basement Tanya suggested could be transformed into extra bedrooms should additional children happen to come along, and a play room to keep said children amused.

  The floor plan promised a lot, and I had no way of knowing if it’d make for a comfortable home. I’d have to trust Tanya with the entirety of the build, showing up when she was putting the home together, and hope I was making the right choice in ordering her to continue with the project, get the necessary permits, and hire appropriate construction crews. I made a point of telling her to make certain quality mattered from top to bottom.

  The construction crew would be the best I could buy; I didn’t want any unpleasant discoveries ten years down the road.

  Veronica cleared her throat, and I glanced up from my laptop. “What’s flummoxing you, Adam?”

  “I’m wearing two suppressors, and you could still tell?” I sighed. “I’m going to drive you insane.”

  Her amusement warmed me and did a good job of helping me to relax and worry a little less over the property I wanted to become our home. “I like it.”

  “It’s nothing serious,” I promised, incapable of feeling an iota of guilty over my deception. “It’s just another email I need to deal with.”

  “You have a lot of those. Can I help?”

  “With this specific one you can’t, but if I come across one you can, sure. Mostly, I just need to read them.”

  “I’m bored, Adam.”

  After spending day after day learning to run a kingdom, with little she could do beyond answer questions from the scheming RPS agents, peace and quiet was likely maddening. “Ian?”

  The New York prince looked up from his huddle with his RPS agents. “What?”

 
“While I have faith your RPS agents know what they’re doing, you might want to consider making better use of Veronica and her talents. She knows the castle and palace grounds better than anyone, and with the talents she has, she can scout or help with the infiltration. She knows where to go, she can tell you how to get past the RPS agents, and if she’s using her talent on the ground with the team going in to extract her mother and siblings, you’ll have accurate information on what’s ahead.”

  “Yes, I can do that,” Veronica confirmed.

  “And what are you going to do, Adam?”

  That was a very good question, and I spent a few minutes thinking it over. Realistically, I only had one card I could play, although it was dangerous enough I doubted the RPS agents would approve of it, which meant I needed to act on my own. “I’m going to create a distraction.”

  To imply I meant to create my distraction through the use of the internet and the stock market, I gave my laptop a pat. With a little help from Alfred Knoxwin, I’d hopefully be able to empty the castle of its king and his RPS agents long enough to buy Veronica and Ian time to help the rest of her family.

  All I could do was hope that Ian’s agents weren’t right about the probability of violence—at least yet.

  We had too much to lose simply for the right to live unmolested by a madman.

  “What sort of distraction?” Veronica demanded.

  I smiled at her, forcing myself to relax so she wouldn’t worry—or have reason to scrutinize me. “I’m going to return to my hotel and look pretty while I meddle with the stock market.”

  “No,” everyone in the room chorused.

  “Yes,” I replied, closing the lid of my laptop and setting it aside. “You have a job to do, and that’s to get Veronica’s family to New York. I have a job to do, and that’s to provide a distraction. If everything you’ve implied is true, time is not our friend. If I can provide a distraction just by going to my hotel and being visible, I will. It should be safe enough. Right now, I’m just a stockholder. I can waste time on potential negotiations for stock properties, something your father wants, Veronica. While I’m doing that, you get your family out of the castle. It’s really for the best.”