Runaway Princess Bride novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Your Highness

The thin man in the suit would not stop bowing until Tristan told him to stand up.

"Not here," Tristan said. "Say it quietly."

The aide glanced at me, at my father climbing the ladder, and at the neighbors still staring from their kayak.

"Your Highness, the regent has frozen the palace accounts in your name," he said, low. "Every card is dead. He's told the press you are on a private retreat. He knows you're in Michigan."

"How?"

"The jet's flight plan. I'm sorry. Your uncle has people in the embassy."

Tristan said something short in his own language.

It sounded like a curse.

My father hauled himself onto the dock, dripping, and gave me a long look I did not understand.

"Think about what I said, Delaney," he said. "Think about who he is."

He walked off toward the road, leaving wet prints on the boards.

I watched him go.

Then I turned on Tristan.

"You told me the king was a nickname."

"I lied."

"You looked at me and lied."

"I did." He didn't make excuses. "I'd just come out of a bed where you'd said it was yours. I couldn't make myself break it with my title. It was a coward's reason."

I wanted to stay angry.

But I was already counting the minutes my brother had been alone.

"I'll shout at you later," I said. "Right now I need Eli. Will your driver take us to my house?"

"He will," Tristan said. "Anything you need."

The house was a rented two-story with peeling yellow paint, six blocks from the diner where I worked.

I ran up the walk with Tristan and his driver behind me and pounded on the door.

It swung open under my hand.

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