Rebel Princess - Book 2 (The Hope Saga) (22 page)

Not liking my tone one bit, he scowled. “Do you expect me to bend the rules for you just because the founders’ blood flows through you?”

“No. I’m not asking for just me. I’m asking for everyone.”

“I’ve heard the countless stories. You’re very opinionated, just like your grandmother, and that smart mouth of yours has already gotten you into quite a bit of trouble.”

I met his gaze head-on. “I have a right to speak my opinion.”

“Rights are…objective here. Perhaps you’d better stick to your shovel, pruners, hoses, and seeds.”

“My grandmother would not approve of how you are running things, Dante. She’s probably turning over in her grave, watching you keep us all down here like caged rats.”

“Well, she isn’t here, is she? I am, and I will run things as I see fit. I only have the best interests of the people in mind, and things must be done…in a certain way, a certain order.”

“Why? Why can’t we just all go up to the surface?” I asked. “Why do you get to choose who comes and goes?”

“We follow order, Miss Hammons.”

“You’re forcing Brett to stay for five to ten years, but he doesn’t want that. He wasn’t even given a choice. Please just let us go up to the surface together on my birthday.”

“You know that is not how things work. If you want to stay down here with your lover, I suggest you start loving him often. If you do not get pregnant, you will be waiting on him up there for years.”

“Are you a gambling man, Mr. Marcellus?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, I’m willing to bet my freedom on a good, old-fashioned game of pool.”

Dante laughed, as if it was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard. “Is that what you spend your free time doing? Playing pool and digging around in the dirt?”

“I’d much rather be getting a suntan or flying a kite on the beach, but I don’t have much choice when you keep us locked up down here against our will.”

He folded his hands on the desk. “Yet, you came in here asking for permission to marry. Why? So you can bear a child and stay down here with your lover, even though you despise the place so much? You must make up your mind, Sky.”

“If you’re going to force me to choose between freedom or the man I love, know that I’ll pick love every time.”

“Then I hope you’ll be happy down here for the next ten years, because Brent will be  serving as a diamond for the next decade, whether the two of you like it or not.”

“It’s Brett!” I said. Then I took a deep breath and tried to swallow my anger, realizing a change of subject was long overdue. “How are my dad, Sherry, and Ben?”

“They’re just as opinionated as you are. It must run in the family. They seem to like stirring up trouble.”

“If I could just send them a message—”

“No, Sky. You know the rules, and I will make no exceptions. Now, if I were you, I’d keep my mouth shut. I would punish you for your defiance, but out of respect for your grandmother, I’ll let it pass this time.”

“Punish me? For what? For disagreeing with your tactics?”

“No one gets away with speaking to me the way you just did. I am cutting you some slack because you’ve lost your grandparents and parents. Even your aunt has trouble handling you.”

“If you’d just let us all go up to the surface, then we wouldn’t—”

“You are trying my patience, Miss Hammons. We cannot afford an uprising down here. If we see even a spark of rebellion, for the safety of all, we must crush it before it turns into a hostile inferno. Now, this is your last warning. If you make a mockery of me again, in this office or in public, you will be escorted to the surface so fast that your pretty little head will be spinning. If that happens, I swear to you that you’ll never see your precious Brett again.”

I bit my lip to keep myself from saying another word, as I now realized it was useless to try to have a battle of wits with the witless.

“Aw. Did I piss you off, young lady? Why don’t you go back to your greenhouse and start pulling weeds. I heard it’s a great stress reliever.”

Yeah, and Mom said it was like pulling the devil’s hair,
I thought but dared not say, glancing at the top of his head. It took everything I had not to punch him. I had a bit of an anger management problem, something I’d been told I’d inherited from my father, but somehow, I managed to stay calm, cool, and collected. I sucked in a slow breath and let it out slowly, then calmly said, “Thank you for consenting to our marriage, Mr. Marcellus.”

“You’re welcome.” He stood and had the audacity to reach his hand out for a shake.

I wanted to rip it off and fling it across the room, but instead, I pasted on a huge smile—as fake as his—shook his hand, and left, in a hurry to get as far away from that devil as I could. 

Chapter 34

I knocked on Rachel’s door.

When she opened the door, she cocked a brow. “What’s going on?” she asked, noticing the huge smile on my face. “Brett left today. How can you be so happy?”

“He didn’t leave,” I squealed. “He was chosen as a diamond.”

“Huh? So he has to stay five or ten more years? But you’ve gotta leave in three months, so why are you smiling like that?”

My face beamed as I held up my diamond engagement ring. “Because we’re about to tie the knot.”

She screamed, then hugged me. “You’re getting married? Really?”

“Yes!” I shouted in delight.

She screamed again.

“I even got that jerk, Dante Marcellus, to sign off on it.”

“Ugh. I hate that guy.”

“Tell me about it. Who does he think he is anyway? We were all on the same level, and then he just suddenly took over and made himself out to be the king of the new world.”

“I guess he figures it’s his, because he was the first to go out and explore it. It’s sorta like those guys we read about who put their little flags on the moon. Neil Diamond or somebody.”

I laughed. “Armstrong. You’re thinking of Neil Armstrong, Rach. But anyway, what’s left of the world belongs to all of us, and I hate how Dante bosses us around.”

“He’s a creep, but I’d never say that in public.”

“Yeah, have you seen him lately? He’s freaky, with those bulging black eyes, that pale skin, and that ridiculous ponytail.” I laughed. “All he needs are some plastic fangs and a cap, and he could pass for Dracula.”

“Well, yeah…and he sucks too,” she said.

We both burst into laughter.

“But how is this thing with Brett gonna work, since you have to leave in a few months?” she asked.

My eyes lit up, but I didn’t answer her right away.

“Oh no. I know that look. You’re hatching some big master plan, aren’t you?”

I couldn’t stop grinning. “Mm-hmm.”

“Spill it, Sky!”

Happiness overwhelmed me as I announced, “I’m gonna have Brett’s baby.”

“What!? Well, that’s definitely a reason to stay,” she said.

“Well, that’s not the only reason. Brett and I have always talked about having a family, and I love him and truly want this child with every fiber of my being. We just have to start a little earlier than planned. I love kids, and I know I’ll love his.”

“You’ll be a great mom,” Rachel said. “But what happens when he has to leave in ten years? You won’t be able to go until the child is eighteen.”

“I haven’t figured that out yet, but we’ll find a way. At the very least, we will be able to spend the next ten years together, raising our child.”

“But your dad, your brother, and your sister are up there waiting for you. They’ll be devastated.”

“I know, and it hurts to think about it,” I said. My heart ached, because I missed my dad, Ben, and Sherry something fierce. I’d been dreaming about our reunion for years. Still, the thought of being ripped away from Brett was like having a knife thrust deep into my heart. I couldn’t breathe without him. “I have to follow my heart, though, and my heart wants me to stay here with Brett.”

“This is like your mom and dad all over again.”

“It is. Now I’ll know firsthand how she felt when they took my dad. They were ripped apart like star-crossed lovers. And now I’m reliving their story. I’ll be stuck down here when Brett’s diamond term is done. I’ll be down here raising our child. He’ll be on the surface and I’ll be down here, just like my mom and dad. Deshavue.” 

“What about me? I’ll be leaving in six months. If you have a baby, I won’t see you again for at least eighteen years.” She sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I’m gonna lose my best friend for way longer than I thought.”

I had been so busy trying to hold on to Brett that I hadn’t really thought about what it would all mean for my best friend and me. We wouldn’t be able to have any contact whatsoever for almost two decades. To be with the love of my life, I’d lose touch with my best friend, and I’d miss out on the chance to see my father and siblings again after so many years. Because of Dante and his stupid rules, I stood to lose someone I loved, no matter what choice I made.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “I’ll never forget you, no matter how long we’re apart, Rachel. Remember, it’s only temporary.”

Her voice wavered. “But it’ll be so long, and they won’t even let us talk.”

“When I do get up there, it will be just like old times,” I said softly.

She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m happy for you. I know you and Brett are meant for each other. You’re soulmates. Still, the selfish part of me is hurting. I didn’t think I’d lose my best friend like this.”

“I still can’t believe that you and Sean are talking about marriage,” I said. “You guys only went on five dates.”

“We’re childhood friends, and I’ve known him my whole life. It’s not like he’s a stranger. We’ve just got this…amazing chemistry.”

“I’m glad you found each other. Sean is a great guy. I really like him.”

“Thanks. He wants to get married and start a family too.”

“Hey! We could raise our children together,” I said. “It might be fun.”

“Hmm. I’ve always wanted a baby,” she said, scratching her chin as if she was considering it.

I smiled. “Me too.”

“But we have a wedding to plan first,” she squealed.

A wave of excitement washed over me. “Yes, we most certainly do.”

“I’ll get all the girls together, and we’ll start planning immediately,” she said.

“Will you be my maid of honor?” I asked.

A tear rolled down her face, and she started fanning her face. It took her a minute to regain her composure before she answered, “I’d be honored.”

I embraced her in a long, tight hug.

“What should I wear?” she asked.

“Just pick a pretty dress. I’m not picky about the color or anything.”

“I’m so excited!” she squealed.

“Me too. I think somebody needs to pinch me.”

“I’m sure Brett would be happy to,” she said with a naughty wink.

We both burst out in laughter.

***

After leaving Rachel’s place, I ran into Walter.

“Hey, Sky,” he said.

“Hey. What’s up?”

He frowned. “I heard the news. Is it true?”

I couldn’t help but smile as I held up my finger and flashed my engagement ring at him. “Yep! I’m getting married.”

His jaw dropped, and hurt registered on his face. “Congratulations,” he said flatly, then walked off.

“Walter, wait!”

He glanced over his shoulder. “I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you next month, when I come back down.”

I felt bad for him. Walter was a good guy, and he’d saved my life. I was truly sorry that I didn’t have the same feelings for him that he had for me. There had just never been a spark between us, and I knew there never would be, because my heart was set on the man I was going to marry. Walter was a good friend, and he’d offered me diamonds once, but Brett was the only diamond I wanted.

Chapter 35

Brett and I decided on a simple ceremony in the temple sanctuary. Dozens and dozens of colorful flowers brightened my spirit, and Rachel and her girly-girl friends had done a wonderful job with the decorations. The glass wall in the front made for a beautiful ocean backdrop, with colorful fish swimming peacefully by, as if Neptune himself had commissioned them to help us celebrate our nuptials.

I decided to wear a simple, white wedding dress, the one my mother had passed down to me. It had a sweetheart neckline and was made of beautiful, dainty lace. I looked at Rachel as I pulled the material down over my shoulders.

A tear rolled down her face as she adjusted my veil and diamond tiara. “You know who you look like?”

“Who?”

“Cinderella,” she said, wiping her eyes.

“We musta read that story a thousand times when we were little.”

She grinned. “I know I promised I wouldn’t cry, but I’m so happy that your fairytale is finally coming true. You deserve to be happy.”