Page 80 of Undertow
18
Sagan
I decided to go for broke to handle several of my problems at once. I knew no one would like it—on my side or against me—but my gut told me it was the right move.
Or it would blow up in my face.
But I didn’t like any of my other options. I really didn’t, and after being backed in a corner already and forced into this ridiculous idea of seventeen suitors… I was losing sight of the chessboard in front of me.
It was time to admit that. I wasn’t raised at court, the castle, or even the capital, and my adversaries all had that advantage.
So it was time to use the advantages I had.
It was time to stop playing so much fuckingdefense.
Treena was beside herself when she heard what I was doing and the strings I was pulling. She begged me to wait until Darren arrived and to talk to him about it, but I knew he would talk me out of it.
Which was why I’d jumped on it Thursday morning before he arrived for dinner.
Onyx interrupted at one point and handed me what looked like a keychain. He told me if anything else happened with Kole to press the button and he’d handle it. I had no ideawhat that meant, but I muttered a thank-you and simply slipped it into my pocket before focusing back on what I’d been working on.
Handle what? Kole should be packed up and out of the castle already, right? I ended things and told him to leave with his friends.
What was there to handle?
I shook it off and focused on where my head needed to be. I was a bit shocked that it was so easy to set everything up, but it turned out the person I wanted was already in the capital. And every news station was tripping over themselves to get any sort of interview or quote from me about… Anything.
Anything really.
So they made it happen and fast before I could change my mind.
Or anyone talked me out of it like others wanted.
Especially because I wanted it live.
All of my plans went out the window when I realized something important once the intro was done.
“It seems I owe you an apology,” I told the news correspondent, June. We were sitting in one of the formal sitting rooms that had been on camera before—one designated for this sort of thing.
Her eyes flashed shock and she was at a loss for words.
Everyone in the room couldn’t hide their surprise either. Her assistant, the two cameramen, Treena, and Myriam all stood there with a range of shocked expressions.
I let out a slow breath. “You don’t want to be here.” I shook my head when she opened her mouth. “No, I’m not starting this on a lie—with lies when I wanted to do this to be transparent and start my rule off on the right foot. And I would never—I apologize. I never considered…”
Treena sighed from off camera.
“Never considered what, Your Highness?” June hedged.
I chuckled darkly. “This is already going so well. What a way to start this.”
“Your desire to be honest and respectful of all people is your greatest attribute and weakness, Sagan,” Treena said. “It always has been.”
I gave a half shrug and focused on June. “I will sound like the spoiled princess some accused me of, but I never considered you wouldn’t want the interview. I never considered you wouldn’t want to be here.”
She licked her lips as too much danced in her eyes. “I appreciate what you’re thinking, Your Highness, but you are able to say—”
Anything I wanted. But she couldn’t.
