**Ethan’s POV
“We’ll need to figure out which of the Denali Islands may be used by our enemies.” I t with Jas and Talon in private.
“Ethan, how are you going to do this? Roro may be cunning, but he is not stupid,” Jas asked.
I turned to the King with a smirk, “Your Majesty, didn’t you want to marry Madalynn? I will, in one month.”
Jas stroked his chin as if he was trying to understand my true intentions. “Very well, I’ll have the announcent out this afternoon.”
I knew my decision probably didn’t make Talon super excited, but he didn’t say much in front of the king.
“Ethan, why–” Talon chased out of the eting room.
I turned to face Talon, and my words were cold. “Because I need Madalynn to co to .”
He paused for a mont, and I gave him my command. “Tell the guys to get ready for so action.”
***
Madalynn’s voice rang from the other side of the door. “Ethan!”
I walked over to open the door.
She was wearing subtle make-up, her perfu wasn’t as strong as usual, and she acted more polite than usual. Madalynn may be arrogant, but like her father, she wasn’t stupid by any ans. She knew how to carry herself in front of different people.
But I still needed to fight against my urge to frown.
“Is it true?” Her eyes were filled with excitent.
I acknowledged it with a nod. “It’s the king’s order.”
It was obvious I had made her day by allowing her into my suite.
“You’ve agreed that we are getting married in a month?” She tried to get reassurance from .
I looked at her. “Is the reason why you’re here today to question ?”
Although I didn’t answer her directly, it was enough for her. She smiled and asked, “May I co in?”
I walked back to the living room and sat on the couch.
She hesitated and followed to the couch. Seeing I had no objection, she took the seat only one spot away from .
“So do you need for anything?” I wanted to get this over with soon, but I knew I needed to be patient.
She cleared her throat. “Oh, ahem, yes.” She collected her thoughts. “Now that we are getting married, I figured we have a few things to discuss.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’d like to take a photo for the announcent for the paper.” She glanced at to check my reaction. “Maybe we can talk about it over lunch?”
It took every ounce of to entertain this conversation, but I tried my best to even my tone. “When?”
She seed a little surprised, but her eyes lit up.
“How about today?” It was almost noon.
I nodded, put on my suit jacket, and walked over to the door.
She seed to be still in a daze. When she finally realized that I was waiting for her, she moved quicker than I had ever seen her move, and before I knew it, we were walking down the main hall towards the small dinning room on castle property.
As we walked towards the restaurant, I saw people look at us curiously.
“Ethan?” She had a victorious smile on her face. “I am glad that we are finally doing sothing together.” I didn’t respond, but it didn’t change her good mood.
“Just the two of you today?” a young woman asked when we approached.
“Yes. We are celebrating today,” Madalynn answered before I could, and I raised a brow in question as to what she ant by celebrating.
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Right this way please, Alpha... Luna.”
I was displeased with how Madalynn was addressed, but I kept my mouth shut. My silence, however, could not be more satisfying for Madalynn.
As we sat at the table, Madalynn ordered wine with a smile on her face. Then she switched her focus to , seemingly expecting us to have a conversation.
“Ethan, thank you for coming here with .” If I hadn’t seen so of her behaviors before, I would even consider her tone graceful.
“Welco,” was all I could say.
I didn’t consider myself to be polite exactly, but she didn’t seem to mind.
After a few seconds of silence, I started the conversation. “You wanted to talk about the photo taking?”
She stared at again for a second and then answered my question. “Yes, I wanted to ask you when would be a good ti and good location.”
I tried to sound as patient as I could. “Ti, up to you, as long as there is no ergency. As for location... I assu you like islands?”
Madalynn relaxed a bit more. “Yes, I do like islands. That’s where I’m from.”
“Tell about them.”
She seed to be happy with the conversation, especially with others looking our way. “What do you want to know about them?”
“Places you would recomnd to visit?”
“Um...so islands are best for private parties, so have good food. I don’t like trade ports; they are too busy for my taste. ” She placed a small piece of steak in her mouth. “Too many people. I don’t like noise. I’d rather stay on my own islands.”
“You have your own private islands?”
“Of course, I do!”
“I assu those islands are quiet because they won’t allow large ships?” If so, I had no interest in knowing them because that ant they held little military value.
“You are right. My islands are all like that.”
I chuckled.
She was curious. “What are you laughing at?”
I thought for a few seconds. “You’re the only heir. All of your father’s private islands would be yours. So are those bigger and more noisy ones. Seems like you would have quite a lot of responsibilities in your future. Remind how many public and private port cities are there in total?”
She appeared to be flattered by my comnts, but the look on her face was quite ambitious. “There are six, four public and two private.”
“Interesting, I could na the four public ones. Never been to private ports.”
I looked at her, waiting for her to say sothing.
“You want to go to the private ports?” She looked pleasantly surprised that I would imply such a request.
I encouraged her. “Maybe.”
Madalynn wasn’t too enthusiastic about visiting the private ports. She shrugged. “If you want, of course, I would show you around. But as far as I know, nothing interesting cos from Papeno. I found it quite boring when I was there last year. It’s more like a storage fortress...”
‘Papeno,’ I mindlinked Talon.
‘Got it, Alpha. I will send scouts.’
Now that I’d gotten the information I needed, the rest of the lunch seed to drag forever.
“But Ethan, why did you all of sudden beco so interested in the islands?” Madalynn asked out of the blue.
Did she realize I was fishing for information from her? Did she suspect ?
My gaze grew colder. “Shall I not?”
She was taken aback. “E...Ethan?”
I softened my tone. “I thought we were getting married, and you’d be happy that I care?”
“Ye–yes, of course! Ethan, I am happy, so happy!” She stood up and wrapped her arms around mine. “I’m just... feeling this isn’t real.”
My muscles cringed at her touch, and I tried my best to not pull my arm away from her.
Madalynn sighed for a mont as if thinking over sothing, and looked up to again with a smile. “You know, we are engaged, but I don’t have anything of yours to symbolize that I belong to you. That just makes feel so insecure.”
I frowned again. What did this woman want?
“Like a token, sothing that I can keep with at all tis.” She looked up at . “Sothing that shows I’m yours and you’re mine....”
There was a glint in her eye as she spoke, setting my nerves on edge.
Then she reached out to my hand and caressed the black and gold ring sitting on my right ring finger. It had the symbol of my bloodline, and I never took it off.
Then I heard her say, “Ethan, it would make feel much better if I could have this ring....”
As she was leaning her head on my chest, I took off the ring and threw it to her. I couldn’t stand her presence any longer.
The victorious smile on her face disgusted , and I left the room as soon as I could.
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