Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Synopsis

Bea doesn't have it easy with her big sister and her nanny. Luckily this lady has no manners. She doesn't shy away from saying what she thinks. Until she met the white knight – Avan Campbell. He keeps leaving her speechless.

The second volume of the Knight Series.

Prologue

I ran my fingers through my hair wearily. My father was dead. First my mother, now my father. We just came from his funeral. I immediately went to my study to get some air. Those vulture advisers had immediately pounced on me to tell me how to run the castle. My father taught me everything, I didn't need any of them.

A mop of black hair appeared in front of my desk. Behind it another tuft groped towards me. Slowly and carefully.

"You don't have to cry, Avi!" Taran placed his small hands on the edge of the table and lifted his face. "We're here for you."

Arin stood a step behind Taran and eyed me cautiously. "You don't have to be afraid, Arin. It's all good."

Nothing was good. My father was gone. I was the loneliest person in the world...

Arin nervously chewed his lower lip as Taran padded around the desk and tugged at my sleeve until I finally gave in and sat back. Then he pulled himself up on the armrest and crawled onto my lap.

"See? Now you don't have to be sad anymore, we're here." He put his little cold fingers on my cheeks.

I remembered telling them that when Mother died. It actually cheered me up that Taran still knew that, even though he was so small.

"Say something, Arin! Otherwise Avi will cry!"

Arin just stared at me. He came around the table uncertainly and awkwardly patted my forearm.

"You're doing this wrong!" Ruled Taran the seven year old. "I told you what to say!"

Now Arin bared his teeth. "Leave me alone! I don't want to annoy him!"

"But you do!"

"I'm not groping his face!"

"All right!" I yelled and put a hand on the crown of Arin's head. "I'm really fine, thanks you two."

Taran smiled and turned to the tabletop. "I can help you with your work. After all, I learned to read."

Arin's cheeks flushed. "Get off Avan and say that again."

No... When I sighed, both boys looked up at me. "No one will help me, I have to do it alone."

The door burst open and Eric walked in. He immediately grabbed Arin and sat him on his hip. "Hi, kid. Are you making life difficult for Avi?"

Arin shook his head innocently, then pointed at Taran. "He can do it all by himself."

"Oh yes!?" Taran jumped off my lap and took position under Eric. "About time your big brother taught a lesson!"

Arin rowed himself out of Eric's arms. "You're only a year older than me!"

"Old enough!!"

My head burst. My flat hand smashed onto the tabletop and it went quiet. "If either of you say another word, your big brother will teach you a lesson..."

Arin was immediately ashamed and crumbled onto one of the stools by the window. Taran pouted and just stood there. Of course little boys fight, Eric, Ben and I almost killed each other. But I just wasn't able to stand it. I wanted to be alone... Eric clicked his tongue, breaking the tension.

"You've been doing it for so long."

Taran ruefully caught my eye, but I avoided him. Let me grieve for just five minutes...

Eric threw a letter in my face. "What is that?"

"A letter from Bea."

Those names sent waves of heat coursing through my body. I knew Eric didn't notice, but I could barely not shift.

"Oh yeah? What does she want?"

"Not her directly but her father. He invites you to take part in a men's show for her daughter."

Panic rises in me. I can feel it eating its way through my veins. "Bea is looking for a man?"

"Not Bea. Her sister Sonia."

Oh my God. "What should Sonia care about me?"

"Her father wants it that way, after all we are the white knights - the Campbells. And you could see Bea again. Which might be good for you."

I want to ask him what he means by that. But he's right. When I look up, Taran is still looking at me. Relieved, he immediately runs back to me and leans against my backrest.

"I'll ask Samuel if my schedule has that time."

"I'll take care of that. Ben and I make a good team." He smiles and grimaces with Taran.

"But I know that..." My gaze wanders to Arin. He looks at me through his eyelashes. I can't leave the little boys behind. I can not do that. If Eric and Ben are busy and I'm not in the country, the little ones will be left behind. "I still want to think about it."

"Whatever you say. I'm going to eat something." Taran immediately sprinted after Eric.

Arin was still sitting quietly against the wall. So I got up and sat down next to him. He only looked at me through his eyelashes. I put my hand on his neck to calm him down.

"What do you say? Shall I drive?"

Arin shrugged and slowly leaned into my side. He always did that when he was unsure. He was looking for his footing. When he was sitting next to me at dinner and father's mood changed, Arin was the first to notice. We only noticed when he made that exact gesture.

"It's okay, I'm not mad if you say no."

Then something rare happened. He smiled at me. His cute dimple appeared. He would break hearts with those smiles. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Not?" This radiance was contagious.

"No, never! And I don't mind if you go away for two days."

"So you can play your pranks in peace, am I right?"

Arin played his most innocent and cutest look ever. "I promise to be good."

He's lying. "And if Taran wants to lesson you again?"

Arin looked maliciously at the door my brothers had disappeared through. "Then he will learn his ."

Apparently nothing was holding me here that wouldn't get along without me for two days. So - I would travel to Bea's homeland.