Scorched

Chapter Sixteen

Rachel poked her head through the doorway, peeked around the corner and made sure the path was clear. Today was the day.

She was getting off this damn island if it was the last thing she did.

After creeping down the endless hall, she peered around the next corner, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no one about.

Adriane must be supremely confident if he’d taken away his security detail. She wasn’t so foolish as to believe the guards were no longer there, but he was getting lax.

Since she’d heard the helicopter fly out an hour ago, she knew he had left the island. All she had to do was get ahold of her brother, Rafe, and she was home free. He’d trace the call and have a rescue party here quicker than Adriane could blink.

That would teach the king he wasn’t lord and master over all.

Rachel checked inside a few doors but had no luck finding a phone. Did this castle lack a single connection to the outside world? This was ridiculous.

Finally, she entered a large parlor with a writing desk in it. There had to be a phone there! It wasn’t possible that Adriane would have no communication with the rest of the world. He might be king of Corythia, but he was also a businessman with properties all over the world. He would need to stay in touch with them.

With an ear cocked for the sound of anyone approaching, Rachel slunk to the desk and smiled when she saw the large black telephone.

Bingo!

She picked it up and nearly shook with happiness at hearing a dial tone. Freedom was within her grasp. When she heard ringing, showing she’d made a connection, she was so grateful that her knees started shaking. She quickly plopped down on her butt in case anyone happened to look in the door.

“Operator,” the voice on the other end of the line said.

“Hello?” she whispered. Operator? Who was this?

“How can I help you, Ms. Palazzo?”

Who was this and how did they know who she was?

Rachel’s stomach sank to her toes. Of course escape wouldn’t be this easy.

Adriane wasn’t worried about her wandering about the castle because she was on a stinking island with no chance of escape, and he had an operator monitoring his phone calls.

Still, she wasn’t going to give up that easily.

“I would like to place a phone call to the United States, please,” she said, raising her voice to a normal tone, trying to make sure she sounded calm and sure, as if she weren’t doing something against the king’s wishes.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Palazzo, but any outgoing calls are not authorized at this time. Is there something else I can help you with?”

No! That was all she wanted. Sighing in disgust, Rachel slammed the phone down. Why bother being quiet now? Though frustrated, she was undeterred. If she had to swim off this damn island, she was going to do it. If she drowned in the process, then King Adriane would just have to live with his guilt. Not much consolation, but still…

Standing up, she faced the door, then stopped in her tracks at the sight of a man standing there with a lifted eyebrow.

“Is there something you need, Ms. Palazzo?” he asked with a slight accent, but in perfect English.

Though she knew she was doing nothing wrong, the man made her feel as if she were.

“I need to get ahold of my brother,” she said, firming up her voice as she stared him down. “It’s important.”

He gazed at her a moment before giving his head the slightest shake.

“I apologize, but that’s something we cannot do right now.” His voice was customer-service friendly, but unyielding at the same time.

“You do realize that my basic rights are being violated by your refusal to let me make a phone call. Heck, even prisoners are allowed their one call,” she snapped, no longer even pretending to be friendly.

If these people were going to keep her trapped here, pretend not to speak English or Italian when it suited them, and refuse her basic liberties when speaking in words she could understand, she wasn’t going to dance to the tune they were playing. She was going to throw a giant-sized fit.

As she watched the man look down his nose at her, Rachel realized he might not want her to be here. He probably didn’t think she was good enough to serve as his queen. What if she could turn him to her side? Maybe he would help her to escape so a proper queen could be found for his country.

Her attitude changed, and she put a bright smile on her face. His gaze narrowed suspiciously.

“What’s your name again?” Rachel asked, seeming to recall him from the States. He had to be one of Adriane’s right-hand guys.

“I am Nico,” he said, his expression not changing.

“Well, Nico, maybe you can offer your assistance,” she said, batting her eyes.

From his unaltered expression, she didn’t think her pathetic attempt at flirting was doing her any good.

“Of course, Ms. Palazzo. I am willing to assist you with anything I can,” he said, though his suspicious expression was telling her otherwise.

She had to try, though.

“I need to speak to my brother so he can return me to the States. We both know I’m not the right fit to be queen of Corythia. Wouldn’t it be better for everyone involved if I just disappeared? Adriane could then find a proper woman of royal or at least noble birth to be his wife and the queen of this exquisitely beautiful country.”

OK, so she might be laying it on a bit thick, but she was desperate.

“It is King Adriane’s baby you are pregnant with, is it not?” he asked, looking pointedly down at her stomach.

“Does it really matter? Many, many children have been born out of wedlock to royalty. They and their mothers don’t join the family. So we can all just pretend I never existed. Everyone can get on with their lives.” Rachel spoke in pleading tones, growing a little more desperate at the hardening in his eyes.

“Why do you want to leave?” This time there was no expression on his face, not a clue of what he was thinking.

“Because I won’t marry a man simply because I carry his child. I only spent one week with Adriane, knowing him then only as Ian, a beach bum who was romantic and made my world spin. Corny, no? That certainly isn’t enough of a reason for us to wed.”

He seemed thoughtful as he looked at her. Had she made him understand?

She continued to work on him. “You must know, Nico, that it’s not right for him to hold me captive here. I have a family back home. All you have to do is let me make one little bitty phone call. Just turn your back while I get through to my brother. Adriane need never find out.”

Nico’s lips tilted almost imperceptibly as he stared at her.

“I like your determination, Ms. Palazzo. I think perhaps that I may have misjudged you. Most Americans I have encountered aren’t as…resourceful as you. But still, I can’t go against my king. That would be profoundly disloyal, even treacherous. I will say that I believe you will make a fine queen,” he said, dashing the last of her hopes.

He was doing his job, so there was no use in getting angry with the man. But someone here had to be willing to help her. She had never found a group of employees to be completely happy in their jobs.

“I will see myself out,” she said, and she walked past him to the door. There was no point in continuing the conversation.

“I do apologize, Ms. Palazzo,” he offered as she passed him.

Rachel paused for a moment before continuing on. She wasn’t going to say anything more. She certainly wasn’t going to thank him. He hadn’t helped her.

With her head tilted up, and more determined than ever, Rachel retreated, for now, back to her room. This wasn’t over — not by a long shot.