chapter 19

Gannon It takes a while for the king to wake up from his drunken stupor, and the moment he does, he reaches for the bottle. I snatch it, needing him to come to his senses, needing his word that he won't hurt her. Which, in turn, would hurt Abbie. He loves Ivy. Everyone in the castle is aware of his affection for the girl, and for once, the castle and everyone in it can finally breathe. We have all lived through his depression, his anger, and relentless torment. I’ve watched him destroy himself more times than I can count. None of us want to see him return to that dark place, and I also worry he will lose his kingdom if he can't see past who her parents were. This would no doubt divide people. Kyson reaches forward to snatch the bottle, but I pull it away. "I'll give it to you. First, we need to talk," I tell him. He's far too drunk to cause me any real damage, his eyes bloodshot, and he reeks of liquor. We still have a couple more hours left before we reach home, and he needs to either