Above All Else

Chapter Thirty-Four

"No, Henry," I exclaim, shaking my head fervently as Henry puts on his jacket. I grab his sleeve tightly, letting go of the letter that Nicole sent her demands on, letting it fall to the floor. "You cannot go to her."

"I won't be alone, Mia. I have Ivan... I need to get him back."

"Then send someone else!"

"She won't take anyone else."

"She knows she can use him against you."

Henry smiles, softly, clasping my face. "I will be completely safe, Mia. Ivan is the best man I've got. Besides, she wants money and titles. She wants her life back. Hurting me will get her nothing."

"I still don't want you to go," I utter, fearfully.

"She has that child, Mia. If I ignore her demands, if I make it seem like I do not care for him, she will have no need for him anymore," he says, firmly. "You wanted me to save him. You wanted to find him and I'm keeping the promise I made to you."

"Fuck the promise," I whisper, clasping onto his jacket with both hands, pulling him close to me. "Okay?! Fuck the promise, Henry. I need you here."

"Mia."

"I cannot lose you. I will not lose you."

"Exactly. You won't."

My heart is in my throat. "Please, Henry."

His brows curve in reluctance. "You're asking me to let him go, to let her do what she will with him."

My eyes burn at his words, my body at war. But this smells of a trap. She is vicious, how vicious I'm not sure but her ransom note, her vague location and demand to have a private audience with Henry makes my skin crawl with uncertainty. He feels Samuel's life will be on his hands if something were to happen to him and it's making him desperate. Desperate enough to meet with Nicole.

"You are the King of England, as you told me before," I whisper. "You are too valuable. And... as much as I care for Samuel, I cannot sit here and let you put yourself into danger. I can't." I rush into him, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.

"Please, Henry. Please, don't go," I beg, shaking in his arms, watching my knuckles go white against his skin. I feel his hand caress my hair gently after a moment.

"Alright," he says, after a moment. "Alright, I'll stay."

...

As I shrug on my jacket in the dark, my eyes settle on Mia's sleeping form, her small hands clasping onto her pillow. I try not to think of this as a betrayal, I hope she doesn't. I hope she sleeps through the night and wakes when I arrive back with Samuel.

I turn, walking from the room as quiet as I can be. Ivan is standing in the dark living room, dressed as well. I nod to him and he gets the door. My eyes immediately flicker to Alexander's nursery on my way out. I refuse to act like Nicole has any power in this situation.

Ivan shuts the door gently. "The men are ready, sir."

"How many?"

"Ten."

"And they can keep this quiet?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," I utter as we walk towards the infirmary, for the secret passage. This has to be done in stealth. Only the President of France knows that I'm entering their airspace so we're not denied access. Being exiled before has helped me in at least one way there.

"Sir, we must take precautions."

"I will go in first, you enter shortly behind me and remain hidden. If anything goes awry, send in the men. That is our plan. I am highly doubtful Nicole has managed to make her home of only a few weeks a weapon to us."

"Still, we must not underestimate her, Henry. She has a severe hatred for you and even more so for Mia."

"I trust you'll keep me alive," I say to him, with a smirk. He sighs, chuckling softly.

"No pressure there," he replies, sarcastically. "You're only the King of England."

A/N: Super short! You won't have to wait long... Will be another update today! xx