The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 243

I made my way down to the main level of the bus. The sounds of laughter and chatter filled my ears. I brushed through the aisle and came to stand beside the driver, an aging man with wiry gray hair sticking out from under his cap.

“Need somethin’, Miss?” he asked without pulling his eyes away from the road.

“I’m just curious,” I said. “I thought the royal palace was in the other direction?”

The driver simply shrugged as he guided the bus along a winding road flanked by tall pines. The snowy peak of a mountain stood overhead, casting a shadow across the forest that made the air feel colder even from inside the bus. “I’m just goin’ where I was told, Miss.”

“Okay.” I furrowed my brow and straightened. “Thanks.”

I turned and made my way back toward Mia. Bianca and Callum were sitting near the front of the bus, sharing earbuds while Bianca seemed to be showing him a video on her phone. Bianca didn’t seem to notice me, but Callum glanced up as I passed, and my stomach twisted.

I still couldn’t look at him without thinking about that kiss. Or about everything that happened after. The way he’d said it was a mistake. The accusations that came the following morning, like he didn’t trust me at all.

It was the latter part that hurt the most, but I ignored it. He was right about one thing; the kiss had been a mistake. And it was definitely never happening again.

“Dad?” I reached out through our mindlink as I took my seat with Mia again. “Have you heard anything about the banquet?”

“The banquet?” my father asked. “What do you mean?”

My stomach dropped. “Oh. So it’s not happening.”

“Liora, what are you talking about?”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify