-Josie-

The next morning as I look at myself in the bathroom mirror, I realize how ghastly I look from the tough night. It had taken all my mental control to stop myself from having a breakdown for Kaden's sake. The reason I am here in France is to shoulder this responsibility with him, not to worry him more than I need to.

I step out of the bathroom to find Kaden back in the room. He was gone when I woke up with a note on the bed saying that he was going for a walk to clear his head. He's lying on the bed, eyes glued to the television screen that is constantly replaying the same headline.

Lady Daphne killed in Paris attack.

"I got us breakfast from the inn's restaurant." He says pointing towards the paper bag on the table and too coffee cups beside it.

I peak inside to find donuts. While I may have lost my appetite last night and I threw away the soup this morning, at the sight of the food my stomach rumbles in protest.

"Eat with me?" I look at Kaden who stares at me for a second before joining me at the table and takes one of the donuts from the bag.

"How are you?" He asks, making me look up from my coffee in surprise.

I give him a small, reassuring smile, "I'm okay. Did the walk help?"

He leans forward and rests his arms on the table as he looks at the wall across from him, "I did have a back-up plan in case I was unable to get to Lady Daphne but I didn't know you'd be with me at the time."

"What does the plan have anything to do with me?" I frown.

Kaden sighs, "It's too dangerous for you."

"Kaden." I groan, "I knew what I was signing up for when I boarded that plane in Illea. I've known ever since you told me about the diary in your room that day. Danger isn't even in question right now."

"Yes, it is." Kaden says firmly.

"No." I say back, equally firmly. "The priority is setting this mess straight regardless of what that costs either of us."

"I'm not ready to pay that cost." Kaden says, still looking at the wall.

"Well you better prepare yourself because whatever your plan is, you need to go through with it." I say, looking at him.

He finally looks at me, "I will but you're not going any further than this."

"What?" I ask, confused.

"You're going to stay here, contact John and get yourself out of France. I go on from here, alone." He tells me.

I stare at him with eyes wide open and scoff, "Yeah, right."

"Josie, I'm serious." Kaden glares at me, making me furious.

"So am I! You're not the only one who will have to live with the fact that you knew this information and didn't do anything to help the French! I'll have an equally guilty conscience!" I throw up my hands in frustration.

"Josie this conversation is over." Kaden sternly says.

"Kaden Schreave who do you think you are?!" I scream, even more frustrated.

We both look at each other before bursting out laughing.

"Who do I think I am? A prince of Illea, thank you very much." Kaden doubles over laughing.

"Kaden, stop!" I groan against my laughter as I push his arm.

Once we both sober down, Kaden turns in his seat so that he's sitting sideways on his chair and facing me. He takes my hands in his.

"Josie, you have no idea what you're signing up for."

"Then tell me." I urge.

"You aren't going to budge are you?" He looks at me.

"Well, I didn't come to France for a vacation now, did I?" I give him a sarcastic smile which makes him roll his eyes but he's smiling now.

He closes his eyes for a second and I watch him gather his thoughts before he opens them to look at me and begins to explain.

"There are two sides to this story. One is that the royal family didn't know of the corrupt members in their inner circle. But now that's not a viable lead anymore. The other side is the insurgents and how they're in the dark about the whole payment story."

"And...?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"We go to the insurgents and try to talk to their leaders."

"What?!" I yank my hands away from Kaden and nearly fall off my chair if it weren't for Kaden's fast reflexes that stop my chair from toppling over.

"You can't go to them! That's suicide!" I cry out.

"That's exactly why I don't want you to be part of this plan." He sighs.

"We're in this together! Wrap your head around it." I hold his gaze and slowly he nods in admittance.

He takes in a deep breath, "Fine. The plan is to go to the insurgents with a fake story and seek refuge. Try to get a meeting with the leaders, I already did my research on them before leaving Ilea and try to explain the situation. That's our last resort."

I think it over for a second and finally my brain begins to register his words as the truth, "Alright. I'll do anything you need me to do except letting you go alone."

Sorry for the late update.