When they entered the sitting room, Duke Ellington stood in front of the fireplace, a drink in hand.

“Where’s everyone?” Reid asked, hurrying to wrap her father in a hug.

“It’s just me.” He kissed her forehead before pulling away.

“Kamden isn’t even here?” While Reid hadn’t expected her three eldest sisters to attend her wedding, she’d thought Kamden would at least.

“She is home tending to our guests,” he whispered.

Reid had forgotten Leigh and Idina were hidden away in her father’s castle.

“It’s good to see you,” Ellington murmured. “I was worried about you.” When he saw she had the ring on, he smiled approvingly. “Glad to see it’s on your finger where it belongs.”

“How was your journey? How have you been?”

Ellington addressed Dexter. “The two of us need to talk.”

Dexter nodded.

Then, to Reid, her father said, “I’ll see you in a few days.”

“What?” He’d just gotten there. “Won’t I see you at breakfast?” Reid wanted to spend the day with him so she could show him the palace, explore the city, and maybe go for a ride together.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked into her eyes. “I plan to leave first thing in the morning. There are some things I need to do.”

What could her father possibly have to do in Axian?

“I need to speak with Prince Dexter. Go to bed, Reid.”

She tensed, not believing her father had dismissed her like a child.

When Dexter opened the door, a sentry entered. “Please escort Lady Reid to her suite,” Dexter ordered. To Reid, he said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

And just like that, she’d been dismissed by both her father and her fiancé. Tamping down her anger, she followed the sentry like a dutiful woman. Whatever was going on had to be of utmost importance. Otherwise, why wouldn’t her father include her? She needed to trust her father and Dexter. Too bad trusting was so hard. She hated being left in the dark.

The following day, Duke Ellington didn’t show up at breakfast. Since he’d arrived in the middle of the night, only a few sentries and the royal family knew he was in Axian. Had her father not traveled with a convoy of soldiers? There was no way he’d made the journey from his castle in Ellington all the way to the City of Radella alone.

Ackley leaned over to whisper in her ear. “You have family in Axian. It shouldn’t be that difficult to figure out where your father might have gone.”

And just like that, the anxious feeling she’d been dealing with evaporated. Of course he’d want to see his in-laws. Only, weren’t they coming for the wedding? Maybe her father planned to escort them here himself.