Rebel Princess - Book 2 (The Hope Saga) (21 page)

“It’s true what they say about you,” he said.

“What’s that?”

“When you walk into a room, even underwater, the sun begins to shine.”

Tears welled up in my eyes; he always said the most beautiful things. Again, I was speechless. Brett loved me no matter what, no matter how wild and crazy I acted sometimes. Never once did he try to change one thing about me. Brett just embraced me for who I was, and nothing could feel as great and loving as that. 

“I’ll wait for you,” he said. “It won’t be that long. By the time you get there, I’ll be able to tell you everything that’s going on and how things work.”

“You’re gonna love the sky.”

“I already love Sky,” he said with a wink.

“When you look at it, think of me.”

“Always.”

“Just make sure you’re there to greet me when I come up,” I said.

“I wouldn’t miss that, Sky—not for anything in the world. It will be the greatest day of my life so far.”

I couldn’t stop staring into his eyes. “I’m sure gonna miss you, Brett.”

“I know. Me too.” He cupped my face. “I love you so much, Sky. It’s gonna be so hard being away from you.”

“I don’t want to say goodbye. I’m so happy for you, but I’m sad at the same time.”

“We should’ve gotten married,” he said.

My mouth dropped open, and it took a minute for my brain to function. “What?”

He grinned widely. “I said we shoulda tied the knot.”

I grinned, and a tear rolled down my face. “Is that your idea of a proposal, mister?”

“I know it’s not a proper one, but I don’t want to live without you, not for a second.”

“Well, you’re not on bended knee or anything, but I’ll take it,” I said, my voice wavering.

He shot me a movie star smile. “So…is that a yes?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “I’d be happy to marry you, Brett.”

“I’m sorry? I can’t hear you,” he joked.

“Yes!” I shouted, this time with enthusiasm. Tears rolled down my face. I was overwhelmed by complete and utter joy and happiness.
He asked me! He finally asked me!

“You just made me the happiest guy on the planet.”

“And I’m the happiest woman on the planet.”

His lips brushed across mine in a soft kiss. Not only did I love the man, but he was also the bravest guy I knew.

“I’ll start planning our new life the second I reach the surface,” he said. “I don’t know how it all works up there, but I’ll secure us a nice house. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure we have a beautiful life together, Sky—the kind of life you deserve.”

“Tell my dad, Sherry, and Ben I’m coming soon and that I can’t wait to see them…and that I love them and miss them more than anything. Oh, also tell Dad that—”

He laughed and held a hand up to shush my rant. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll tell them everything you’ve told me to tell them over the last six months,” he said.

I laughed. I’d been rambling to him for so long about everything. I wanted him to tell my dad that not a day had gone by without me thinking about him. I wanted him to tell Ben that I missed my big brother desperately, especially watching action movies with him. I wanted him to tell Sherry that she still owed me another game of Monopoly. She had beaten me every time we’d played, but I’d vowed to out-invest her the next time we got the board out, up on the surface; I’d always been a bit too competitive for my own good, and if I didn’t beat her at least once, I knew she’d never let me live it down. I let out a long sigh as I recalled the last time the two of us had fought over that hotel on Park Place. I missed my family so much. 

“I’m the last of my immediate family to leave the glass city,” I said.

“Well, don’t forget that Rachel will be coming right behind you. We’ll all be reunited before you know it.”

“I can’t wait,” I said, dreaming of the day when I could go up to the surface.

Brett smiled. “New beginnings, fresh starts.”

I kissed his lips. “We’re survivors, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather survive with.”

A slow song came on, and he reached out his hand. “One last dance, until we meet again.”

I couldn’t help but grin.

He shot me his leading man smile and wrapped his arms around my waist as I placed my arms on his shoulder. My heart jumped into a new rhythm of excitement, dancing to the music drifting around us as we stared intently into one another’s eyes. I was nervous, but at the same time, I felt comfortable and safe, simultaneously scared and happy. I’d never felt such a strange mix of emotions before, and I couldn’t stop smiling. There was a thrilling, rushing, euphoric something going on between us, and for that one timeless moment, everything in my life seemed perfect. We swayed back and forth to the music, slow and close, and I rested my head in the crook of his neck.

“I just want you to hold me forever,” I said. “Just don’t ever let go.”

“I wish I never had to let you go.”

My jaw set in a stern grimace. “Why is saying goodbye so hard?”

“I don’t know, but just imagine the huge make-out session we’re gonna have the second you set foot up there.”

I smiled, and he grinned back at me—a smile so gorgeous that it was etched into my mind forever.

A soldier walked over and announced, “Time to go.” He then gripped my arm and led me out of the room.

I glanced over my shoulder at Brett, and he shot me one last look. I hurried into the sanctuary, and Gina, his sister, called me over. 

“I saved you a seat,” she said.

I smiled. “Thanks.”

“Nervous?” she asked.

“Not really. It helps knowing I’ll be right behind him.”

“I’m counting on you to take good care of my little brother when you get up there,” she said.

“I will,” I promised.

The ceremony commenced, and we listened to all the boring speeches. Our great leader, Dante Marcellus, even came down to see the candidates off as part of the mundane routine. His long, black hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and his eyes were black and dark, like a shark’s. He tried to smile, but it was clearly a fake expression. Clearly, Asha was the last place he wanted to be, and he was only there to make sure he remained in the limelight.

When they finally started reading names off the list, my heart began to pound furiously in my chest. One by one, those scheduled to depart were led to a crystal tube and placed inside. The tube would take them to the surface, where a boat was waiting to take them to land. 

I waved to Brett, and he waved back as he stood in line. A tear slid down my face. I knew I’d see him in three short months, but even still, my heart couldn’t take it.

“And now, we shall declare our diamonds,” the city official announced. 

I wrung my hands, and time seemed to stop.

“We have three diamonds this month. The first is Harold Jameson.”

Everyone applauded.

“The second diamond is Robert Mater.”

More clapping ensued.

“And our third diamond is…Brett Panders.”

My heart dropped, and I just stared at Brett, who looked as shocked as I was.

Gina, on the other hand, cried in relief. She wanted him to stay because she had four children and wasn’t allowed to go to the surface until they were all eighteen.

I didn’t have any children, though, and I would be ordered to leave in just a dozen short weeks. After that, it would be five to ten years before Brett would be allowed to join me, since he would have to serve as a diamond. It ripped my heart out. The three diamonds were dismissed, and the capsules took off, heading up top. 

Gina ran to Brett, and he hugged her tightly.

I just looked at him, wiping the tears from my cheeks. I tried to speak, but no words could find their way past the lump in my throat. We both knew what it meant for us: Our relationship was doomed, and the thought of that sent more pain flooding through me.

He gently wiped a tear from my eye. “This isn’t the end for us.”

“I guess I’ll be the one waiting for you now,” I said. “I’ve gotta leave in three months, but I’ll wait for you, Brett—even if it’s a decade.”

“We’re meant to be together forever. And I’ll be up there the second my time is done down here. Maybe I can talk them into the minimum of five years.”

“However long it takes, I’ll wait,” I said. “I promise you that.”

He hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear, “You know, there is one other way for us to be together.”

I glanced up and wiped my eyes. “You don’t mean…”

“Yes, we can have a baby,” he said quietly. “If we do that, they won’t make you go. We’ve talked about having kids later, but why not start our family now, when it will keep us together?”

“I have less than three months to get pregnant.”

“Then we’d better get married tonight.”

I swallowed past that pesky lump in my throat. “It will only be a short-term fix. I won’t be able to go up to the surface till the child is grown. Your term of service will end in five or ten years, but I’ll have to stay down here for eighteen.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” he said. “For now, let’s make sure we can stay together for at least five or ten years.”

“You’re right. I can’t go up there and be apart from you for ten years. I just can’t do it.”

He frowned. “Everything would’ve worked perfectly if I hadn’t been chosen as a diamond.”

“You’re such a hard worker, and everyone loves you. They don’t wanna lose you down here. I can’t really blame them, because I don’t want to live without you either.”

“Maybe I shoulda been rude and lazy. Then they’d have kicked me out of here real quick.”

“That’s not you.”

“I should’ve been a big rebel. That would of gotten me out of here really quick, in record time.”

“Yeah, it’s too bad I didn’t rub off on you more,” I said, “but that’s not your personality. And besides, it never worked for me. I’m still down here. But I guess I got connections being the granddaughter of the founders. I wish they’d let you go. We had everything planned perfect.”

“Why am I so darn loveable?” he teased.

I kissed his lips. “We’ll make this work. I promise you that.”

He stared deeply into my eyes. “I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you. I know we’ll have an amazing life together. I want to have a family and a beautiful life, your own happily-ever-after.” He then knelt down on one knee, like something right out of a romantic fairytale. “Sky, will you marry me?”

I didn’t even need to think about it this time. “Yes!”

He lifted me in his arms and spun me around, then made the official announcement to everyone in the room.

People laughed, cheered, and congratulated us.

Oh my gosh!
I’m getting married
, I thought, and I’d never been happier.

Surprisingly, Brett’s parents were among the first to come over and wish us well. They knew how much I loved Brett, and they’d seen how hard I was trying to improve. I hoped their blessing on our wedding meant they were ready to welcome me into their family. I was shocked and flattered when they apologized about our rocky start, but I’d already gotten over it; the last thing I wanted was to hold a grudge against the family of the man I loved. 

Chapter 33

“You’re fidgeting,” Brett said.

“I’m nervous. Why does he wanna talk to me?”

“You’re very important, the granddaughter of the founders of Asha.”

“I don’t want special treatment. Besides, that guy hates me. The very few times I have bumped into him, he’s been very…rude.”

“You’ll do fine.”

“Well, I can make no promises, but I’ll try to be on my best behavior.”

He kissed me, and I walked to the office where Dante was waiting for me. “Have a seat, Sky,” he said, motioning to a chair. As I sat down, he said, “I have been told you’d like to ask a favor of me.”

“Uh…I am ready to get married,” I said nervously.

“To the boy who was supposed to go up to the surface? Brent?”

“His name is Brett, and he’s not technically a boy anymore…but yes.”

His gaze narrowed. “Do you love him?”

I didn’t hesitate to answer, “Yes.”

“In that case, I must give you my approval. If you truly love each other, it is what your grandmother would have wanted. You do know, however, that if you do not conceive prior to your eighteenth birthday, you will have to go to the surface, correct?”

“I get that,” I said, “but…”

“But what? Do you have a problem with the rules?” he asked, knowing full well that I did.

“I just can’t believe you’d separate me from my husband for not having kids. That’s
not
what my grandmother would’ve wanted. She and my grandfather developed Asha so we could all survive and help rebuild the world, not so we could be subject to a bunch of rules and a tyrant’s agenda.”