Ari looked around the warehouse, taking everything in. Maybe she would find a clue as to where she was. She kept hearing the crashing of waves, as if she were near the ocean, which meant that she was a few hours away from the castle. Either way, it would be a long walk back.One thing was certain: she couldn't just run back down the road to the castle, even if she did manage to escape. But then again, if she could just get out, then she could easily find her way back to the castle. Surely, someone would know the way and could give her a ride. Although she had no idea what time it was or how much time had lapsed, she knew she had much less than twenty-four hours now and, although there were no windows, she knew it had to be dark—or close to it—making it the perfect time to escape. But she was also getting hungry and she knew she had to eat soon. Also, when she came out of the restroom earlier, Piers had put another zip tie around her wrists again. So, she had to escape when the Zip tie

Ari ran through the forest as quickly as she could, headed toward who knew where. She remembered that there was a road that lead back to the village, and she had to find it. She couldn't follow the beach; she'd ever get home.Home.A small word that held so much power. As she ran, all she could think of was Grayson and going home, their home together, at the castle. Then she fell, stumbling over a root protruding from the ground, but caught herself with her hands. But she got up and started running again. After a bit, she looked behind her to see if anyone was following... and ran straight into something. When she looked up... it was Piers."No!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her knees buckling under her. But to her surprise, he caught her in his strong arms."Quiet!" Piers said, holding a finger to his lips."Hold it right there." When she looked up and saw Grayson holding a gun, her heart leapt with relief and joy."Grayson!"Piers quickly pulled her in front of him. "I want

A week later when Ari was feeling better, she finally had that meeting with the hospital administrator about Henley's House. This time, Henley, her mother, and Vickie attended. Grayson had wanted to go, too, but Ari had to persuade him to let her go without him. After all, she couldn't live in fear for the rest of her life."This is a wonderful idea. I appreciate you bringing it to us," said the hospital administrator, Dr. Sienna Gallagher. "We look forward to hearing more about it. And please be sure to tell His Majesty King Maxwell Pierce and His Highness Grayson Pierce how much we appreciate it. Cancer patients, and their families, will be very appreciative."After speaking with Dr. Gallagher, and at Henley's insistence, Ari had decided to expand Henley's House to include all cancer patients treated at Estrea Medical Hospital, not just leukemia patients.Ari held out her hand. "The pleasure is ours. Thank you for offering us the land on which to build. I'll speak with my husband and

Grayson was proud of his father's efforts to unite Estrea once again. It was clear that the old ways were no longer working. It was time for a fresh start. And King Maxwell of Estrea was determined to do just that.The election was held the next month, as King Maxwell promised, and the Royal Council was selected. But through it all, the feeling in Estrea had been one of new hope. In the news, King Maxwell was praised for his bold initiative to bring the realm into the Twenty-First Century.A few weeks later, the first meeting of the Royal Council was held on April 1. The board voted to continue holding the meetings twice a month, on the first and third Mondays, to keep the council abreast of the happenings of Estrea. The king then promised to make the proceedings and decisions made by the council known to the public in the interest of full disclosure. There was also a procedure set in place for grievances, ensuring that everyone's concerns would be heard. "So, what about the name Maso