The Secret King

by C. J. Miller

  Serena had left her phone in the bedroom. She hadn’t heard it ringing from the balcony. Serena gestured to Casimir, who ducked into the closet.

  Adjusting the comforter and sheets on the bed to make it appear as if she had been sleeping, she cracked the door open. “My apologies. I turned off my phone. I was sleeping.”

  King Warrington’s butler straightened. “The king requests an audience with you for breakfast.”

  Her stomach growled at the mention of food. She had skipped dinner. “I’ll need a few minutes. I’ll meet the king at the top of the hour.”

  She closed the door and locked it. Casimir stepped out of the closet looking as handsome as ever. His hair was mussed, but it was a look that worked on him.

  “That was close. I must apologize to you, Your Grace. I didn’t mean to spend the night here.”

  Time with Casimir rejuvenated her spirit. She looked forward to spending time with him and every hour they spent together made her long for more. More days, more kisses, more Casimir. “I slept well for the first time in a long time. Thank you for staying with me.”

  “Sounds like you have plans with the king.”

  The king’s expectation she appear at a meal with no warning annoyed her. She was a guest in his home, but he hadn’t made much of an effort with her and that bothered her. Why should she center her schedule around King Warrington if he would not do the same for her? “I need to make myself presentable.”

  “You could meet with him looking like you do just now. You have no idea how beautiful you are.”

  Wrecked hair and everything? “You make me feel beautiful.”

  “Your beauty has nothing to do with me. I’m just a man who gets to enjoy it.”

  She looked down at her rumpled clothes. “I think the king expects something different.”

  “The king expects a lot from you, it seems.”

  It was true. “You’ll need to be careful. If someone sees you leaving my room, it won’t look good for either of us. I’m not sure how easily we could explain what happened last night.” The circumstances were compromising. She had enough problems with King Warrington’s philandering. If she opened the door to the concept of spending the night with anyone, things could only go downhill.

  “I know how to go unnoticed,” Casimir said.

  Should she hug him goodbye? Kiss his cheek? Shake his hand? Spending the night with someone felt intimate. She decided to let it be his call. She waited and he leaned forward. He set his hands lightly on her waist and kissed her cheek.

  His eyes indicated he would have liked for it to be more. But she didn’t have time to dally. She couldn’t risk Casimir being discovered in her room.

  She stretched on her tiptoes to hug him, lingered and then drew away. “I hope I will see you soon.”

  “Same goes,” he said.

  Knowing she could have talked with him for hours more, she fled to the bathroom to get ready.

  Forty minutes later, she was running at least ten minutes late for her breakfast with King Warrington. Perhaps he had invited a large group of people and wouldn’t notice her tardiness. Perhaps he wouldn’t show up at all.

  She smelled fresh coffee, bacon and bread. As she entered the dining room, her heart dropped.

  King Warrington was seated at the head of the table. He was alone.

  Serena pasted a smile on her face and entered. “Good morning, Your Highness.”

  “Good morning, Serena. I trust you slept well.”

  Did he know she had spent the night with Casimir? “I did. Very well. Thank you for your hospitality.”

  “I have invited your guest to eat with us.”

  Casimir? A flare of panic hit her, but then Iliana entered the dining room. She was all perky smiles and excitement. “Good morning.”

  Iliana sat next to Serena. “Sorry I’m running late. I’ve been awake for less than two hours and already half the country is demanding a statement about your relationship with the king.” Iliana seemed comfortable with King Warrington, and Serena wished she had that same ease with him.

  “What did you tell them?” Serena asked.

  “That a statement was forthcoming. I wanted to talk with you first.”

  Serena didn’t want to make a statement about her relationship with Warrington. Things were rocky between them at best. But being part of the Acacian royal family meant personal lives were not private and everyone wanted updates and explanations, even though Serena didn’t have any.

  The king’s waiter brought her coffee with a small pitcher of creamer and a sugar bowl. As Serena made her coffee, she struggled to find words to break the silence.

  Conversation with Casimir flowed without effort. She said what came to mind, but sitting across from King Warrington, Serena felt awkward and unsure.

  A man hurried into the room. “Excuse me for interrupting, but the king is needed.”

  King Warrington appeared relieved. “Please pardon the interruption.” With that, he fled the room.

  “Thank God I can talk to you now,” Iliana said.

  “Tell me,” Serena said, taking her phone from her handbag and looking at the emails Iliana had sent to her.

  “A road washed out on the north side of the island. Traffic is being diverted, but the highway administration is holding an emergency meeting to discuss repairs and how they’ll acquire the money to fix it,” Iliana said.

  Serena typed notes into her phone as Iliana spoke.

  “Cyrus Angelo is in the hospital. Heart attack.”

  Cyrus Angelo was one of the more outspoken members of the Assembly. His father and grandfather had been elected members and Cyrus wanted to make his own mark by being one of the biggest mouths in politics. Cyrus had been supportive of Serena’s father. Serena didn’t know where she stood with him. “Please arrange for flowers to be sent to him. How is Dr. Shaw?” Serena asked.

  “I called the hospital this morning. No change in his condition.”

  “Please send flowers to his wife as well as a meal from the kitchen,” Serena said.

  Iliana nodded. As she continued to review the issues that had cropped up overnight, Serena grew increasingly frustrated. She didn’t belong in Rizari. She belonged in Acacia. Why was she here? She had allowed herself to be persuaded. She needed to show more strength.

  Serena had come to Rizari in good faith, hoping that she and King Warrington would have time together to talk. Publicly declining his invitation would have been seen as rude and hostile. But she needed to return to Acacia. She had made no progress here. “Please arrange for transport to the airport. I’m flying home immediately,” Serena said.

  Serena sent the king a text, brief and to the point. She was needed at home. She couldn’t live this sham, not when her country needed her.

  She sent a message to Casimir as well. He agreed to meet her in her bedroom before she left.

  When she entered, he was pacing. “That was a quick meal.”

  Serena wished she could have had breakfast with Casimir, or that he had been in attendance. “The king had other priorities that required he leave after a few minutes. I have pressing matters to address as well. I am flying home in an hour.”

  Casimir drew her close to him. “Staying close to you is becoming a full-time job.”

  When he was near, she felt safer, more confident and more relaxed. “Is that what you’ve been doing? Staying close to me?”

  He nodded. “I suppose it is. I find myself pursuing you back and forth across the Mediterranean Sea.”

  A thrill raced over her that he was making time for her. “When will I see you again?”

  “I plan to sail my boat to Icarus. I have matters to attend to at home. I promise it won’t be long.”

  She wished he had made firm plans with her, but Casimir seemed to show up when she didn’t expect it. When she needed him. And she had a feeling that would be soon.

  * * *

  “Is something on your mind?” Iliana asked, as she entered Serena’s office
later in the day.

  “Lots. Why do you ask?”

  Iliana sat across from Serena. She set her tablet on Serena’s desk. “You’re brooding.”

  “Thinking,” Serena said.

  “About Casimir?”

  How had she known? “Sometimes.” Could she tell Iliana she had spent the night with him? “He came to see me in Rizari yesterday.”

  “You mean after the boat ride?”

  Serena nodded. “We fell asleep on the balcony of my room.”

  “You slept with him?”

  Serena felt her face growing hot. The door to her office was closed, but she couldn’t risk someone overhearing and misinterpreting. “Just slept. Nothing happened.”

  “Wow. Then he’s more than a friend.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  Iliana rolled her eyes. “Were you touching when you slept with him?”

  They had been curled on the same lounge chair, sharing their body heat. Her mouth went dry at the memory. “Yes.”

  “QED. Thus it is proved. You are more than friends.”

  Serena rubbed her face. She felt more for Casimir than just friendship. But she couldn’t act on those feelings. It was a complication neither of them needed. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  See Casimir again. Spend time with him. Walk on the beach with him. Talk to him. “I miss him.”

  Iliana frowned. “What about King Warrington?”

  What about him? Every time they were together, it was uncomfortable and obvious that neither of them wanted to be there. “Among other things, he’s a big reason I should keep my distance from Casimir.”

  Iliana’s phone rang and she answered it. “I am with the princess. I will be right out.” She ended the call. “Flower delivery. Wonder who they’re from?”

  She left Serena’s office door open, retrieved the flowers and brought them to her. Serena hoped they were from Casimir.

  They were from King Warrington, and the attached card stated he apologized again for his abrupt departure at breakfast.

  “Please send a thank-you note to the king for the beautiful flowers.” She would feign that she was pleased by his empty gesture.

  Serena carried the flowers to Iliana’s desk and set them down. Iliana looked at her in surprise. “You want the king’s flowers on my desk?”

  She would prefer to shove them in the trash, but that could start a rumor. Besides, the flowers were lovely. “More people will see them on your desk. Their beauty should be enjoyed.”

  Iliana’s phone rang again and this time, she sat at her computer while she spoke. From the sound of it, it could be a lengthy conversation.

  Serena returned to her office and shut the door. She had tried to organize the dozens of tasks she had to complete and yet she felt out of control. Countless staff members, politicians and business leaders were waiting to talk to her and she needed time to process their requests.

  At two in the afternoon, Iliana buzzed her to let her know that the police chief had arrived. They had a scheduled meeting to discuss the investigation into her father’s and sister’s deaths. She was simultaneously dreading this meeting and anxious for a culprit to be named.

  Serena opened her office door and gestured for the police chief to enter. Perseus Valente was soft-spoken but commanding. He was young to be the head of the local police, but he had made a name for himself early in his career. From what Serena knew, he was above reproach. “Please, Chief, sit down. May I offer you a drink?”

  He shook his head. “No, thank you, Your Grace.”

  She sat behind her desk and, based on his expression, braced herself for what would be an unpleasant conversation. “I hope you have good news to share with me.”

  “I am sorry to report that we’ve encountered a setback. The man we had in custody from the shooting at your father’s birthday party was stabbed to death last night during a prison fight.”

  That man was the best lead they had and now he was gone. “Did you learn anything from him?”

  Perseus shook his head. “He said nothing to his cellmates about who hired him or how much he was paid or even how he was paid. What we’ve uncovered about his life revealed a very isolated man who had no ties to the community. He had no personal effects in the hotel where he was staying week to week. He spoke to almost no one. I should warn you that we’re looking at the possibility of someone on the inside being involved in the assassination.”

  A ball of dread formed in the pit of her stomach. “In what way?” Someone who worked for the royal family was working with the assassins?

  “The assassins had a detailed list of who was scheduled to attend your father’s party and an outline of the security protocols the royal guards followed. They exploited the vulnerabilities to smuggle their weapons inside the castle. I’m sharing our suspicions on that matter with few people. We don’t know who we can trust. Until we find a mole, if there is one, we need to be on guard.”

  Serena felt sick. Feeling safe was nearly impossible, but she hadn’t considered someone close to her being involved with the murderers. “I will be careful. Is there anything else?”

  “I will keep you apprised of the investigation as it unfolds.”

  Serena stood. If the chief had no further information to share, their meeting was over. She didn’t want to discuss her family’s deaths any longer than was needed. Marshalling her emotions during those conversations was grueling and her objective was to appear in control. “Thank you for making the trip to the castle.”

  Perseus stood. “We haven’t given up. We won’t give up.”

  Neither would Serena. After the chief left, Iliana entered and handed Serena a dark brown folder. “One of the PIs you hired dropped this off. He has been following Casimir.”

  Serena had hired a few PIs to find Casimir and she had forgotten to call them immediately and inform them that their services were no longer needed. An oversight on her part and now curiosity got the better of her. She took the folder and opened it. Inside were photographs of Casimir, at least a dozen of them. The PI had tailed Casimir for the past several days, taking candid shots of him and noting what he did, where he went and whom he spoke with. Many of the photos had her in them. One picture in particular gave her pause. In the snapshot, she was looking at Casimir. The expression on her face was a mix of lust, admiration and intimacy.

  Perhaps that expression was what Demetrius DeSante had seen when he’d commented on their relationship. She searched the pictures for an expression revealing Casimir’s feelings for her, but she saw only his stoic, unreadable look. Except when they were alone in private, his expression revealed nothing.

  One photo had him looking serious, his hair windblown, and his eyes alive and taking in every detail. She hadn’t missed that he was a handsome man. Turn-her-head-around handsome.

  The office line rang and Iliana rushed to answer it. When Serena’s phone beeped a few moments later, she remembered she had a scheduled conference call with the country’s technology adviser. She lifted the receiver.

  Forty minutes later, she was hanging up, her head aching with confusion. Too much jargon and new technology and catchphrases she didn’t understand.

  The door opened again and Iliana entered her office, her expression troubled. Serena’s guard went up immediately. “What’s happened?”

  “I have some bad news. We—you—received a death threat.”

  Serena’s heart raced. “Tell me what it said.”

  “It said, ‘Fear not, darling princess, you will join your father and sister soon.’ I contacted Perseus Valente immediately. He’s called in his best detectives to investigate.”

  “I want to see it,” Serena said.

  “The card? Why? It’s really creepy,” Iliana said.

  It was creepy and sick and twisted. The killer who had targeted her father was now targeting her. Why? Serena wouldn’t cower in fear. “Maybe the handwriting is familiar. Maybe something about the c
ard is familiar. I want to see it.”

  Iliana blew out her breath. “I think you’re asking for more nightmares, but I’ll tell the chief you’d like to take a look.”

  Minutes later, after Iliana had placed a quick call to Chief Valente, the card was brought to her in a plastic evidence bag. It was a black card with silver writing. The envelope it had arrived in was plain. Nothing about it was especially notable. The handwriting was a large scrawl, the words properly spelled. The card was made of black stock paper, thick and textured, the kind available at any craft store.

  Serena wanted to appear in control. But this card made her want to retreat to her beach house. The outer envelope had been addressed to her with only her name, meaning someone had been close enough to the castle mail room to hand deliver it. Security was supposed to be tight around the castle. Had the assassins uncovered another vulnerability?

  What if the police chief was correct and the threat came from someone inside the castle? She had to consider the possibility that the person who had arranged to have her father killed could be someone close to the family. It could be someone whom she passed in the hallways, someone who worked in her kitchen.

  The castle had never felt more unsafe. There were a hundred different ways for someone to get at her and now that the overt threat had been made, it was hard to call her worries paranoia.

  “Iliana, do I have any social engagements coming up out of the country?” Getting away, putting some distance between her and what was happening in Acacia, in Rizari and in Icarus would give her perspective and a sense of security, however false.

  Iliana retrieved her tablet and tapped on it. “Your father and sister were planning to attend the wedding of the duke to his fiancée in Elion. I did not contact the wedding coordinator about the event yet. Do you want to go in their place?”

  Serena liked the idea of honoring her father’s obligations by attending as well as giving herself a breather from the stress. Though being in a crowd was a source of anxiety for her, she’d grow accustomed to it and, unlike events held in her country, she wouldn’t be the center of attention in Elion. She would blend in with the many other royals in attendance. She would force herself to smile and appear happy to be there. A few photo ops could sway public opinion of her for the better. Maybe some of the media who were questioning her abilities as a leader would see her smiling and calm, and write about her in a more flattering light.