by Robyn Grady
“Is there a table by a window?” Darius asked.
Alexio ushered them to a setting Helene knew was his best. It was situated by a trickling indoor fountain.
“I’ll bring menus,” Alexio said.
“Just bring the specialty of the house.” Darius took his seat as he glanced out the opened window onto the busy street. “And wine.”
Alexio nodded. “Our very best.”
Fifteen minutes later, they enjoyed grilled baby octopus marinated in garlic, basil, and lemon. Darius was pouring their second glass when a middle-aged man and a woman strolled in. When the man threw up his hands in greeting, Alexio crossed over and hugged them both. They conversed a little, and Alexio flicked a covert glance Darius’s way. The couple’s jaws dropped. And as more people arrived to fill the room, it was clear the majority also recognized Darius.
“Can’t you feel it?” Helene finally asked.
Clueless, he was only interested in the meal they’d been served. “Feel what?”
“Everyone’s eyes on you?”
“They’re just curious.”
“They’re dying to come say hello. Having those secret agents with you all the time would make it hard to just stop and speak to people in the streets.”
Forking some eggplant, he chuckled. “They’re not secret agents.”
“Still, they send a strong message.”
“They’re supposed to.” His fork stopped midway to his mouth. “Anyway, I have a good relationship with the people here.”
“I don’t suppose folk just go up and start a conversation with someone like you. I wouldn’t have.”
“I’m not that fierce, am I?” He pretended to growl.
She smothered a smile. “You could satisfy some of that curiosity.” She eyed a middle-aged couple at a nearby table. “For starters, you could invite that pair to join us for dessert.”
He reached over and held her hand. “I played hooky to spend time with you.”
Her heart beat a little faster. She was flattered and perhaps should have left it at that. But she had to ask.
“Did your father or uncle ever take time out to hang around with the ordinary folk?”
“There are festivals throughout the year, special events…”
“So the answer’s no?”
“What are you getting at?”
“I wondered whether that tinderbox would have caught light twenty-five years ago if your uncle and father had put themselves out there more. Mingled and listened. You don’t have the population of Russia. I think Mr. and Mrs. Average would benefit from getting to know you in a less official capacity. And you’d benefit, too.”
Darius didn’t respond, but as he continued to enjoy the meal, every now and then he’d glance around. When Alexio returned with a dessert menu, Darius had a word.
“These patrons,” he asked, “they’re a mix of locals and tourists?”
“Most are locals, Your Highness.”
Darius gestured at the couple chatting to the new waitress: Helene’s replacement. “That couple?”
Alexio provided names. “I’ve known them all my life.”
Darius’s eyes narrowed on the pair. Finally, he sat back.
“Invite them to enjoy coffee with us,” he said then drained the remainder of his wine.
Alexio’s eyes bugged out. “I apologize. I thought you said…”
“Ask them over.” Darius sent a smile to the couple that had glanced over again. “And put their meals on my tab.”
Alexio spoke with them. They gaped before pulling themselves together and meekly moving over. Darius spoke to them in his usual charismatic way about everyday things, like watching the boy casting his net and how he looked forward to a blockbuster due for release.
Getting into the swing, he called another couple over and more chairs were arranged. By the end of that hour, quite a gathering had assembled, all talking and sharing and laughing, including Darius.
As their guests began to leave, Helene caught Alexio’s eye. Wiping down a table, he paused before his familiar smile spread.
When she and Darius were alone again, walking hand in hand back up that hill, she asked, “So, about dinner tonight?”
He sent a vaguely suspicious look. “What about it?”
“Maybe you could let Tahlia know to invite Otis.”
A pulse beat in his jaw as, gaze fixed upon the path ahead, he thought it over.
“No,” he said finally.
Helene’s heart sank. But he wasn’t finished.
“Not tonight, but…soon.” His stern gaze hooked onto hers. “And I’d appreciate you not letting Tahlia know I’m considering it. Can you do that?”
Helene threw her arms around him. Right now, she felt she could do anything for him.
…
They didn’t dine with Tahlia that evening or for the rest of the week. Instead, she and Darius enjoyed late evening meals in her quarters on the balcony, talking and looking over twinkling city lights and a far-reaching sea before retiring to her bed. She wondered why he hadn’t invited her back to his quarters. He hadn’t mentioned the figurine since their last conversation, either. Perhaps the goddess still resided free and easy in his room while he considered making her release from captivity somehow more permanent.
During the day, she spent time with Tahlia, talking and searching for more pages of the story, or with Darius, strolling through the palace grounds or meeting new friends at the taverna, including Alexio’s gorgeous new grandbaby.
At night, after making love, she had no trouble falling asleep in his arms. However, she usually woke in the early hours and her brain would start ticking over. She loved being here with Darius—being a couple. She would lie awake, staring at the ceiling, with his hard, strong body pressed up against hers, wishing this would never end. She couldn’t imagine ever going to bed without reveling in the feel of his mouth covering hers. She couldn’t imagine not having his big, beautiful hands trailing over her curves. And yet, in a few days this would all be over.
But then her thoughts would spiral off into fantasy land. He would ask her to stay longer. Whenever she thought about learning the result of their first night together, she tried to push it away. Because in a secret, never to be divulged place, she’d begun to smile at the thought of having Darius’s baby growing inside of her. She had no idea what his reaction would be—immediate or long term—but in her daydreams he wasn’t upset. A tender look would come over his face, he would cup her belly, bring her close, kiss her deeply, and then…
Then she would roll over and tell herself to please go to sleep.
Toward the close of her second week at the palace, Darius and his dog Ajax took Helene on a walk way up a hill overlooking a cliff. At first the outing was vigorous, stimulating. But as the ground grew steeper, Helene’s legs began to ache. While there was a flat plain higher up, right now the slope was too steep for her liking. She had never been a wimp, and yet today, whenever she had to right her footing and calculate how far the churning sea was below them, her stomach wouldn’t stop swooping. Darius and Ajax, on the other hand, might have had mountain goat blood flowing through their veins.
“I used to play up here all the time when I was a boy,” he said, trekking ahead of her.
“That was a while ago,” she muttered. “Aren’t you tired?”
He looked back over his shoulder. “Are you?”
She blew damp hair from her eyes. “A little.”
He closed the distance separating them; then his hands coiled around her waist, and he lifted her to sit on a waist-high grassed ledge.
“Do you want to go back?”
She didn’t want to spoil his fun. She ran a palm down his cheek. “Maybe soon.”
But he’d made up his mind. The exhaustion must have shown on her face.
“When you’ve got your breath, we’ll turn around,” he said.
A few feet away, Ajax gave a bark. Darius moved over to check out the warren his dog had discovere
d while she crossed her ankles, relaxed, and sat back. She told herself again that the best she could do was to absorb everything about this moment—to imprint the memories of sunshine and joy into her brain. Everything was clean and bright…the sky’s vast dome, the deep breathing blue of the sea.
Darius returned and settled beside her. He was happy. Earlier he’d even confided that he was going to suggest Tahlia invite Otis to dinner. She had to be around for that.
Nearby, boys played, yelling out and laughing as they kicked a ball. Hearing them, Darius pushed to his feet, shading his eyes while his smile flashed white in the sunshine.
“When I was a kid, I loved soccer.” His focus shifted from the level area of land where the boys played back to the slope. “But they’ll lose that ball if they’re not careful.”
Helene craned to peer over the long drop. Suddenly light-headed, she slid off the ledge onto her feet. She might not feel all that steady, but she wanted to get back on flat ground.
“I’m ready to go back,” she said.
“You’re scared of heights?”
“I didn’t think I was.”
His palm touched her cheek and he frowned. “You’re pasty. Do you need a doctor?”
“You worry too much.”
Which was a joke, because she was the one who was truly worried. Her period was due today. She was a regular, give or take a day. And she hadn’t felt any of the telltale signs like tender breasts or feeling bloated or being slightly more impatient than usual. No one had mentioned her leaving, because Darius was waiting for her to let him know they were in the clear.
Only she wasn’t at all certain that they were.
They headed back down that path. Rather than tack himself to his master’s side, Ajax stayed close to Helene, as if he knew she felt fragile. They’d only taken a few steps when the boys let out an extra loud cry. On reflex, she and Darius pivoted. The boys were distant streaks of color, but something else was coming nearer, growing larger—a ball hurtling straight toward Helene at warp speed.
Her arms flew across to wrap around and shield her belly at the same time she hunched over and waited for the smack! But a blond blur—Ajax—leaped up and struck the ball, deflecting it while another force wrenched her out of the way. Bones turned to water, Helene sagged against Darius as the ball continued past, bouncing three more times before flying off the edge.
Once she’d caught her breath, she looked up into Darius’s eyes. He studied her face as if he suddenly had trouble recognizing her.
In a threadbare voice, she explained. “For a minute I thought I was going to get belted.”
His guarded look held. “But you weren’t concerned about your head or your chest. You covered your belly like your life depended on it.” His voice lowered. “Or someone else’s life.”
She blinked several times, tried to figure out how to respond.
He pressed two fingertips to the side of her throat. “Your pulse is racing. You’re as white as a sheet.” His face hardened. “Is there something I need to know?”
She couldn’t answer him because once she did her doubt might become a certainty. Something would need to be done. And as much as she’d rather simply wait a few more days and hope she was mistaken, it seemed time had run out.
His palms curved over her shoulders before he held her firm. “You think you’re pregnant, don’t you?”
A giddy, yet withering, feeling funneled through her. Her reply was a croak. “I’m…not sure.”
He didn’t speak for the longest time. Simply stared straight through her while he digested the news, the possibilities, the consequences.
When tears sprang to her eyes, she tried to turn away. But his strong arms were already winding around her. She dissolved into his warmth and strength. After a moment, she found his gaze and took a breath. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need for you to be sorry. But we need to get this sorted.”
…
Back in her private quarters, Helene felt Darius’s presence alongside of her. He was stiff, while she felt limp and spacey as if all her glue had come unstuck.
Although she’d thought about the possibility too many times to count, now she couldn’t get her mind around the fact. She was the girl who was never going to put herself in this position. She’d been determined to live her life to the fullest before settling down. But medical tests didn’t lie. She was with child.
The doctor collected his bag. “I’ll be back next week to put you in touch with experts on diet and supplements,” he said. “We’ll discuss then what to expect in the coming months. Where do you hope to deliver?”
Sitting beside her on that enormous sofa, Darius found his feet. “It’s too early for those decisions.” He escorted the doctor to the door. “I appreciate your time, doctor, and your discretion.”
When Darius crossed back, his expression drawn and serious, Helene’s mind went blank. She couldn’t think of a thing to say. She was stuck in a surreal “going to wake any minute” feeling.
“Well, now we know,” he said, taking a seat in a nearby tub chair this time.
“What happens now?”
“You will have this child and he’ll have a wonderful life.”
Helene’s nervy stomach settled a little. She even found a weak smile. “You make it sound so easy.”
“He’ll grow up safe and well taken care of. When he’s older he’ll attend boarding school as I did. He’ll have the best education—”
“Slow down. You’re going too fast.”
“You don’t want all that for this child?”
“Of course I want a safe home and opportunities. A good school. But it’s not as simple as that. We live thousands of miles apart.”
“Of course, you’ll stay too.” He angled toward her, elbows on thighs, hands clasped between his knees. “We’ll get married.”
She fell back against the cushions. “We only found out ten minutes ago. You don’t want to go through the options?”
“I can’t see any alternative.”
She wanted to be happy. An amazing man had just asked her to be his wife. He wanted to give their child everything he could, including a father. Only Darius wasn’t kicking his heels. He seemed rather resigned.
“The announcement will be handled delicately,” he said. “I’ll speak to Yanni about whether the coronation or wedding should come first. I’m thinking the wedding.”
Yanni Kostas’s face flashed into her mind’s eye. They’d met again a few times, exchanging pleasantries over these past days. He was unfailing polite. But she’d never forgotten his response to that misunderstanding during their carriage ride that first day. He’d chuckled with relief when she’d denied there was any chance of her and Darius’s relationship growing into long term. Mr. Kostas couldn’t know his worst nightmare was about to come true.
And Darius was forgetting one thing.
“I haven’t said yes, yet.”
His gaze snapped up from the rug. “Surely you want to give this child two parents.”
“Darius, you sound as if you’re cornered.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t care for you.”
That made her stomach slide to the floor. Worse, he didn’t move closer to comfort her. She didn’t expect him to pledge his undying love. His father had married a woman because he thought it was wise choice. Darius had proposed because he felt he had no choice. He might already be devoted to the child she carried. But while they’d had an amazing three weeks, they didn’t know all that much about each other.
The friend who had apparently proposed too soon had broken his engagement. But if Darius and she married quickly with a baby on the way there would be no turning back. She had no idea about how to live and behave as a royal. If she disappointed him, if he began to treat her as a dead weight rather than a woman he desired and respected, how long before chips turned into cracks? How long before he began to resent their marriage? Rue the day they’d met?
He tried to pla
cate her. “You’ll enjoy every luxury. Clothes, jewelry, travel—”
“I don’t care about any of that.” She got to her feet. “I love that you want to…acknowledge me. That you want to recognize our child. But I need to work out some things.”
“What things?”
“Like when we’re going to visit my home?”
“You can visit whenever you want.” His brow creased. “Although perhaps you should wait until after the birth.”
“I’m not sure what rights I’ll have as your wife. Will I have dual citizenship? Will our child? What if we disagree on schools?” Her chest tightened. “In fact, I don’t like the idea of sending a child away for other people to bring up.”
“We wouldn’t have to worry about that for years yet.”
“What about having more children?”
“I had always thought about four.”
“I was thinking two. And you must have dinners and ceremonies I’d have to attend. I’d probably have to attend some of them on my own, wouldn’t I?”
“If you like.”
Helene tried to imagine herself speaking at events, being so nervous that she would stutter and flush. She liked adventure, but she was not a public speaker.
“Aren’t you worried I’ll disappoint you?”
A soft smile eased up the corners of his mouth. “No. I’m not.”
A rush of emotion clogged her throat. Suddenly she wanted to cry. From happiness. From fear.
A light rap on the door drew both their attentions. A moment later, Tahlia poked her nose in through the crack.
“I saw the doctor leaving.” She edged forward. “Are you all right, Helene?”
Darius spoke for them both.
“Helene had a scare this afternoon.” He explained about the soccer ball incident and exaggerated her spell. Half of Helene wanted to know why he didn’t want to confide in his sister. He wanted the wedding to happen fast; Tahlia would have to be told soon. But then an obvious explanation dawned. Perhaps he worried about Tahlia’s reaction: If Darius could leap forward with a relationship, why couldn’t she?
Tahlia smiled softly. “As long as it’s nothing serious.”
Helene couldn’t reply. It couldn’t get more serious than this.