by Tilly Hart
CHAPTER ONE
Sometimes you need to let go of the people closest to you, but it’s the hardest thing to do.
My sister’s wedding should have been a happy occasion, once we got past the less than ideal way she met her husband. I’d spared no expense in the lavish celebrations. From her intricate gown and the gem-studded jewels to the overflowing platters of rich food and the never ceasing barrels of wine. Our whole lives she’d been my best friend, my confidant, my Liss. And now she was a woman grown, Princess Alessandra, future Queen of Moriel, married to Prince Aryn and setting off for her new life in his distant southern kingdom. The ache of loss was already spreading through my gut at the thought of her leaving. I’d be alone. Well, as alone as the king of a nation could be. There would always be guards and servants, courtiers seeking favour and my other siblings, Diego, Aurora and Giorgia. Until they married and left me too.
I sipped at a goblet of wine, not my first, and not my last of the evening. Alessandra and Aryn took to the centre of the ballroom and claimed their first dance as a duo. Her long, dark hair swished about her beaming face as Aryn turned her about the floor to the sound of a sweet, quick tune. Every part of her shone with happiness, and I couldn’t help but wonder if her emotions would be as conflicted as my own. As Father’s were. My mother and he had fallen in love deeply, quickly and with aching abandon. They were each other’s everything, and their love for one another outshone anything else in their lives; my father’s rule as King, and any love for us, their children. It’s the reason I was so close to Alessandra. Our relationship with our parents wasn’t so unusual in royal households, but the open disregard for us on my father’s side left us to fend for ourselves, with only our siblings as our allies. And who can a king trust more than his family? In a world full of people forcing others down to get closer to the top of society, you are only liked as long as you are useful. When mother died, suddenly, it ripped my father apart. Rather than him seeking affection from others, he spent his remaining years as a bitter and angry man, obsessed with revenge and blood lust. On losing his greatest love, he also lost his humanity, his grip on his emotions, his stability. A heartbroken king has little to lose, and I despaired that that chink in his armour may be hereditary, if I open myself to those heady emotions, would my broken heart lead to a broken nation?
It’s not a risk I could take.
I’d need to marry eventually and produce heirs to continue my line. But plenty of marriages began in mutually beneficial arrangements, born out of duty rather than love. While the prospect of spending my life alongside someoneI merely tolerated didn’t inspire any joy, it would be enough to have a respect between us.
A cheer rose from the gathered crowd as Alessandra and Aryn finished their dance, escaping from between the bodies and walking toward me. Her cheeks were ruddy with exertion, but her eyes were full of light and life as she gazed adoringly at Aryn.
‘Alessandra.’ I flashed her a wide grin, hoping it hid the sadness that gripped my chest. ‘I hope today was everything you ever dreamed it would be.’
‘It was perfect, thank you.’ She reached out to me, her warm fingers squeezing around my own.
‘I’ll miss you, you know?’ I hoped she knew how much I meant it. From this moment on our lives would splinter off, and while we would occasionally be together at weddings, funerals and state affairs, it would never be the same.
‘I’ll miss you too.’
I reached out to Aryn and clasped his muscled arm in my hand; he was a good man. I’d almost lost control of my emotions when I discovered he was a long-time enemy masquerading as a lord. My anger almost cost him his head. His marrying Alessandra had brought a peace between my kingdom, Latania, and his. ‘Prince Aryn, I’m sorry for the way things came to pass, but I am glad that they did. Ushering in a new era of peace is just the change Latania requires. I hope to bring more positive changes throughout my reign.’
‘And I, your Highness.’
‘You will look after Liss?’ My voice caught as I uttered the words, and I cursed myself. Kings don’t cry over their sister’s weddings.
‘With everything I have.’
Aryn wrapped an arm around Liss and pulled her into and embrace, his hand resting tenderly on her stomach. It was an odd gesture for newlyweds. Unless…
‘Are you…?’
Alessandra’s eyes shone with happy tears, confirming my suspicion. She was expecting a child. ‘It’s early, so early, but yes.’
Protocol dictated that I be ever serene, not seen to be favouring anyone, not even my sister. But protocol could go to hell. ‘I’m to be an uncle! Oh heavens, you’re to be a mother.’
‘Will you come visit when the babe arrives?’ I wanted to, more than anything. But my coronation was still fresh, only a few weeks past, and relations with Moriel as a peaceful ally were new. MY council would strongly contest a regency visit so soon after ascending to the throne.
‘I would love to, but Moriel is so far away, and my reign still tentative, I think an excursion such a distance from home so soon would be unwise. I shall send Giorgia and Aurora in my stead as long as you promise to come home for the summer so I can meet him.’
‘Or her?’
‘Good gracious, I think Aryn has his hands full with you, never mind another princess to cause chaos.’
Aryn laughed and cast a warm look at both Alessandra and I. Despite the tumultuous start to our friendship, I’d always count him as a firm friend.
‘Will your ladies be joining you in Moriel?’
‘Serena will. And from the looks between Prince Elias, and she, I’m sure she will be even more enchanted by the prospect.’
Serena, her chief lady-in-waitingfocused solely on Aryn’s brother, Elias, as he stood recounting an animated tale.
‘Infatuations pass, but I am sure she will enjoy Moriel. From the conversations I’ve had with Elias since his arrival, it seems quite the enchanted place…’
My voice died away as a vision of sheer elegance danced before my eyes. A woman was gracefully making her descent down the opulent staircase at the centre of the grand room. Her fingers rested lightly on the polished banister, yet her eyes focused straight at me. They pierced right into my soul. My chest tightened with each step she took, a hot flush spreading over me. It rooted me to the spot, every muscle I owned paralysed beneath her stare. What was happening to me? I yearned to go to her, to hold her, but a tingle of warning shot through me. Sweat beaded at the back of my neck as the hairs on my arms stood to attention. My body screamed danger, but my heart didn’t care. She had a sea of the palest blonde hair, so pale it was near white, braided upon her head, tendrils escaped about her face leaving me with the greatest urge to sweep them away from her lips. The lips. Oh, the lips! They were full and red, like ripe cherries, ready to devour. Her hips swayed from side to side with each step, exaggerating her curves, for though she was petite and dainty, she cut a very fine figure.
The greatest urge to go to her and throw her over my shoulder, claiming her as mine gripped me. And shocked me. I wasn’t a barbarian; I was the king. I cleared my throat and shook my head, trying to shake the spell which held me captive.
I needed her name.
Diego stood alone near the edge of the seating area. He’d travelled widely throughout the many realms which surrounded our own and there were few nobles of note he didn’t know. Tension had bubbled betweenussince I let Aryn marry Alessandra, even more tense than before. After father died, a darkness settled within him, and it only seemed to have worsened since his travels, yet he could still be as charming as ever. It was like he was a coin; one side the Diego from before, and the other,Diegonow. The coin was balancing precariously on it’s edge, just waiting fo
r someone to push it. But when they did, which way would he land?
I took up myplace beside him and leaned back against the panelled wood, my eyes falling once more on the mystery woman. She was amongst a group of nobles listening to them talk, her demeanour was neither excited nor nervous despite having just joined a room of people, alone. She was confident, yet serene.
‘Got eyes for Lady Simone?’ Diego smiled at me, and I relaxed next to him.
‘Who is she?’
‘One of the Beauchamp girls. The eldest. They have a parcel of land way out west. Father’s a good man, does very well for himself.’
‘Why haven’t I seen her before?’
‘They were around when we were kids, she’s closer to my age than yours, I’m sure you would have been doe eyed for the elder ladies of the court. Most boys were. She was always short and skinny with big eyes and lips. It didn’t look pleasant on a child, but she’s grown into them exceedingly well. As you’ve noticed.’
I tried to keep the heat out of my cheeks. King’s don’t moon over ladies. Ladies swoon over kings.
‘As an adult, she has been on the arm, and in the bed, of a few prominent men. Most notably Prince Albert of Dostland. She spent two years as his favoured Mistress, and it’s saidshe is a charmed womanindeed.’
There was no reason for jealousy to bubble into my stomach, but it did anyway. Stop it Dante.
‘Would you like me to arrange an introduction? She should make a fine diversion whilst in court.’ Diego raised an eyebrow at me.
No. No. No.
It was a bad idea. A terrible idea. I had to focus on Latania’s future. There was much work to do as I stepped up to take my father’s place as ruler. And none of it included a diversion with a beautiful woman. Especially not that one. If I fell into bed with her, I feared I would never get out again. I was not my father, I would not go to pieces over a woman, no matter how alluring.
‘I don’t need any diversions, I need to meet with my council in the morning after seeing Alessandra off. I will retire to my chambers. Goodnight, brother.’
‘Goodnight, your Highness.’
No matter how often I heard my royal title, I’d never get used to it from my siblings.
I took one last, long glance at Simone and turned to the door with a sigh.
CHAPTER TWO
Latania was a beautiful kingdom, full of deep, clear lakes and surrounded with thick, lush forests. Great mountainous peaks obscured the horizon to the east where the sun was slowly making its way above them. It felt good to be home. Everything was that bit more grounded the closer I was to my family. I took a long breath, letting the cool morning air fill my chest before letting it out in a stream of dragon’s breath from my nose. Thankfully, riding at the rear of the hunting pack, no-one saw me giggling at the childish game.
The memories of a summer spent here in my childhood came bounding back as we rode between the tall trees, turning burnt orange and scarlet as the seasons changed. We’d play hide and seek in these woods, storming from one hiding place to the next in fits of laughter before ending up in the river, stripping to our undergarments and splashing one another as bemused guards looked on. It had been the most ordinary part of my childhood as so rarely were noble children allowed to be childish. The nursery maids would often lecture us on sitting straight, not fidgeting, not drawing attention to ourselves. Children should be seen and not heard. But on those balmy summer days, noble, servant and even royal children would come together and play. True loud, messy, silly games which lightened the days full of reading, sewing, learning and being seen and not heard.
At sixteen my father had sent me to Dostland, in the distant north to be a lady-in-waiting for its princess. She was spoilt and utterly rotten, a demanding brat whom I could barely stand to be around, far less become her closest friend. After three years of tolerating her whining I’d been so easily seduced by her widowed elder brother, Prince Albert. His wife had died in childbirth before they had celebrated their first year of marriage, and when he sought solace in me, I was happy to provide it, being so starved of my family and friends. But it had rendered me obsolete in the eyes of most men. Not pure, not virginal, not pristine. After two years of being his lover and confidante, he had remarried, shunning me as a viable option because of my reputation, despite him being the one who tarnished it.
I dropped a hand from my reigns and let it drift through the tall ferns which lined the path through the forest. I fought back the well of tears that threatened to escape. My father had all but disowned me when I returned, telling me in no uncertain terms that I had ruined myself, blackened his name, and wasted any prospect of a decent marriage. He cared more that I wouldn’t be able to bolster his coffers than for how it would affect me.
Up ahead the dogs began to bark excitedly, and shouts echoed about the wood. I had no interest in hunting, or gossiping with the other women who had joined the entourage. They had pressed me into coming and so I found myself on a horse, meandering and daydreaming at the back of the pack.
King Dante and Prince Diego led the pack, with a vast group of courtiers following behind. There were at least twenty horses saddled up beside the pack of hunting dogs when I’d joined them. The royals had changed a great deal since I’d last seen them. No longer were they weedy boys fighting with sticks and chasing frogs, they’d become men. Arms thick, and bodies hardened through time and dedication to their sword-art. King Dante had surprised me when I caught sight of him at his sister’s wedding. He was tall and broad, standing with confidence despite his new position as king. He wore it well. His jaw was chiselled and his hair the same dark, thick locks that he shared with his siblings. It was his eyes that had held me the most; they were dark and so intense, framed with thick black lashes. I had needed to see them up close, but he had retired for the evening.
I had to get close to him. The consequences would be dire if I didn’t.
With a gentle kick, I urged my horse onward, slowly moving up through the ranks of people until I neared the action. I had no desire to get involved in the hunt, but if I stayed close to Dante, perhaps I could catch his eye.
The emerald green of his doublet flashed up ahead as his horse darted between trees and foliage.
‘What are you doing?’ The voice was dripping with ire as it glanced against me.
‘Pardon?’ I turned to see a sneering woman on a beautiful pale grey horse.
‘I’ve seen the way you are making eyes at the king, and he has no time for whores. There are plenty of decent woman who have been vying for his attention at court. You cannot expect to walk in here and spread your thighs and think we will all stand for it.’ She spat the words at me, tilting her nose up as she pulled her horse closer to mine.
My hands trembled on my reigns and I drew a long breath, counting to ten and telling myself not to let her get to me. I was here for a purpose.
I set my gaze upon her and smiled the sweetest smile I could muster, lowering my voice to a whisper. ‘If the king found you at all palatable, he’d havemarried by now.’
A surge of satisfaction roiled through me as I pulled my horse to the right, intending to put some distance between myself and the nasty piece of work. A loud slap echoed behind me and I gripped onto my horse for dear life as he reared up and let out a loud whinny. He took off at a canter through the woods as I caught the woman laughing and shouting, ‘Try to keep your thighs around that, if anyone can it’ll be you.’
My shock at the open crassness of the woman paled as I clung desperately to the spooked horse. He was a whirlwind of fear and panic as he careered through the woods, jumping over rocks and logs, and narrowly missing overhead branches. I threw myself against him and grasped my arms about his neck, my body lurching against his.
‘Whoa!’ I yelled, desperate to stop the pile of charging muscle. ‘Halt!’
It was no use. He was in a world of his own and had no care whether I stayed on his back or dashed to the ground.
Each jump jolted me
further from my seat, made my sweating palms that bit wetter and my aching fingers all the harder to hold on with. Oh god. I would break my neck if I fell at this speed.
Then a set of thundering hooves came from the forest around us and I saw a smear of emerald green amongst the golden hue of the leaves. An arm made a swipe for the reigns but my horse dodged it easily. My arms were weakening and tears rolled down my cheeks.
‘Come on.’ A voice yelled. ‘Give me your hand.’
He’d rip my arm off if he tried to tear me off the maddened beast. I shook my head and held on tighter.
‘Trust me.’
I peeked out from beneath my hair, and saw King Dante there, reaching out to me. Wind whipped tendrils of hair obscured my vision and my foot slipped from the stirrups.
I put out a hand and screamed as he yanked mefrom the horse and I dangled midair. The ground came rushing toward me before receding away as the king hauled me up and threw me across the saddle in front of him. It was hardly ladylike sprawledover the King’s lap like a naughty child, but I thanked the heavens I was alive, at least.
He slowed his horse to a walk and then stopped.
My heart raced in my chest as all my muscles relaxed at once, leaving me trembling like a leaf after my near death adventure.
‘You’re okay now, the dogs must have spooked your horse. I’ll make sure he’s not put out on a hunt again.’
Poor horse, it wasn’t his fault he got slapped on the rump. The king pulled me upright on the horse’s back and lowered himself to the ground. I gripped the reigns tightly in my fist, the leather still warm from his touch. My breath caught in my throat as he reached up and touched my hair, sweeping it back from my face, then plucking a twig from its depths. A glance downward revealed a tear in my dresswhere I’d scraped against sharp branches, and vast dirt patches. A red smudge across my knee looked an awful lot like blood. I raised my arms and turned them, finding a shallow gash near my left elbow. As soon as my eyes landed on the cut, the sting hit me.
Damn.