“And you were comfortable pledging your life and allegiance to the royal family of a country that’s not your own?”
I smiled. “I wouldn’t do it for just anyone, but this royal family is special, and Erik is a man worth dying for.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way about anyone beyond my family.”
“It’s rare, so I wouldn’t expect you to.”
“I guess I’m just curious, you know? Like, what makes you guys want to be Royal Protectors?”
“It’s all about the people,” I said. “I was already a Marine, a bodyguard. I can do that anywhere, for anyone. What I do here, it’s special. It means something. The work Erik is trying to do for your people, your country, it’s important. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.”
“I, uh, appreciate your insight. And your time.”
“Any time.” I nodded and walked out, wondering what kinds of answers he’d been looking for. Was Kostya thinking about applying to be a Royal Protector? It was a sobering thought, and one I wasn’t sure I was comfortable with.
23
Solange
I only worked at the school half a day on Friday, having Logan bring me back to the palace at noon so I could finish packing and get ready for my weekend with Axel. I was so excited I could barely stand it, puttering around my room as I waited for him to finish whatever he was doing. When someone knocked, I opened it quickly, surprised to see my mother there.
“Hi, Mama.” I invited her in. “I’m leaving soon.”
“I know.” She paused. “This is what I wanted to talk to you about.”
I sighed. She wasn’t happy that I was in a relationship with a man like Axel. “Mama, I know you don’t like Axel but—”
“Not true.” She shook her head vehemently. “I like him very much. He’s honorable and kind, strong, reliable… I see how this would attract you. But a man like him will fill your head with ideas, from America, the palace, the world. He’s not going to marry you, Solange—”
“Mama, what are you getting at?” I folded my arms impatiently, opting to ignore her erroneous assumption.
“You must protect your reputation,” she whispered. “Now that we’re in Hiskale, we can find you a husband, a nice Limaji boy, someone your age. But you cannot sleep with so many men that—”
“Mama.” I held up a hand. “Is that what you think of me? That I sleep with so many men that no one will want me?” Since it was the furthest thing from the truth, it hurt that my mother thought that about me.
“I understand. I do. You’re a healthy young woman with desires, but if we play our cards right, we can find you a husband here. Perhaps even Prince Daniil!”
I refrained from rolling my eyes. “Prince Daniil is even older than Axel,” I murmured. Not to mention he’d previously been married to a man, but I didn’t say that out loud.
“But he’s a prince! So don’t you see? You must not go away with Axel, in order to make yourself available to whatever opportunities may arise. Promise me you won’t sleep with him.”
It made me laugh that she hadn’t figured out we were already sleeping together. I didn’t want to hurt her, but I also refused to keep living the lie we’d built over the years. “Mama…we’ve already done that. He’s smart, strong, and attentive. He makes me laugh. He’s also kind and gentle. I know he’s not what you want for me, but he’s what I want. For the first time, I’m doing something I’m enjoying, dating a wonderful man, and learning new things. Isn’t that what most parents want for their children? To follow their dreams, explore everything life has to offer?”
Mama merely moved closer to me and put a gentle hand on my cheek. She searched my face for a moment and then smiled. “Yes. It is. But we also don’t want our children to be hurt, and I fear he’ll hurt you. A man like that is worldly, experienced, most likely with women all over the world. How will you feel when he moves on to his next conquest?”
“I’ll be fine. He’s a good man, he’s not going to just dump me. You’ll see.”
“But do you think he’s going to marry you? Carry you off to live with him here at the palace while he protects the king?”
“I have no idea what’s going to happen. We’ve known each other a month. Please, Mama, just let me enjoy this while I can. If a year from now we’re back in Vinake, at least I’ll have something to think back on. Okay? Please?”
Mama sighed just as there was a knock on the door. We exchanged a brief look before I opened the door to Axel.
“Ready to go?” he asked me. He glanced over my shoulder. “Hi, Nadia.”
“Hello, Axel.” She smiled at him. “Have fun, yes? And be careful with her, please. She is my heart.”
“Absolutely.” Axel nodded.
Mama left and I turned to close my suitcase. “It’s a big suitcase for two nights,” I told him, “but it’s the only one I have.”
“Well, let’s combine our stuff then.” He picked up his duffel bag and put it on the bed next to my suitcase. He took everything out of his bag and added it to my suitcase. “There. Now we’ll just have the one. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.” I grabbed my purse and he lifted the suitcase.
We headed down the elevator and out one of the back gates that led to the palace garage. We got into a car I’d never seen before, a beautiful royal blue Porsche.
“Whose is this?” I asked him.
“It’s Daniil’s,” he said. “We’re going incognito this weekend, so I don’t want to take one of the official SUVs.”
“I’ve never been in a car this nice,” I admitted as I got into the passenger’s side.
“Do you drive?” he asked me, pulling out of the garage.
“I haven’t ever learned, no,” I told him. “I wanted to, but Papa said there was no need, and to be fair, we walk everywhere in Vinake. We only use the truck for deliveries or when it’s frigid.”
“I could teach you if you wanted.”
I smiled. “Sounds like fun.”
“Maybe not in Daniil’s Porsche.”
We chuckled. He reached across the console for my hand. “So what did your mom say about us going away? I take it by the body language when I got there, you two were fighting.”
“I think it’s a mother-daughter thing,” I said after a moment. “She’s worried about me. About us.”
“Because we’re sleeping together?”
“Not that so much as the future. What will happen when you get tired of me or whatever. She believes you’ll break my heart and it will hurt me.”
“Broken hearts hurt,” he acknowledged. “But I have no intention of that, Solange. I hope you know that.”
“I’m not worried.” I gave him a smile. “Besides, we’re still getting to know each other. I’m not thinking that far ahead.”
That might have been a tiny lie, but it wasn’t meant to be. I couldn’t articulate the way I was feeling about him, and genuinely wanted to enjoy what we were exploring together. Giving it a label or having expectations would only ruin the moment. I would have liked for us to have a future, but it was soon for that and I was okay with it.