Page 89 of 2 Books in One Bundle

‘I imagine the parties here would be rather spectacular.’

She was fishing, and the realisation had a smile curving his lips. ‘I wouldn’t know.’

‘You wouldn’t?’ She frowned.

‘I wouldn’t, because I have only ever come here alone.’

She constantly made him feel as if he was standing on quicksand—well, now he saw an opportunity to flip the tables on her.

‘This is where I come when I need some privacy. A bit of peace and quiet away from everyone.’

She was about to take a bite, but placed her food back down. ‘But you’ve brought me here. Why would you do that?’

Vasili reached over and picked an olive off her plate, popping it into his mouth. ‘Why, indeed.’

‘I don’t always understand you,’ she confessed softly.

‘Well, then, maybe you need to study harder.’

The idea that someone would know him was enticing—because no one had ever bothered to. The only person who had was taken from him when he was a teenager and all those who were left would never see the value in his existence. Vasili had never invested his time in relationships because they were fleeting anyway, but he knew that he risked becoming a cold ruler who thought only of the Kingdom and not of his wife.

Wouldn’t he then become the very thing he didn’t want to be? Just like his parents? Of course he would. But want wasn’t need, and he needed to ensure that he never let Helia behind his walls. If only she’d agreed to his terms they would have something else to focus on, and he could distract her in ways that kept him safe.

That night, when they climbed into bed and Vasili turned down the lights, he was prepared for his body’s response to his wife.

Preparation didn’t make it any easier to bear.

‘Vasili?’ Her voice cut through the darkness.

‘Hmm?’

‘Can I ask you something?’

‘Anything.’

‘Why do you hate it so much?’

‘Hate what?’

‘The throne. The title. Everything.’

He trained his eyes on a spot in the distance. With all the doors and windows open, he could see a sliver of moonlight cast across the craggy cliffs. He didn’t know how much to reveal, so he opted for the shortest, safest answer.

‘It’s a cage.’

It caged one’s heart, so one could never show real love to those who deserved to receive it. Caged one’s spirit, so one would always be what the institution expected. Caged one’s soul, so one would never have true freedom.

He knew Helia would be reading something into the silence that followed. She was perceptive. Intelligent. She would know there was so much he wasn’t saying.

‘I know I haven’t agreed to your terms yet, and that we may never have a traditional marriage and I won’t expect one. But maybe we could be friends.’

He could tell she was waiting for him to respond, and when he didn’t, she went on.

‘I just think we could both use a friend on this journey, or it could be a very long, very unhappy life. And I don’t think either of us deserves that.’

Still, he couldn’t respond.

She let out a sigh and turned over so her back was to him. ‘Just think about it. Goodnight, Vasili.’