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As Bekah rested, the words of his stepfather echoed through Josiah’s mind.

Steve may have been working for a dissident group, looking for Princess Regina. We don’t think they knew who was the hidden prince or princess, so they sent out a number of people to try to get close to some of the families they suspected might be the ones who took in the infant.

That would bother Josiah for a long time. He already knew that. How could his judgment have been so impaired? How could he have let himself be taken in by a smooth talker? He didn’t think he’d ever said anything that could be construed as an indication he knew where the princess had been hidden. Or anything that would have been considered classified about his family or the Eyjanian government or people.

There wasn’t much he could have said anyway.

He didn’t have access to nearly as much as his oldest brother, of course, but Gen had a lot more than he did. She would be the regent if anything happened to Ben before his oldest daughter turned eighteen.

So what could Steve have wanted with Josiah? Or was he just hoping to get closer to any royal family in hopes he could find out something, anything about the princess?

Or maybe it was just a coincidence.

He tried not to dwell on it while they waited for the family to return.

Before long, he heard the chatter of voices coming from a different direction.

He stood as they walked into the room. Bekah didn’t stand but did sit up straighter.

“Are you feeling better, dear?” his mother asked her.

Bekah nodded. “I just wasn’t up for a walk, but I am feeling much better. Plus, I’m not exactly dressed for it.” She glanced down then back up with a small smile.

“No one would care.” His mother gave a small laugh as she wrapped an arm around Bekah’s shoulder. “But I understand.” With a slight press of his mother’s arm, they started for the veranda. “How about that dessert? We have Eyjanian ice cream waiting for us.”

“That sounds lovely.”

Josiah could tell Bekah leaned into his mother, just a little bit, as they walked. It made him smile to see them begin to bond.

As soon as they sat back down out on the veranda, ice cream was served. For an hour, they sat around the table, talking as a group long after the dessert bowls were cleared off the table.

He kept his arm around Bekah’s waist as they walked back to their room.

“Thank you for arranging that.” She rested the side of her head against him. “It was a lovely evening.”

“I wish you hadn’t fallen in the lake and been hurt, but I am glad your parents came, and you were able to spend some time with them.”

“Me, too.”

When they reached their quarters, Bekah went straight to the bathroom where he could hear her brush her teeth and water splashing seemed to indicate she also washed her face.

He moved to stand near the window on the far side of the bed, staring out at the midnight sun and contemplating things he never had before.

Like falling in love with his wife. That was a better thing to think about than how he’d been fooled by someone he considered a friend.

A few minutes later, Bekah emerged and headed for his side, probably because this had become her side of the bed. She slid her hand into his elbow and rested her head on his shoulder.

“You have to be exhausted, too, Josiah. You should get changed and get some rest, too.”

He turned and looked down at her, reaching his other hand around to brush a bit of blond hair off her face. “I will in a minute. I’ll pull the curtains. Get some rest.” This time he moved to stand in front of her, his hand cradling the side of her face.

For a long moment, they simply looked in each other’s eyes.

Then, before he could convince himself to kiss her properly, he leaned down and brushed a light one on her cheek. “Sleep well, Beks. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

She looked up at him and, for a second, Josiah thought she might kiss him, but instead she took a step back and nodded. “Sleep well.”

As she settled into her side of the bed, Josiah stuck his hands back in his pockets. Should he turn in as well? Or go talk to his brother and stepfather to find out more about what they’d learned?