Page 32 of Duty and Desire

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Korenz, capital of Eisenland

Gio

T he taxi pulled away from the train station and sped through the narrow streets, and the more I saw of the landscape, the more confused I became.

“This is the capital?”

Beside me, Claudia chuckled. “What did you expect? Skyscrapers? Heavy industry?”

I’d seen photos online, but they hadn’t prepared me for the reality of the place.

There were no buildings with more than three stories, with the exception of the numerous church spires.

Far-off snow-topped mountains surrounded it, the same mountains I’d traveled through on the train, providing a barrier shutting off Eisenland from the outside world.

The fields and trees contrasted with the white walls and red roofs of the houses.

I spotted vineyards on more than one grassy slope .

Then it hit me. There were hardly any people in sight. The whole city was as quiet as the grave.

It didn’t take a genius to work out the reason why.

“When is the funeral?”

“Tomorrow.” She pointed to the right, where a tall spire rose gracefully above the surrounding houses. “The service will take place in there.”

“And will you be going?”

Claudia sighed. “ Everyone will be going. As we speak, foreign dignitaries and heads of state from all over the world are probably on their way here.”

I frowned. “Until a week ago, I’d never heard of Eisenland. Why would heads of state be coming to such a tiny country?” Thirty-nine thousand inhabitants? That was about the size of Culver City’s population back in California.

Then I remembered my research, and I face-palmed. “Of course. I’m so stupid. Three percent of the world’s vital raw materials come from Eisenland.” I’d read figures relating to rare earth metals and minerals.

Claudia smiled. “You did your homework, didn’t you? Good. All this knowledge will prove useful. It will provide back-up to your cover story.”

Wait a minute…

“I have a cover story? Why am I only hearing about this now?”

“You’re a writer—truth—researching for a book about Eisenland and its strategic importance in the world. Plus, you’re also writing about the Royal Family. Kind of truth—You’re interested in one member in particular.”

I frowned. “But why do I need a cover story?”

Claudia expelled a patient sigh. “To get you in there? Franz says it’s the only way.”

What the ? —

“Wait— Franz is helping me? The same Franz who threatened to rip my arms off?”

She gave a wry chuckle. “I know. It was a shock to me too.”

“Then I will get to see Nick?” When she didn’t answer, I touched her hand. “What’s wrong? What is it you’re not telling me?”

“Gio, you… you might find Nick has changed from when you last saw him.”

“You mean he’s had a haircut? Got rid of the beard?

Of course, there’s also the tiny detail that he’s now a king, and about to marry a princess.

” I peered at her. “But you’re not talking about any of those things, are you?

” My stomach clenched. “Talk to me, Claudia. I thought we could trust each other.”

She laced her fingers with mine. “He’s… different.

I didn’t tell you about our last phone conversation, because frankly, I wanted to forget it.

That wasn’t the Nick I’d known and loved for six years.

That’s partly why I came to find you, to bring you here.

I’m hoping the sight of you, talking with you, will be the jolt Nick needs to steer him from this disastrous path.

” She gazed at me with a pained expression.

“Because if you can’t, they’re going to turn him into his father, and Eisenland will have lost a potentially great king.

More than that, the whole country will remain as it was, and that isn’t a good thing. ”

“No pressure, then.”

Inside, I was a mess.

Any thoughts I’d had about angry confrontations had dissipated.

During the flights, I’d resigned myself to using this trip to gain closure, to say the goodbye I’d been denied.

Yes, I’d wanted to let out my rage, my disappointment, but the more Claudia told me about Nick’s circumstances, the less I wanted to vent.

We’d planned a rescue mission to save Nick from a horrendous mistake—his marriage—but another aspect had been added.

We had to show Nick his country needed him , not a carbon copy of his father.

Claudia pointed through the window. “Look up there.”

The castle stood high on a rocky hilltop whose lower slopes lay hidden beneath a dense forest. The warm color of the stone walls reflected the sunlight.

It rose above the tree line, seemingly carved out of the rock on which it perched.

The red roofs glowed, and black flags were draped over its sloping ramparts.

“That’s the palace, isn’t it? How old is it?” It had looked like something out of a fairytale when I’d first seen it online, and seeing it in real life only reinforced that impression.

“I think it was built in the eleven hundreds. The royal family bought it back in 1810, and it’s been the royal palace ever since. As for you getting to see Nick, I hope so. Franz will try to engineer it so you get some time together. But you must be careful. Don’t blow your cover.”

I knew she was talking about Daniela Risch.

The road climbed, and the taxi wound its way around the hill, rising higher and higher, until we reached a gate bordered by stone pillars. An armed guard appeared, and Claudia showed him her phone. He nodded, then lifted the barrier, and we continued on our way.

At the end was a stone archway, another guard, and at last we were in the courtyard, the castle walls towering above us on three sides. Guards bracketed the huge main door.

“Are they to keep us out, or Nick in?” I murmured.

We got out of the taxi, and the driver retrieved our bags from the trunk. We walked toward the door, and I craned my neck to stare at the battlements.

“D’you think they’ve got boiling oil up there to repel invaders?”

“You have more important things to worry about,” Claudia muttered.

I followed her gaze to the woman who stood in the doorway. She wore a dark gray suit, a white blouse, a single strand of pearls around her neck, and glossy black high-heeled shoes. She wore her dark hair tied back.

Three guesses who that is.

She gave us a polite smile that didn’t reach her blue eyes.

“Miss Kaufmann. A pleasure to see you again.” She then focused her attention on me, and I knew I was being scrutinized, assessed…

“And you mu st be Mr. Colonna. Welcome to Eisenland. I’m Daniela Risch, his Majesty’s Royal Attaché.

His Majesty has asked that you both join him in his study, and then you’ll be shown to your rooms.”

I thanked her, and we stepped into the cool interior. I spotted Franz immediately and schooled my features. Miss Risch gestured to him.

“This is Franz Gantner, His Majesty’s bodyguard.”

I nodded. “Mr. Gantner.”

Franz regarded me with an impassive expression. “Mr. Colonna.” He greeted Claudia with a smile. “Hello again.” Franz glanced at Daniela. “I’ll take them through.”

“Thank you. I have a thousand and one things to do today.” And with that, she turned and walked away.

“Does that mean we’d be number one thousand and two?” I murmured.

Franz stifled a snicker.

“Hello again to you too.” I smiled. “I believe I have you to thank for me being here.”

His eyes twinkled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He indicated to the right. “Follow me, please.”

He led the way along hallways that were surprisingly light, their walls covered in paintings, with statues sitting in alcoves. The stone staircase at the end of our walk comprised treads worn by the passage of time. At the top, he turned left, and stopped at a heavy oak door.

Franz paused at the threshold. “Go easy on him, okay?”

I blinked at the warmth in his voice. “How is he?”

Franz frowned. “I’ve seen him in better states, put it that way.” He met my gaze. “Hopefully you can change all that.” He knocked at the door.

“Come in.”

My heart pounded, and my hands were clammy.

Franz opened it, and ushered us into a room with windows along one wall that went all the way up to the high ceiling. The remaining walls were hidden by bookcases, and the only furniture comprised a desk and three chairs. A solitary figure stood by the windows, his back to us.

I’d never seen Nick in a suit, and I had to admit, even from the rear he cut an elegant figure.

“I’ll be outside,” Franz murmured. He left the room and closed the door.

My heartbeat showed no signs of slowing, and I clenched my hands at my sides.

Nick turned, his expression neutral, and my heart sank at the lack of reaction.

So that’s how it’s going to be.

I bowed my head. “Your Majesty.”

I’d expected some emotion. A flicker of… something, anything , to show me the Nick I knew.

This wasn’t Nick, though. And it wasn’t just his short hair, his smooth jaw.

This was King Nikolaus, distant and formal, and nothing like the man I’d fallen in love with.