Page 13

Alex exhaled, his body sinking into a cold bath.

He swore he could hear the water hiss against his skin.

Ever since their kiss in the alley, his body had been burning hot, and he couldn’t shake off the heat simmering beneath the surface, as if Sera’s touch had ignited a fire only she could extinguish.

“Why?” He glanced at the valet, scrutinizing his clothing with hawkish eyes. He winced; some spots on his jacket and trousers were smeared with dust from their tavern escapade. “A minor scuffle. Nothing noteworthy.”

He didn’t want to elaborate on the details.

The valet simply snorted.

Alex clenched his teeth as the water rose to his collarbone, his body cooling quickly. He sighed with relief.

“But I must say, Your Highness, Cornwall doesn’t seem to suit you. Every day you return more disheveled than the last.”

On the contrary, he thought Cornwall suited him quite well. In fact, he couldn’t recall why he wasn’t staying in Cornwall to spend more time with Sera. Perhaps he could inform his brother, Stan, that he needed more time for Cornish affairs? One particular matter of the heart, to be precise…

“And before I forget, Your Royal Highness, a letter arrived for you today.”

Alex turned his gaze to the man, curiosity piqued. “A letter?” There were only a few people who knew where he was.

“Yes, Your Highness. From London.”

Alex straightened slightly in the tub, extending a wet hand. The valet hesitated, then retrieved the letter from a nearby desk and handed it over, careful to avoid the dripping water.

Alex broke the seal, his eyes scanning the neat handwriting.

Dear Alex,

First of all, I apologize for disappearing and not reaching out sooner despite your enquiries. Now, however, I write to you with an urgent request that weighs heavily on my heart. The situation in our realm has become precarious, and I fear for the stability of our alliances.

You know as well as I do the importance of the upcoming formal introductions with Miss Lyndon’s family; it is crucial for our political strategy.

But it is also vital that you join me in London at the earliest opportunity.

We need to consolidate our position and ensure that our allies remain steadfast in their support.

The stakes are high, and I need your strength and wisdom by my side.

Awaiting your swift reply.

Yours,

Stan

The cold water clung to Alex’s skin, seeping into every inch of him, but it was the letter resting on the edge of the tub that chilled him deeper—a slow, creeping frost that wrapped around his lungs and squeezed, turning his breath into shallow, uneven gasps.

He understood the stakes all too well… a certain Prussian baron with a vendetta against his family.

Baron von List had inflicted chronic pain in the region around Bra?ov, but judging by the urgency in Stan’s words, it was worsening.

A brotherly plea to return to London clashed with the need to see Sera.

A bloody double-edged sword that could cut not only his throat but also his family’s if he didn’t respond to the threats posed by von List.

The paper trembled in Alex’s hand, its words seeming to seep into his skin.

But the weight of duty was immense, crushing his chest like an iron plate.

A vague image of Miss Lyndon, with her refined upbringing and undeniable fortune, loomed in his mind as a symbol of his expected life.

It was a life he could picture vividly—the measured steps, the polite smiles, the unyielding rhythm of obligation.

Yet, with that clarity came suffocating stillness.

Sera, in contrast, was chaos incarnate. Every thought of her crackled through him like lightning, alive and uncontrollable, throwing his pristine world into disarray.

She hadn’t asked for him; she had demanded nothing.

Yet, she had planted herself so firmly in his mind that leaving felt as unnatural as severing a part of himself.

The idea of Cornwall without her was a hollow ache he couldn’t bear to dwell on. But what was he to do? Swap the certainty of a kingdom for the tenuous heat of a handful of stolen moments? Trade the promise of stability for the reckless pull of the unknown?

He’d been raised to choose honor, always honor.

But in the face of her, of everything she was, honor felt like a half-empty word if it meant betraying not only his heart but also his convictions—and he was becoming more and more convinced that Sera deserved his heart and loyalty as much as his family.

Whoever Miss Lyndon was, she’d have to find herself another prince…

He flung the letter aside, its corner catching the sunlight before it fluttered to the floor, a thing so light for the crushing burden it carried.

For a moment, he pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, as if he could scrub away the images, the war waging between duty and desire that clawed at his chest. When he drew his hands down and looked at the discarded letter, all he felt was dread—centered around one consuming question.

Could he live with himself if he walked away?

Could he live with himself if he stayed?

A Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen prince didn’t marry for love. No, marriage was a tool—a strategy. Alex knew that well enough. The union with Miss Lyndon wasn’t about desire or choice; it was about necessity. Her family practically controlled the fleets on the Black Sea, a lifeline for trade and defense.

A single vow, a simple “I do,” and he’d secure an alliance that could bolster his entire principality.

Peace. Prosperity. Stability.

Words his advisers hammered into him like a mantra. It wasn’t just his future they discussed—it was their future, their power, their survival. And yet, all that weight, all that responsibility, didn’t make it easier to swallow.

This marriage wouldn’t just shape alliances; it would cement his legacy. A bridge to peace, they called it, but it felt more like a chain binding his choices to the will of others.

Draci ! Could he ignore his duty?

Could he dismiss what had been drilled into him since birth? The answer whispered back to him, cold and unwavering.

No. He couldn’t.

His principality needed this; his family needed this. But why, then, did the thought sit like a stone in his chest? Why did the shadow of someone else—someone who made him feel alive—refuse to leave him in peace?

And he was ready to topple it.

Which nearly scared him to death. But this country girl… She had taken hold of him in a way that caught him off guard. There was no coy hesitation, no demure retreat. She met him earnestly, and yes, with a hunger that matched his own.

But he felt her inexperience in her kiss.

This connection with Sera was real affection, not merely a summer fling. Even the second kiss in the alley. It had been a mistake and a revelation. She wasn’t just a distraction; she was a threat to everything he had meticulously planned.

And he craved her so.

Longed for her.

Alex pushed himself upright, droplets streaming down his chest as he rose from the bath. He reached for a towel, his movements brisk and decisive.

“I need you to arrange a few things for me,” he said to the valet, who was still fussing over the discarded clothes.

“Anything, Your Highness.”

“A boat,” Alex began, wrapping the towel around his waist. “And a picnic.”

The valet blinked. “A picnic?”

“Yes.” Alex’s voice was firm, though his mind churned. He would leave Cornwall soon—there was no escaping that. But before he left, he had to see Sera one last time. “I have an urgent matter.”

“If I may, Your Highness, you seem troubled. I am at your disposal if you require any assistance.”

“I am a prince,” Alex muttered. “I am always wrestling with something. There’s just something I’m not entirely clear about, that is all.

” The valet inclined his head. “Of course. But might I remind you that even princes are allowed moments of clarity? May I inquire as to the nature of your uncertainty?”

No! Alex huffed a laugh, though it held little humor. “Clarity is a luxury I can afford but would regret.”

Curiously, the valet said nothing for a moment. “But it seems to me that Cornwall has offered you something—or someone—worth considering.”

His brows furrowed as he contemplated this obligation.

Yet, his heart tugged in another direction.

He was loath to leave. But the neatly penned words were clear: Stan needed him in London for a matter of grave importance, and Alex would never turn his back on his family. He couldn’t delay his return anymore.

Yes, she was worth considering.

But that was all he could do.

Consider.

He would leave the day after the next.

Not without a goodbye.