Our place.
That didn’t sound like something somebody would say if they were planning to end a courtship, and Vasily felt a flicker of hope, followed by the urge to explain. “I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely. “I had permission from my parents to travel for a year. Not as a prince, just as Vasily. And it was wonderful, and I felt sofree.” He swallowed and gazed at his lap. “But then I met you, and you were everything I never knew I wanted, and I was afraid to say anything in case I lost you. I know I should have told you. But I just wanted…”
“Shhh, lad. I know. You wanted to be yourself, not a prince,” Mother said, turning and tucking one leg under himself so they were facing. There were dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept, his hair was a mess, and he was still the most wonderful sight Vasily had ever seen—because he washere.
Vasily swallowed thickly. “Now that you know, are we—do you still want—” He couldn’t quite get the words out.
Somehow, Mother understood anyway. He caught Vasily’s gaze, his eyes filled with warmth and affection. “Yes,” he said quietly. “I still want.”
The tightness in Vasily’s chest eased, and it felt like he could draw breath again. “Are you sure? It doesn’t matter that I’m a prince?”
“Course it bloody matters,” Mother said, reaching out and clasping Vasily’s hand between his palms. “You’re fourth in line for the throne, lad.”
“Fifth,” Vasily corrected. “My brother has a son, so that means—”
Mother raised an eyebrow. “Whether you’re fourth or fifth, you’re a prince of the realm and I’m the son of a fisherman. I’m sure that someone, somewhere, is going to have a conniption about this. But I’ve had time to think, and you being a prince doesn’t change the fact that I—” He swallowed, then squared his shoulders and declared, “I’ve gone and fallen in love with you.”
Vasily stared, the words echoing around in his skull before he finally made sense of them. “You…love me?”
Mother gave him an uncertain smile. “Sorry, lad. Prince or not, I can’t help it. And I know I’m only the stablemaster and not nearly good enough for you, and I don’t know how this can work, but the heart wants what it wants. And what I want is to keep you.”
The lump in Vasily’s throat dissolved into a laugh that bubbled out of his chest, and he felt as light and free as one of the birds who swooped and soared overhead. “You too,” he said, breathless. “Love you. I do, I mean.” He stopped to catch his breath and tried again, dizzy with relief and exhilaration. “I’m in love with you, Bryn.”
Mother’s eyes lit up, and his face split in a wide smile. “Oh, thank the gods.” he breathed out. He clambered to his feet and extended a hand to pull Vasily up.
Vasily scrambled to stand, and when Mother leaned in for a kiss, he responded eagerly, still overwhelmed. Closing his eyes, he lost himself in the familiar taste of Mother’s mouth, a single thought echoing in his head.
Motherlovedhim.
He pulled back long enough to test the shape of it. “You love me, Bryn Jones.”
“I love you, Vasily Anatoly Alexei Pasha Petrov,” Mother said, grinning, and Vasily wondered how long he’d practiced just to get all the names right.
The corners of Mother’s eyes were creased with mirth, his smile wide enough that his crooked tooth peeked out. He was beautiful, and Vasily drank in the sight of him. Just knowing Bryn loved him, he could die right now a happy man.
He took a half step back just so he could see him better.
Except he’d forgotten that he was barefoot, and he found himself slipping on the rounded cobbles at the top of the wall. His legs slid out from under him, sending him backward—and then he was falling, and there was only air beneath him. The sound of it whooshing past drowned out his screams as his hands clutched desperately at nothing.
He had barely a second to think that at least the sea would make for a soft landing before he hit the solid surface with a smack. Pain radiated along his spine and all his limbs as he sank into the water, and between that and the shock of the cold water, all the air left his lungs in a whoosh as bubbles flew around his face. He managed to flail his way to the surface and heaved in a sharp breath, fighting to stay afloat.
Mother’s horrified face stared down at him and Vasily tried to call out, but before he could, a wave caught him and smacked him up into the rock wall, and everything went fuzzy round the edges as he sank like a stone.
ChapterFifteen
Mother froze, blood pounding in his ears as terror washed over him. He watched on, helpless, as Vasily tumbled towards the water. When his body struck the surface with a wet slap, Mother flinched instinctively at the imagined sting of it. Then a wave picked up Vasily and swept him into the rock wall. He went limp, and Mother’s heart leapt into his throat.
It was the sight of his body disappearing beneath the surface that spurred Mother to action. He knew the sensible thing would be to run down to the dock and take one of the smaller rowboats out, but there was notime.The harbour wasn’t overly deep, but Vasily couldn’t swim a stroke. By the time Mother got there, Vasily would have been claimed by the depths, and he couldn’t let that happen.
Sensible be buggered.
Without a second thought, he pulled off his boots, coat, and shirt, took a deep breath, and dived off the wall.
The water was shockingly cold, stealing his breath, and it took him a moment to find his way back to the surface, blinking and kicking frantically against the pull of the tide. He looked around desperately, but there was no sign of Vasily. He blinked until his vision cleared as he resisted the urge to scream Vasily’s name and forced himself to think. He swam closer to the rock wall where he’d last seen him, praying to any god that was listening.
Please.I can’t lose him.
Taking a deep breath, he dived under the surface and started searching, muted panic making his heart thud as he surged forward. He glanced over to the left when a flash of colour and movement caught his eye.
