Viktor's eyebrow rose. “Now?”
“She texted earlier. Said there's a conflict with the economic summit.” I pulled out my phone, typed quickly. “Won't take long. Five minutes.”
His jaw tightened. Disappointment flickering across his face before professional mask slammed back into place. “Of course. I will wait in hall?—”
“No. Stay.” I caught his hand. Squeezed. “Please. I just need to sort this, then we have all night.”
A knock came almost immediately. Élodie must have been close.
“Come in,” I called.
She entered carrying her ever-present tablet, looking apologetic. “Sorry about the timing. I know it's late.” Her eyes flicked to Viktor, then back to me. Taking in the locked door. The intimate distance between us. “I can come back?—”
“It's fine. What's the conflict?”
She moved to the desk, pulled up her calendar. “The French ambassador moved his dinner to Thursday. Same night as the economic summit reception. Your father wants you at both.”
“Impossible. They're across the city from each other.”
“I know.” She scrolled through options. Her fingers moved fast. Practiced. “I can push the ambassador to Friday, but that puts you atthree events in one day. Or move the summit reception, but that requires coordinating with eight different delegations.”
Viktor stepped closer, looking over her shoulder at the tablet. “What time does ambassador dinner end?”
“Nine, if we're lucky. Ten more likely.”
“And summit reception starts?”
“Eight.”
“He cannot be two places at once,” Viktor said flatly.
“Thank you for that tactical insight,” Élodie said. But she smiled. Warm. Then her eyes caught on something on the screen. A notification. She swiped it away quickly. Too quickly. “I'm trying to make it work. The King insists both are crucial.”
“Papa insists everything is crucial,” I muttered. Moved to stand beside Viktor, studying the schedule. “What if I skip the ambassador dinner entirely? Send regrets?”
“He'll take it as an insult. France is already touchy about trade negotiations.”
“Then skip the reception.”
“And insult eight countries instead of one?” She tapped something on her tablet. Another screen. Another swipe. “The math doesn't work in our favor.”
Viktor's hand brushed my lower back. Brief. Supportive. Gone before Élodie could see.
Except she did see. Her eyes tracked the movement. Just for a second. Then back to the screen. Expression unchanged. But I caught it. That flicker of... what? Assessment? Cataloging?
“Split the difference,” Viktor suggested. “Attend ambassador dinner. Leave early. Arrive at reception late but make appearance.”
Élodie considered. Her fingers stilled on the tablet. “That could work. If we coordinate transport perfectly. If traffic cooperates. If nothing goes wrong.” She looked at Viktor. Held his gaze just a beat too long. “You'd need to plan the route. Security for both venues. Backup if timing fails.”
“Can do.”
“Good.” She made notes. Fast typing. “I'll notify both venues aboutadjusted timing. You'll need to charm the ambassador into accepting a shorter dinner.”
“Charming is what I do best,” I said.
“Among other things.” Her smile was warm. Genuine. The same smile I'd known for years. But her eyes were on her tablet again. Scrolling. Always moving. “I'll coordinate with Viktor on security details tomorrow morning. Make sure everything's airtight.”
“Appreciated,” Viktor said.
