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‘But that’s how I feel,’ she said, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. ‘I know that’s not your intention, and that you don’t think or believe that—I know—but I’ve spent most of my life feeling like a dirty secret. For us to carry on, even if it’s only until you marry, will make me one.’
He didn’t say anything, just stared at her as if he were seeing her for the first time.
‘Helios, when you marry the Princess be faithful to her. Give your marriage a chance. She deserves that and so do you.’
‘You sound like you’re planning to leave now...’ A strange look flashed in his eyes and suddenly he sprang to life like Galatea, the statue created with such love by Pygmalion.
He strode out of the kitchen and into her bedroom, taking in the suitcases on the bed, half-filled with clothing.
His face contorted and he shook his head. ‘No.’
‘Helios...’
‘No.’ His hands clenched into fists.
She could see him fighting the urge to throw her cases out of the window.
His phone buzzed again, the third time it had rung in as many minutes.
‘Answer it,’ she insisted. ‘It might be important.’
‘This is important.’ After a moment’s pause he swore and pulled the phone to his ear. ‘Yes?’
After a few moments his demeanour changed. As he listened he straightened his neck and rolled his shoulders, breathing deeply. His only contribution to the conversation was a few short words of Greek.
‘I need to go,’ he said when he’d finished the call. ‘My grandfather’s suffering from a mild infection and is fighting with the doctors over his treatment.’
‘I hope it’s nothing too serious,’ she said, immediately concerned.
‘Just my grandfather being a stubborn old man.’ He rubbed his chin and glared at her with his jaw clenched. ‘I’ll be back later. Don’t even think of going anywhere.’
She didn’t answer.
‘I need to hear it, Amy. Tell me you won’t go anywhere or do anything until I get back. Promise me.’
Knowing even as she spoke them that her words were a lie, she said, ‘I’ll be here.’
His shoulders loosened a little. Pacing over to her, he took her face in his hands and crushed her lips with his mouth, kissing her as if he’d been starved of her kisses for ever. And then he dropped his hold on her and walked out of her bedroom.
She heard the slam of the interconnecting door as he left.
* * *
Theos, his grandfather had to be the most stubborn man alive. He was refusing the intravenous drugs his doctors wanted to give him.
What could he do? He couldn’t force him. The King wasn’t a baby to be coaxed into doing his elders’ bidding.
That hadn’t stopped Helios from trying to make him see reason. Now he wanted to tear his hair out, to claw at his scalp and draw blood.
‘At least he’s not in pain,’ Talos said quietly.
Their grandfather hadn’t resisted painkillers for the pain racking his body. The cancer, kept at bay by months of chemotherapy, was making another, deadlier assault on his body. No one would say it, but time was slipping away from them.
One good thing to come out of the mess this day had turned into was the news from Theseus, who had gone tearing after Jo, the mother of his child, a couple of days ago. The fool had realised when it was almost too late that he truly did love her, and luckily it seemed Jo loved him too and had agreed to marry him.
No coercion, no thoughts of duty. They were marrying for love. Helios had never heard his brother sound so happy.
Both his brothers were marrying.
As Talos—who was marrying his violinist—had chosen someone not of royal blood, any child he had would not be in the line of succession to the throne, but Toby, Theseus’s beautiful son, had already secured the throne for the next generation. Until Helios’s own children were born.
Helios sighed and got to his feet. ‘I need to change for dinner.’
He wished he could pull out of it, but it was a matter of honour amongst his family that personal matters never got in the way of duty. And this dinner was duty.
Nausea fermented in him as he remembered that Catalina would be attending. She was already there in the palace. He still couldn’t bring himself to call her.
As much as he wanted to, there wasn’t time to make a diversion to Amy’s apartment and check that she was okay. Instead he fired off a quick message to her before showering and changing into his dinner jacket. He put his cufflinks on during his walk to the designated dining room for the evening, his courtiers struggling to keep up with his long strides.
Forcing bonhomie, Helios plastered a smile on his face and entered the dining room, where the delegation was waiting for him. Catalina was already there, holding court like a professional. When she saw him she excused herself to join him.
