Page 28 of Royal Resistance

I was glad Diandra wasn’t part of the conversation, or she would have been quick with the “I told you sos” when I decided that the right wife would be an asset.

We both agreed Selene would be a good fit. And now it’s up to me to make it happen.

“A vibe,” Selene echoes.

“A beautiful-woman vibe,” I offer and the corners of her mouth curve up. I get the sense Selene doesn’t smile often, so I take this as another win.

“You’ve proposed twice, and yet, you haven’t mentioned love,” she points out.

“Is that what you want? What you need? Because maybe someday… But right now, I’m looking for more of an arrangement. I’m sorry about that,” I add.

“An arranged marriage.” I don’t like the tone of her voice.

“You mentioned the sixteen proposals, so I thought you understood… Forgive me if I’ve overstepped.”

Selene holds her coffee with both hands, and when I glance at her serious profile, I notice a tiny bit of foam on her upper lip. “Here.” We stop, and she turns…

She looks… I’m literally struck speechless for a moment. Maybe it’s the way the sun hits the back of her head, giving her an ethereal glow, or the way her blue eyes focus on me, like I’m the only one here.

It’s never happened to me before. Looking at a woman and you can see… everything. Everything that could be.

“You’ve got a bit… here.” I point to her lip, resisting the urge to dab at it myself.

I don’t think Selene would appreciate that.

I’m not sure she appreciates any of this, but I have to try. For my country, for my people, and maybe for Selene too.

She wipes at her mouth with her finger. “Thank you.”

“It was a good look,” I tease. “I think most things would be a good look for you.”

She smiles and… wow. It’s all the things—like the sun breaking free of storm clouds, the way the water sparkles in the harbour, hearing the cheers lift the roof off a stadium.

We’ve reached the pier, and Selene turns away from me to stare over the water.

Laandia has a beautiful coastline—rugged and rocky and full of icebergs and whale sightings. I like nothing more than jumping on a boat and spending the day on the water.

I get the sense that I won’t be able to do that much anymore. At least not so easily.

“I was engaged to a man for almost six years,” she says quietly, as matter-of-factly as if we’re talking about the weather.

I note the past tense, but it’s not something a potential suitor wants to hear. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

“No one knew about it because Darren didn’t want to announce it until there was a timeline for my becoming queen. He was very excited when my father decided to abdicate. That should have been a red flag for me,” she muses like she’s speaking to herself.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Darren was the sixth Baron von Lier of Belgium. Darren the Baron.”

There’s a sound coming from Selene—is that a giggle?

Her shoulders shake… with laughter? “Why did I never notice that? His name! What kind of parent names their son Darren when he’s going to be a baron?” She laughs, and the sound…

Selene’s laugh is sweet and musical, and loud, and so unlike her persona, so different from how she puts herself out to the rest of the world that it startles me.

So maybe that’s not the real Selene, because someone so cool and reserved shouldn’t have a laugh like that.

“I take it the two of you aren’t together?” I ask carefully, just to make sure.