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“It doesn’t matter. Who doesn’t matter—not anymore. But dedicating my life to removing men from the world who create destruction? That is a fitting tribute to their memory. Trust me on that.”
“It is strange, is it not? That sometimes to become avengers of atrocities we must commit some of the same. You know, me kidnapping you.”
“We do what we must. I cannot despise you too greatly because of that.”
“I find I cannot despise you, this marriage bargain notwithstanding. But then, it was never my goal.”
“What is your favorite?”
She looked at all the food. “I couldn’t choose.”
“You must have a favorite.”
“Choice. That’s my favorite.”
He smiled and nodded slowly. “That is a good answer.”
CHAPTER SIX
HE SLEPT WELL in the palace, and there was something surprising about that. It was strange to be here as himself, when the last time, he had been here as The King.
He looked in the closet, shaking his head. The way that Annick had gone about procuring a wardrobe for him was one of the most ridiculous things he’d ever heard. But also, ingenious, and it was true what he’d said to her last night. He had to respect her determination. She was a strong, feral creature, and if Stella had wanted him to pour his energy into anything, it would’ve been helping Annick.
It was not all truism that drove him, not really. There was something more difficult to pin down. He had been working for years now to try and make Stella’s death mean something. The problem was, there was not much in the way of meaning to be found in the death of a beautiful young woman caught in a firefight between businessmen that she should’ve had nothing to do with. He was not a man who sat. He was not a man who stood idly by and let things happen, and he had been unable to do anything when it had mattered most.
He dressed in a suit and marveled at the fact that it really did fit perfectly.
He paused for a moment, guessing where he thought Annick might be.
And for some reason, he knew she would still be in her room.
There’d been something watchful about her in the large dining room. She had said she was not accustomed to big meals like that, and what he wondered was if Annick was still uncomfortable in large spaces. She had been kept in a dungeon most of her life, so he could see why. He paused in front of a woman wearing what he took to be the palace uniform. “Princess Annick’s room?”
She eyed him warily. “If Annick has not given you the location of her chambers...”
“I will find it, thank you.”
If he were Annick, he would have put him close by. She would want him to be near enough to be convenient. Perhaps far enough to feel safe.
Then there was the simple question of where the primary bedchamber in the house was most likely to be located. He paused at the end of the corridor. At the double doors there.
“There you are.” And then he flung them open.
“Eh!” She made a sharp exclamation and scrambled back on the bed, covering herself with her sheets. Annick had her hair in a braid and was wearing what appeared to be an extremely virginal white nightgown. She had coffee and pastries around her.
“Good morning,” he said.
“I did not say you could come in.”
“No. You didn’t.” He shrugged carelessly. “But I didn’t ask.”
“Treason,” she said.
“To enter the Princess’s bedchamber unannounced? My fiancée’s bedchamber.”
“I may have agreed,” she said, sniffing loudly. “But it is not announced.”
“I assume you will announce it soon.”
