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CHAPTER ONE
‘STOP.’
The voice came from behind, an avalanche of dark sound, crashing through the cathedral and silencing the bishop utterly.
Amalia De Vita, in the middle of the aisle, on her way to the altar, froze, her heart thudding in her ears.
He knows.
The thought was fleeting, icy, causing her hand that was resting on her father’s arm to twitch, nearly going to her stomach in an instinctive protective movement. Luckily, she caught herself at the last moment.
It was impossible. He couldn’t know. No one did. Not even Matias, her fiancé. She’d kept that precious secret all to herself and she was sure she hadn’t let it slip.
At the altar Matias stood, tall and dark and dapper in his expertly tailored morning suit. He was frowning in her direction, presumably at the owner of that dark, terrible voice.
But Lia didn’t turn. She knew who owned that voice already.
Fear crouched like a prey animal deep inside her.
You should have told him.
The silence in the cathedral was complete, every one of the hundreds of people in attendance staring at the ornate oak doors.
‘This wedding is cancelled,’ the voice said, the weight of authority in his tone crushing everyone flat. ‘The woman, if you please, De Vita.’
Beside her, Lia’s father, the previous King’s most trusted advisor, swung around, his whole body stiff with surprise. ‘Your Excellency?’
‘Rafael?’ Matias said at the same time, taking a step forward from the altar. ‘What is the meaning of this?’
There was no reply.
Footsteps came from behind her and someone took her arm in a gentle, but very firm grip. A royal guard.
No.
Lia trembled as denial coursed through her and she’d ripped her arm from the guard’s hold before she could think better of it, her heart nearly beating its way out of her chest.
Her father was looking at her now and she could feel his shock. And no wonder. She was Amalia De Vita, the chosen bride of Matias Alighieri, heir to the throne of Santa Castelia. Why would the royal guard be coming for her?
‘Lia?’ There was confusion in her father’s blue eyes as he looked at the guard and then at her.
Of course he’d be confused. But she hadn’t been able to bring herself to tell him the truth. His disappointment in her would have been more than she could bear.
He’ll find out anyway now.
Yes, he would.
Lia stayed silent, staring out through the fine gauze of her veil, tension crawling through her.
Perhaps if she didn’t move this all might go away.Hemight go away.
Matias was drawing closer, anger written all over his handsome face. His groomsmen were standing at the altar, muttering among themselves while the bishop looked on disapprovingly.
Whispers, amplified by the magnificent acoustics of the cathedral, moved like a wind through the assembled aristocracy of Santa Castelia.
A scandal in the making. They’d think all their Christmases had come at once.
Then the whispers died, another profound silence falling.
