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How was she going to get her child back?Couldshe even get her child back? He’d given her a glimpse of the steel inside him. He wouldn’t give their son to her, no matter what she did. Oh, she could try and manipulate him by playing the mother card and perhaps using their son’s future feelings as a weapon against him, but that felt wrong. She didn’t want to use their son as a pawn when the battle was between her and Galen. That was selfish.
Taking him away from his father is selfish.
Solace gritted her teeth. Okay, she’d allow that it cut both ways. Taking her child from Galen would leave Galen feeling as she did now, as if there was a hole in her soul, and she wouldn’t wish that on him. But then where did that leave her?
If she couldn’t take her child back to England, what else could she do? She couldn’t stay indefinitely in Kalithera, not on a tourist visa, and even if she could, would Galen allow her access to her baby? Given the statement his PR department had issued about the fate of his son’s mother—presumably to protect his spotless reputation—she could now never be acknowledged as the mother of his child. And she suspected that even if access was granted, it would be limited.
Solace dropped her hands from her face and stared hard at the white tiles in front of her, thinking.
Perhaps she needed to offer Galen something. She had no skills, no useful work experience except stacking supermarket shelves and serving people food, and her education was only of the most basic kind. The only useful thing she had was her body and that, at least, she knew he wanted. Perhaps she could offer to be his mistress? Or maybe, if that wasn’t acceptable, she could be her son’s nanny? He’d already have one, but maybe Galen would be okay with her helping in some small way.
It felt like begging for something she was already entitled to, and she hated that thought, but she couldn’t see any other choice. She had no power here except that which Galen chose to give her, and the only alternative was giving up and going home, and she couldn’t do that either.
She couldn’t let her own pride get in the way. After all, her feelings didn’t matter, only her child did. Perhaps being honest with Galen was the key. Perhaps she’d give him the brutal truth of why she’d signed away her rights as a parent, why she’d given up their son to him. Tell him about the postnatal depression, about her reasons for resorting to blackmail, and about how giving away her baby had torn a hole clean through her heart.
He was a fair man, that was what they said about him as a king. Surely, he’d listen. Surely, he’d give her something.
It went against all her instincts to bare her soul to anyone at all, let alone a man and most especially a man with such power, but what other option did she have?
She would do anything for her son. Anything at all.
Strangely, the decision made her feel stronger than she had for months, a new kind of determination flowing through her. She’d do what she had to for her son’s sake and maybe Galen would acknowledge that, maybe he wouldn’t, but she’d have tried.
You think that makes up for what you did? You gave him away as your mother gave you away. What makes you any better?
But she shut that thought away as she dried herself off and wrapped herself in a towel.
When she came out of the bathroom, she saw that a small table had been set up in the middle of the room, with plates of toast and eggs and bacon. There were pots of jam and honey, and a slab of creamy butter. A coffee pot steamed gently, filling the room with the scent of fresh coffee.
Solace’s stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since her hurried dinner the night before and she was starving.
Galen’s pronouncements about eating and getting dressed irritated her all over again, but while she might be uneducated, she was not stupid, so she put away her irritation, got herself a plate of food and some coffee, and had breakfast.
Annoyingly, she felt better after that and, even more annoying, she liked the dress that had been laid out for her on the bed while she’d been in the shower. It was a simple tiered sundress of thick white cotton that tied at her shoulders, and looked loose and comfortable and casual, as well as pretty.
She liked pretty things yet never had the money to buy them, and she’d have loved the dress if it hadn’t obviously been something he wanted her to wear.
Then again, who cared? She liked it and she didn’t want to wear the mesh dress again. It felt wrong to wear something so exposing when she was going to discuss her child’s future.
Perhaps you should. He might like you on your knees. After all, what else do you have to offer?
Solace’s jaw hardened. No, she’d offered her body once and he’d taken it. But she wouldn’t do it again. No more manipulation. She’d try honesty and see where that got her.
It won’t get you anywhere. It never has before. And would he even believe you anyway?
But Solace ignored the thought, picking up the pretty white dress and going about making herself presentable.
Ten minutes later, a knock came on the bedroom door.
She took a breath, steadied herself, and then went to answer it.
A man in the blue and silver palace uniform stood on the other side. ‘His Majesty will see you now. Please, follow me.’
Solace stepped out of the bedroom and followed the man dutifully.
She remembered the hall from the night before, though Galen had been carrying her at the time, and she hadn’t really taken a good look around. They’d both been far more interested in getting to the bedroom.
It was a wide hallway with a polished wooden floor covered by a thick silk runner. The walls were white and hung with various paintings, some abstracts with lots of colour and some more monochrome. The ceilings were high, and windows at the end of the hall let in light.
