Page 55 of His Highness's Hidden Heir

“I do strive to do what’s right.” She folded her hands in her lap, gaze pensively fixed on the ring she wore. “I think often that if I’d been able to have children, I would not have had to force you to take this on. It was deeply unfair to you and your mother and your whole family. Sometimes there is no clear path that is wholly right, Magnus.”

“I know, but...” He ran his hand over his face. “But what you have demonstrated to me again and again, what I know to be true, is that this is a life where my wants and needs are second to the greater good. How can I be good enough to take the crown if I don’t have the strength of character to give her up, if that’s what is right forher?”

He had to look away, to hide the fact that his eyes were growing damp. His chest was tight and there was a deep ache behind his sternum, one so acute it felt like a fracture.

“Oh, Magnus, I hope you know I’m not a saint. Look at this choice I’m making right now. Is it not selfish of me that I would rather step back from my duties in hopes of living longer?”

“Iwant that.” He pointed to his chest. “I would rather you were here to provide advice than leave me to face this without you. Another self-serving act,” he muttered with a derisive wave at himself.

“And I want to live so I may see you rule,” she said quietly. In a rare moment of humanity, she let her mask slip and he saw affection and chagrin and humility. “I know you will rise to it, Magnus. You will make a wonderful king. I am so proud of you. I can’t bear not to witness it.”

Ah, hell. She was going to make him cry.

“When?” His voice thickened with emotion, because this wasn’t a choice. It was his destiny.

“A month?”

He nodded, accepting it, but all he could think was,What about Lexi?

Lexi was very used to rejection. For every role she’d landed, she’d been turned down for dozens more. For every comment or post that called her a fashion icon or a “Mom Worth Modeling” there were a hundred others that tore her down.

She knew that you couldn’t win if you didn’t try, and that trying meant risking failure, but that was what was smothering her right now: a sense of failure.

She had risked her heart and the man she loved didn’t love her back. She was married to him. They had a son—one who would one day be king of this country she had grown to love. She wanted to make Rolf proud. She wanted to makeMagnusproud.

And she was failing.

She did the only thing she could do. She dismissed the nanny and cuddled her baby, soaking up Rolf’s chubby warmth and the feel of his fingers curling into her shirt, his kicking legs and his wet mouth bapping her cheek.

“Lex?” Magnus came into their lounge, voice and expression grave enough to tighten her stomach. “We need to talk.”

“Magnus, it’s fine,” she insisted while drowning in defensiveness and a desire to quickly move back to what they’d had while also wondering if that was even possible. “I knew love was not something you were offering when we married. I didn’t mean to make you feel obligated.”

“It’s not fine. But I’d rather we weren’t distracted.” He rang for the nanny.

She closed her arms more firmly around Rolf. “You know he can’t speak English any better than Isleifisch, right?”

Not one hint of amusement. Magnus was somber as he told the nanny they had some important matters to discuss and didn’t want to be disturbed.

Lexi’s heart lurched and she was reluctant to give Rolf up. Her arms felt empty as she followed Magnus into his office. Her chest ached with a chill of apprehension.

“Magnus—” She didn’t even know what to say, she only knew that whatever he was planning to say would hurt.

“I need to tell you first that we’re not going to Asia. Katla is ill. She’s planning to abdicate within the next few weeks.”

Lexi’s shock was so great her mind blanked for several seconds.

“I know,” he said, guiding her toward a chair. “Sit. It’s a lot to take in.”

“But...Howill? Magnus...” She searched his expression as she sank onto the cushion. Her stomach twisted into knots when she saw the shadows of worry behind his eyes.

“It’s a heart condition similar to her mother’s. If she reduces stress and makes resting a priority, she should be with us for a good while.” It wasn’t even lunch, but he poured himself a drink, then left it on a side table as he sat down to face her.

“She seems so young,” Lexi said, voice coming out hushed because there was no wind in her. “Obviously, I knew you would become king eventually, but that felt like something that would happen years from now. I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll stay.”

“What?” She lifted her head, only then realizing she had buried her face in her hands. “Of course I’ll stay. I told you, I don’t want to go back to acting. I want to—” She swallowed. “I want to be Rolf’s mother.”

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