Page 58 of His Runaway Princess

After just a few minutes, Ryker surprised her. “I need to tell you something, Amalia.”

She blinked, all kinds of thoughts running through her head. Could he be about to tell her he’d be returning to Eyjania permanently? Something else?

His hands came to rest on the sides of her hips. The soft look in his beautiful hazel eyes gave her hope.

“I want to stay here with you. I want to make this work. We talked about it some, but the longer I’m in Øyanord, the more certain I am this is where I belong. With you. These people. Supporting you however you need me to, not just now but someday when the weight of the country will sit on your shoulders.”

Her hands rested on his upper arms. “I’d like that. This feels right. There’s a peace I never would have expected.”

“Exactly.”

Before she realized what he was doing, Ryker had dropped to one knee, holding a small box. “Princess Johanne Betlinde Amalia, will you do me the honor of being my wife, of marrying me for real?”

Amalia gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as he opened the box to reveal her favorite ring from her grandfather’s vault. “Yes. Of course!”

She held out her hand for him to slide the ring on her finger.

He stood and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground as she held onto his neck and laughed before kissing him.

A minute later, hand-in-hand, they walked back up to the plateau and started for the house. Ryker’s phone buzzed.

“I’ve got to take this.” He gave her another quick kiss then walked toward the house as he answered the call.

Amalia motioned that she was going to go back to the lookout to wait for him. He nodded.

She went back down the path and leaned against the top of the plexiglass barrier. With a happy sigh, she looked at the ring Ryker had just placed on her finger.

When Ginny asked her to come to the North Shore, she never could have imagined this outcome. A boat ride with no fear like there used to be.

A proposal.

And the news that she’d one day be queen.

If it had happened a couple of years earlier, she would have reacted much differently, like it was her due. Now, she knew how much responsibility it would be.

She started to think about turning around and going back up to wait for Ryker, but...

A hand covered her mouth and something hard shoved into her ribs.

The warm breath on her ear nauseated her, but the voice that growled in it made her freeze.

“Don’t move, Your Royal Highness. You and I have a lot to discuss.”

18

Something uneasy settled over Ryker as he spoke with Thor. He’d need to talk to Justin before long as well, tendering his official resignation.

Leaving Samuel Saddois in charge of Princess Genevieve’s safety bothered him in a way he didn’t understand.

But this feeling seemed like... more. Something else.

“I need to go, sir.” Ryker interrupted his former boss. “I’ll talk to you soon.” He hung up before the other man had a chance to respond.

Turning, he scanned the area for Amalia, frowning when he didn’t see her.

“Amalia!”

Could she have gone back to the lookout?

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