Page 31 of Royal Fling
“Well, I’ll be damned,” I muttered as the photos of August flooded my results page.
I pinched my arm. Just to make sure.
“Ouch.”
I guess I wasn’t dreaming.
Fuck.
Eight
August
Ididnotwant Luke to find out about me in that way, and I certainly didn’t want him to find out about me at all if it could be helped.
People tended to change how they acted around me when they found out, and the last person I wanted to act different was him.
He had given me everything I wanted and so much more last night. I’d felt like a real person and not like a fragile china doll.
I just hoped he’d remain the same with me now that he knew, if he stayed in my life long enough, of course.
He could very easily keep in touch with Fisayo and avoid me at all costs.
Lord, I hope he doesn’t.
“August,” my mother said as soon as I walked into my office.
I stood to attention in front of her and bowed.
“Mother,” I said in our native tongue and finally embraced her. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
“I wanted to surprise you,” she replied with a grin that said there was more to it than that.
She looked her usual stunning self with her chocolate-dyed coiffed hair framing her face and an indigo blue pencil dress with a golden brooch of a hellebore, our national flower.
“Well, in that case, consider me surprised,” I said.
“How was your trip in New York?”
“Productive,” I replied. “The Committee raised some very valid points about Elysian immigrants State-wise, and I promised to address them with Prime Minister Makris at our next meeting.”
“Very good. Does that mean you’ll be returning home?”
Ah, there it was.
The reason for her visit. I knew it had nothing to do with a motherly surprise and everything to do with the return of the first-born.
“No, no plans at the moment,” I pointed out.
Mother sighed and sat down on my office chair like she owned it. I guess in a way she did, but it still didn’t make me feel any better sitting on the other side of my own desk.
“Augustine, it’s time you come home. Your father and I have been very patient with you. We accepted your need to study and live away for a few years. When are you going to return?”
I looked at my bookcase behind her instead of focusing on her eyes because I really didn’t want to say anything I might regret.
“I don’t see a reason to return just yet, Mother. I’m doing important work here, and I’d like to continue.”
“Surely you can do that work from Elysia,” she said.
