Page 11 of Impossible Heir for the King

She shook her head. ‘No, thank you, they’re just down those stairs?’

He inclined his head and she walked past, faking confidence. He hadn’t actually refused her.

At the bottom of the stairs she passed another soldier who didn’t so much as blink as she walked past. But she saw the earpiece he wore. So perhaps that first guy had radioed him to let him know it was okay.

Outside she realised it was later in the day than she’d thought. The gardens were lush but the air was heavy and hot.

‘You have your land legs back now?’ a sardonic query came from behind her.

Her pulse picked up. So he’d been summoned. Was it the guard in the corridor or were there cameras that were too well hidden for her to have spotted? It had to be the guard. The king had better things to do than watch a security feed all day.

‘Apparently so,’ she mumbled, turning to him. ‘I seem to have slept almost all day, I needed to stretch out a little and test them.’

They weren’t the only things she was testing. She’d glanced at the high fences and the ornately carved gates at the nearest part of the palace perimeter and seen that the carvings would make good footholds. Maia was good at scrambling up and down narrow ladders and spaces. Now she just had to keep her brain on track while in Niko’s presence.

‘What about food—have you had anything to eat since you woke?’ Niko paused and cocked his head. ‘Will you dine with me tonight?’

There was a commanding thread that undermined the ‘optional’ element of his invitation. Maia braced. ‘If you don’t mind, I’d like to retire to my room and have a small tray there. I’ve got a lot to process.’

Niko stared, then slowly nodded. ‘Of course, I understand. Another time.’

‘Thank you.’ She swallowed.

She’d thought he wouldn’t be used to anyone turning him down about anything and his almost immediate acceptance seemed a little off. But then it dawned on her—he probably didn’t desire to dine with her at all. He’d been making an effort that he was happy to be saved from. After all they hadnothingin common and their paths never would have crossed if it weren’t for this crazy mix-up.

Heat flushed through her all over again and she was glad of the darkening sky.

‘But please allow me to accompany you around the garden before you go in,’ he said.

She was still wary of his too agreeable, too innocent tone. But it would be too rude to refuse him something that ought to be innocuous. She could still scope out all she needed to under the guise of awed enthusiasm. ‘Of course.’

‘The gates were hand-carved more than a century ago.’ He glanced at her as she startled. ‘You seemed interested in them.’

‘The whole palace is very beautiful,’ she hurriedly gushed. ‘The whole island.’

‘Indeed. All of them. The whole country in fact,’ he replied mockingly.

She gritted her teeth.

In this season dusk barely lasted before full darkness fell and it was often heralded by brief intense storms that blew through, cleansing the stifling humidity with a downpour of rain. But today’s storm hadn’t yet happened and the heaviness in the air pressed upon her skin. Tension built both inside and out of her—making it impossible to breathe or to think properly. The heat was too much.

He suddenly led her diagonally across the springy lawn and stopped by a small side door that she’d not noticed. ‘If you go through here and up those stairs it will take you straight to your corridor. It’s faster and you’ll avoid the weather that’s about to hit.’

She stared at the door. It was small and unobtrusive and perfect and she couldn’t believe he’d shown her exactly what she needed. ‘Thank you.’

But Niko didn’t step aside to let her pass, instead he looked down at her. She was at a disadvantage, not only in stature and strength, power and money, but now in illumination. Because while the interior lights shone through onto her face, he had his back to them and thus remained in shadow. So his expression was impossible to read in the sinking darkness while her face was visible. She felt that heat inside wanting to burst. She stared at him almost fixedly, determined to mask her inner turmoil. She would not fall beneath his sensual spell again.

‘Good night, Maia. Please eat and then sleep well. I have the feeling we’re going to have lots to settle tomorrow. But I hope we’ll be able to agree on the things that matter most.’

Her throat clogged unexpectedly. Perhaps he was trying to do the right thing, but it wasn’t enough for her. She made herself nod, unable to answer verbally. Because tomorrow she wasn’t going to be here.

Twenty minutes later Niko stood beside Pax and studied the screen. ‘What did she order to eat?’

‘Salad. Fish.’

Niko smiled at Pax’s sparse reply and watched her sitting on that sofa again. He regretted the fear he’d made her feel first thing this morning but there’d been no other way given the secrecy this situation required.Delicatewasn’t the only word. There wasdangerhere too. If people had planned to take advantage of the sample that had been stored at that clinic, then they must be aware of her existence now. That meant she might be at risk. The child might be at risk. He didn’t want to scare her any more than she had been but she wassafesthere at the palace. With him.

He’d spoken with the doctor at length and now he shifted, needing to pace, as angry energy rippled. What the man had told him added layers of complication to the mess they already faced. And made his care of her all the more crucial.

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