Page 8 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

The airport on Isla’Rosa was not modern, and that was being kind. That was another reason there was so much pressure on Laia to marry King Aristedes: for a much-needed financial injection into the economy. But Laia was determined to haul Isla’Rosa into the modern age in her own way. Maddi admired that.

The plane touched down and Maddi could see an entourage of people and cars waiting. Cars with flags. Suddenly the magnitude of what she was doing hit her and she went clammy with nerves.

‘Are you all right? You’re very pale,’ said the King.

Maddi nodded her head and smiled weakly. ‘Might have been something I ate.’

King Aristedes all but snorted derisively. ‘That wouldn’t surprise me.’

He was standing up now, and he filled the space effortlessly. Maddi stood up too, and felt momentarily light-headed. Actually, contrary to what she’d just told King Aristedes, she hadn’t had a solid meal in about forty-eight hours.

She must have swayed, or something, because suddenly her arm was in the King’s hand. Not even his jacket could act as a barrier to the shock of his touch. Firm and strong.

His voice was gruff when he asked, ‘Are you okay?’

Maddi nodded quickly. ‘Fine...just stood up too fast.’

The King took his hand away and Maddi started to take off his jacket. ‘You’ll probably need this.’

‘No.’His voice was sharp. ‘Leave it on. There are clothes for you at the palace.’

Maddi frowned. ‘But...you don’t know my size.’

He looked at her. ‘Of course I do. I have all your information, as you have mine.’ His gaze swept her up and down. ‘Although I’ll admit you’ve changed a little in the four years since I’ve seen you. It’s not a big deal—we can find clothes to fit you.’

Maddi felt his look like the lick of a flame over her skin. Yet she was pretty sure his words weren’t complimentary. How humiliating that she found him attractive...

The discreet staff on the plane appeared and helped King Aristedes gather his things. The security men emerged again, from the front of the plane.

Maddi could see more people outside now. The clammy panic was back. She clutched the King’s jacket around her like armour, as ineffectual as it was. She put her bag over her body. She felt very self-conscious.

Staff whispered into the King’s ear and he looked stern again. Steps were brought to the plane. The door was opened. At the last moment Maddi remembered she had sunglasses and put them on.

King Aristedes stood at the door and gestured to her. ‘Time to go.’

Maddi stepped into the doorway, glad of her sunglasses against the glare of the sun. She started to walk down the steps, very aware of her bare legs. The air was a lot cooler than it had been in the desert, but still pleasantly mild.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted flashes of light and looked over. A crowd of photographers were just beyond a chain-link fence. She heard a curse behind her, and then there was a hand on her waist.

She almost lost her footing on the last step when King Aristedes said, ‘Don’t look at them. Come this way.’

She was bundled into the back of a sleek SUV with tinted windows and one of those little flags denoting a state car before she could think straight, and then they were moving out of the airport in a cavalcade, along wide roads lined with trees.

The roads soon brought them into the city, also called Santanger. It was a very substantial city, and an intriguing mix of old and new. The old part was full of small winding streets and honey-coloured stone buildings with terracotta tiles. Window boxes overflowing with flowers added bright pops of colour.

There was a massive cathedral overlooking the sea, Baroque in design and also of honey-coloured stone.

Glossy-looking boutiques on the winding road down to a marina told the story of wealth in this large island kingdom. And Maddi wasn’t prepared for the vista opening up into a thoroughly modern part of the city, with soaring steel and glass buildings. It was the financial district. Which reminded Maddi that King Aristedes was renowned for his financial acumen and hosted one of the world’s most prestigious global economic events on the island every year.

Apart from his inherited royal wealth, he was also one of the most independently wealthy men in the world. Not that Maddi cared a fig about that. The kind of wealth she valued was in getting to know her sister and finding a place she could really call home on Isla’Rosa.

The car turned away from the marina and went up a hill, out of the city. Soon they were driving under a massive stone arch guarded by men in uniform. Now they were clearly on private property.

Still, Maddi wasn’t prepared when the cars drove into a massive courtyard with views straight out to the Mediterranean as far as the eye could see under a bright blue sky, not a cloud in sight. Water sparkled from an elaborate central fountain.

Her mouth dropped open. Beside her, King Aristedes said, ‘Anyone would think you’d never been here before.’

She hadn’t.

---