Theodoric St. George crossed the threshold, bearing a regal air despite the fact that he had never occupied his kingdom’s throne.
“Call me Theo,” he said.
And Maxim liked the man instantly. He nodded to Felix, who snapped the door closed, giving them privacy.
“Theo,” he repeated. “Come and sit. We have much to discuss.”
“Brother,” Princess Anastasia greeted warmly, her entire mien changing as she rushed forward, throwing herself into her sibling’s arms for an undignified embrace.
Theo clasped his sister tightly. “Sister. Are you well?”
Maxim watched in silence as the two exchanged pleasantries, inquiring after each other’s welfare and journeys. It was plain to see that despite her brother’s lengthy exile, Princess Anastasia remained close to him. It was also plain to see that her grim demeanor had been entirely caused by being alone in a room with Maxim.
It certainly didn’t bode well for their union.
He clenched his jaw, telling himself it was a concern for later.
At last, the conversation between the princess and her brother waned.
“Sit,” Maxim invited, gesturing to a grouping of chairs that had been arranged for just such a purpose. “Please.”
The three of them settled in their respective chairs.
Theo was first to speak. “Thank you for including Stasia in this discussion.”
The gratitude startled Maxim. Did everyone consider him a vicious ogre?
“Why would I not?” He forced a smile he didn’t feel. “It is her homeland of which we speak as well, is it not?”
Theo inclined his head. “Other men would not, however, and merely because she is a woman.”
Maxim scoffed, thinking of Tansy and her boundless determination. “Other men are stupid.”
In Varros, women possessed rights over property. They also had suffrage. Those were some of the many changes Maxim had enacted when he had come to power. He regretted none of them.
Theo chuckled, the sound seemingly rusty, as if he didn’t often have cause for levity. “I don’t disagree, Your Majesty.”
“Call me Maxim,” he invited. “Please. We are allies, no?”
And soon to be family, but that reminder came with an unwanted surge of bitterness.
“Allies,” Theo repeated, slanting a glance at his sister. “I would like to believe we are.”
“Allies,” he insisted firmly. “I have an army ready to prove it so, and I’ve men in Boritania awaiting you. They’ve been gathering the revolutionaries in preparation for your arrival. My ships are at your disposal. Varros is committed to removing the pretender king from your throne and seeing you placed upon it where you belong.”
Theo nodded, his expression tense and stern. “I’m indebted to you for your generosity.”
Maxim shook his head. “I’m not a generous man. I’m a wise one. Having you on the throne will benefit my kingdom and my people. Boritania and Varros were close allies once. I hope to restore that bond.”
And he was sacrificing himself to do it.
“The time has come for Gustavson to pay the price for his sins,” Theo said grimly. “I’ll defeat him or die trying.”
“We’ll defeat him together,” Maxim vowed.
Lyingon her side in his bed, Tansy watched Maxim as he slept. The glow of flickering candlelight lovingly illuminated the sharp angles of his face. Inky hair fell over his brow. He was all stark, brutal masculinity, the emerging whiskers shadowing his jaw, the scars on his body, and the breadth of his shoulders making him appear more warrior than king. How she loved him.
Her heart felt impossibly heavy, weighed down by the certain knowledge that they had made love for the last time. Beyond the heavy curtains, the sun was rising on a new day, painting the sky with rich, gold light. She was going to leave him today.
