I swallow the lump in my throat. “Yes. I am familiar with the history of this family.” I just wasn’t thinking about it because it’s one thing to know the facts and another to be suddenly immersed in them. “K&R training. One year. Got it.”
I think I’m going to throw up.
“And no matter what, under any circumstances, you are not permitted in His Majesty’s suite.”
“Okay.” That takes me aback for a moment. “I wasn’t planning on going in his room.” But being told it’s completely off-limits is strange. It makes me think he’s hiding bodies in his closet or a pool of blood in his bathtub. I wouldn’t put either past him.
“Listen,” she says, her voice losing some of its frankness, her hand touching my shoulder in what is meant to be a comforting gesture. “I know this is quite the adjustment and it came out of nowhere. If it truly isn’t working out, the contract can always be altered. It’s more of a protection for us and the children. Since the queen died, we haven’t had the best luck with nannies. The king asked for someone different, and then you dropped into our laps. I am a woman who believes in fate, so that is what I’m calling it. You reached the girls when no one else has managed to, and you stood up to the king when no one else dares. But if your heart isn’t in this, I beg you to go now. This family has been through enough, and they do not need another nanny who will exploit them.”
Jesus. What these people have endured and have to deal with.
“I’d like to stay,” I tell her, and I think I mean it. Her speech did something to me. Rallied me to this. Despite the circumstances that got me here, and that, regardless of what she says, I am an indentured servant. Despite the king, whom, I admit, I’m drawn to in ways I’m not quite clear on.
“Good,” she remarks, relief capturing her features. “I suggest you get some rest now.”
She leaves, and suddenly I’m here alone in my new room in the freaking palace. The king’s room is down the hall. The children’s are not too far from mine. Quickly, I unpack my belongings, read and memorize the schedule, wash up in the bathroom, and climb into bed.
Tomorrow is going to be chaos, and I have no idea what lies ahead. I have a sinking feeling nothing here will be easy for me.
Especially with the king.
7
BELLAMY
The pounding comes on my door fifteen minutes before my alarm is set to go off. And I’d already set it for twenty minutes earlier than I figured I’d have to get up. I blink open my bleary eyes, the sky still dark outside my window. I slept like shit last night. Not a shocker there, given where I find myself, but I could have seriously used those extra fifteen minutes.
“Yes?” I reply in French, not sure which language I’m supposed to use. Everyone I’ve met so far speaks perfect English, but you never know.
“Miss Bellamy, wake up, wake up, wake up.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
The door flies open—I’m going to have to remember to lock that—before I can respond, and in runs Phaedra, who is fully dressed for school, closely followed by Sabrina and Zayer, who are still in pajamas. I have yet to meet Zayer, and this is certainly not how I wanted to do it. Still lying in bed, wearing a thin pajama shirt and tiny sleep shorts.
Slowly, I sit up just as the girls jump on my bed, and Zayer climbs up after them.
Zayer is a tiny toddler version of his father, whereas the girls are all their mother. He’s adorable as hell. Round-faced with dark hair and gray-blue eyes. He’s all smiles though, unlike his father, who I wouldn’t know had teeth if I hadn’t caught his pearly whites when he was sneering at me.
“Hi. I’m Pince Zawer,” he says, blinking up at me before popping his ring and pinky fingers in his mouth to suck on.
“Hi. I’m Bellamy,” I introduce, which feels weird since he’s so little. He’s not even three and a half. “I’m your new nanny.”
He gives me a big toothy grin, and I think I’m in love.
“He knows,” Sabrina squeals, jumping on my bed and bouncing the rest of us up and down with her. The girl does not sit still for a moment, I note. “Papa told us yesterday you were coming back. Can we play dollies? I want to play dollies. And then I want to build a block palace that looks like ours and then I want to?—”
“Wait,” I interrupt. “Hold on there, legendary princess. It’s my first day and we have a schedule. I have to get Phaedra ready for school.”
At the mention of school, Phaedra starts to pout. “Why do they get to stay here and play, and I have to go to school?”
“Because you begged Papa to go to school and not just sit in one of the rooms doing schoolwork,” Sabrina reminds her.
“I didn’t think it would be like it is. I thought it would be different. More like actual school. It’s still just me and a teacher, even though it’s in a different building that is made to look like a schoolroom at the far end of the palace grounds.”
Oh. There’s a lot in there to explore, but not right now.
“That’s just how it works,” I tell her. “Next year Sabrina will be joining you. But when you return, we can play. After we do homework.”
