I lived in the basement and served the family, but occasionally my father would play with me. He’d read with me or buy me dresses I had no place to wear.
Samil too. On his breaks from school, he’d coax his mother into letting me swim with him or have an ice cream on a hot day. We’d play chess and Monopoly, and after my father died and my training really began, we’d spar and fence and fight each other with fucking knives. He taught me how to code and hack. How to appear one way when you’re actually something else.
A noise at the door draws me out of my introspection, and Iturn to find the king and prince watching me. Fabulous. What did they see that I don’t want them to?
I curtsy. “I hope Mrs. Lids got off okay?”
“She did,” the king tells me as he pans a hand toward the sofa as they enter the room. “How about you sit with us for a few minutes so we can discuss everything, including the new position?”
It’s a question, but it’s not. His tone isn’t brokering any negotiation. Not that I’d ever turn him down, but his wariness of me is pouring off him in waves.
“Of course, sir.” Without hesitation, I take the offered seat.
The king sits across from me, the prince in a chair beside him, and the interrogation begins.
“You understand that Emily can promote you, but ultimately the final decision for that goes through my wife and me,” the king begins.
“Yes, sir. I didn’t take her moment of duress as a promotion.”
“But she did add you to the pool of candidates despite the fact that you’ve only been here a short time.”
I offer a simple shrug. “I don’t have an explanation if that’s what you’re after. I’m quiet. I keep to myself and do my work with excellence. I care about what I do and how I do it. I don’t gossip. Beyond that, I can’t speak to her reasoning.”
“What made you want to work in the palace?” the prince questions.
I look down at my hands. “My parents have a farm with a bed-and-breakfast attached. It’s been in our family for generations. Last year, my mother hurt her back. Unrelated to that, a large hotel chain opened not far from our home, so more people are staying there, and fewer are staying at our bed-and-breakfast. My brothers left school, and now they both work the farm, but my family needs more income than they can earn in order to keep the house and farm. I’ve spent most of my life tending to the bed-and-breakfast. To the guests we had. Iwanted to help in any way I could, so I started applying for positions, and this one came through.”
I keep my head down, but I can see from this angle that they’re exchanging glances.
“Emily runs more than simply the housekeeping on the family side.”
“I’m aware, sir.” Now I look up. “She was walking me through the family side as well as what’s required to oversee the staff when she fell. Emily is personally responsible for your offices, studies, and suites and attends to the family, including occasionally helping out with the children when there’s no nanny in place, in addition to managing all of the housekeeping staff.”
“And you feel this is something you’re able to do? It’s a big job.”
I can’t help but laugh. The king’s automatic dismissiveness of me shows just what an arrogant asshole he is. “Yes. I’m positive that’s something I’m able to do. Your Majesty, I was the sole concierge for all of the members of parliament during their last two visits. I managed the housekeeping staff and made sure everything ran efficiently. I understand why the family side as well as managing the overall housekeeping staff isn’t something Mrs. Lids takes lightly, but I don’t feel it will be an issue. You already have people in place you clearly trust and allow access. It’s simply employee oversight, which I’m more than capable of supplying. If you need help with the children, I’m happy to do that as well. I love kids.” I straighten my spine and pin the king with a serious stare. “Sir, I’m here to help in any way I can. Mrs. Lids took a chance on me, and I’d like to return the favor by showing her and you that I’m worth the risk.”
The king is quiet for a long moment, and the prince hasn’t removed his eyes from me once. I give in. I can’t help it. My focus swivels over to him, and there it is. An annoying charge.An electric spark. A sizzle that fills my belly with heat and makes my skin prickle with awareness.
His gaze is nothing short of intense. Unrelenting. I don’t think he recognizes me. If he did, I wouldn’t be sitting here discussing a new position within the palace. He might be suspicious. He certainly doesn’t trust me. That much is clear, and he’s doing nothing to hide it or the warning in his gorgeous features.
If he’s going to be watching me this closely, I’ll have to be extra cautious. Always on top of my game. I can’t slip up. I already made that mistake with him once.
“Hmm. I think—” The king’s phone pings and cuts him off. He pulls it out of his pocket to read the text. “Althea needs me to come out to the pool. The girls want to show me something.”
“Go ahead,” Rowan offers. “I can finish up here.”
Sebastian nods, stands, and claps his brother on the shoulder, even as he keeps his focus on me. “Thank you for your help this morning,” he says and ends it there as he exits, leaving me here with Rowan. Awesome.
“Did you go to university?” he questions as if he’s checking off a list of interview questions from a clipboard.
“No. It wasn’t an option for me.”
“What would you have done if you had that chance?”
The question catches me off guard. I’ve never allowed myself to think about my life in terms of what-ifs. Most of the time, it was moment to moment. It was survival. Plus, no one’s ever asked or cared before.
“I’m not sure,” I admit honestly. “What would you have done if you hadn’t been a prince?”
