The only man she could ever be happy with, the only man she could ever find enduring love with, the only man she had trusted with the truth of her conception... He was marrying someone else. The happy ending she’d always hoped she would one day have would never be hers.
When she dared to look at Helios she found his gaze on her, a question resonating from his liquid eyes. He was as sensitive to her changes of mood as she was to his.
She forced a smile and straightened her posture, doing her best to resume her professional demeanour. Whatever personal torment she might have churning inside her, she still had a job to do.
This was King Astraeus’s big day, one he’d spent eighty-seven years of duty and sacrifice working towards. This was his moment. It was also Helios’s and his brothers’ moment too. The three Princes loved their grandfather, and this day was as much for them to show their appreciation of him as to allow their great nation to celebrate. She wouldn’t do anything to detract from the culmination of all their hard work.
Amy kept her head up throughout the rest of the tour, but as soon as it was over she fled, using the pretext of needing to change her outfit for the Gala. Thankfully all the other staff wanted to change too, so saw nothing strange in her behaviour.
Finally alone in her apartment, she sank onto the edge of her bed and cradled her head in her hands. The tears that had threatened to pour throughout the exhibition tour had now become blocked. The emotions raging inside her had compacted so tightly and painfully that the release she needed wouldn’t come.
The truth of her feelings and the hopelessness of her love had hit her so hard she had shut down inside.
CHAPTER TEN
FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE were settled in the amphitheatre, watching the Gala, enjoying the multitude of performances taking turns on the stage, the glorious sunshine, the food and the drink.
Amy, sitting with the rest of the museum staff, tried to enjoy what was a truly spectacular occasion. A world-famous operatic duo from the US had just completed a medley of songs from The Phantom of the Opera, and now a Russian ballet troupe had taken to the stage, holding everyone spellbound.
When they were done, the compère came bounding back on. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, in a small addition to our official programme, I am proud to welcome to the stage His Royal Highness, Prince Helios.’
Huge cheers broke out around the amphitheatre as the crowd rose to their feet to applaud the popular Prince.
Amy’s stone-filled feet moved of their own accord and she stood too. The coldness rippling through her was such that it felt as if someone had injected ice into her veins. All the hairs on her arms had sprung upright. Nausea didn’t churn—no, it turned and twisted, as if her stomach had been locked in a superfast waltzer. And yet the tightness in her chest remained, coiling even tighter if that were possible.
Helios started his address by thanking everyone for attending, then launched into a witty monologue about his grandfather, which led him neatly into entreating the audience and the hundreds of millions of worldwide viewers to visit the exhibition of the King’s life now being held in the palace museum.
And then he cleared his throat.
Amy’s own throat closed.
‘I would also like to take this opportunity to confirm the speculation about my private life that has been documented in the world’s press for these past few weeks. I am honoured to announce that Princess Catalina Fernandez of Monte Cleure has consented to be my wife.’
Such raucous cheers broke out at the news that they drowned out the rest of his speech. The crowd was still whooping when Helios bowed to them all and left the stage, with a grin on his handsome face that looked to Amy’s eyes more like a grimace.
Looking around the crowd, blinking to clear the cold fog enveloping her mind, Amy saw that the happiest faces were those of the Agonites who’d been lucky enough to get tickets for this event.
So now it was official.
Helios and the Princess were betrothed. There could be no backing out of the marriage now; not when the pride of two nations was at stake.
And the tiny spark of hope she hadn’t even realised she carried in her extinguished into nothing.
* * *
Helios shook the hand of yet another post-Gala party guest and silently cursed Talos for disappearing with the violinist, who’d overcome her stage fright and wowed everyone that evening. His grandfather had retired to bed, exhausted after such a full day, leaving Helios and Theseus to welcome all the people on the three-hundred-strong guest list.
Thank goodness protocol dictated that his fiancée acted in no official capacity until their nuptials had been exchanged. He still couldn’t imagine her by his side. Or in his bed.