She swallowed. The chauffeur opened her door and she stepped out.
The dusky light shone off the snowy landscape and she could see the palace of Severene, tall and majestic, perched above the old town in the distance.
Leo got out of the other side of the car and walked round to offer her his arm.
‘Your Majesty, your carriage awaits,’ he said, the mocking tone almost as captivating as the sizzles of sensation that leapt up her arm and sank deep into her belly.
She had to play the role of Queen—enough to be convincing, but no more than that.
But as Leo escorted her to the carriage, the uniformed cavalry all saluting him as they passed, she knew not having her cover blown wasn’t her biggest challenge.
Resisting Leo and avoiding a repeat of what had happened on the balcony was going to be the much bigger ask.
‘Ready?’ he asked, after they had settled in their seats in the sleigh, a fur rug covering their knees.
As I’ll ever be.
‘Smile, Jade, and relax, they love you already,’ Leo murmured to his travelling companion as the royal sledge passed the crowds of spectators lining the route through Severene’s old town towards the palace. The crowd were cheering, excited to see the woman they were keen to believe might become their new Queen.
He knew how they felt.
He turned to the crowd, threw a salute or two as they passed through the old town’s central plaza and the sledge glided over cobbled streets buried under a layer of snow.
He noticed that Jade directed her attention to specific people in the crowd. The crowd clearly enjoyed the personal connection, but he wondered why her father’s courtiers hadn’t taught her the best way to conserve her energy? Exerting too much effort when waving could give you arm-ache.
She waved enthusiastically at a small boy being held on his father’s shoulders. She swung round as they left the child and his father behind, her eyes sparkling with exhilaration.
‘Did you see that little boy?’ she said. ‘I think he was waving at you.’
‘Doubtful,’ he said, surprised by her enthusiasm. ‘You’re enjoying yourself?’
‘Actually, I am. It’s exhilarating, isn’t it?’
Is it?
Seriously? What was so exciting about a royal procession? Hadn’t she done a million of these before?
He’d never found this part of the job appealing. ‘I told you, they love you already,’ he said, willing to use the evidence to his advantage.
‘They don’t love me, they don’t know me,’ she said, looking momentarily surprised by the idea. ‘But they obviously love you.’
He frowned, taken aback by the observation. Was she mocking him?
‘They don’t love me,’ he said. ‘That’s not my role.’
The one thing he could congratulate his father on was that he had always ensured the Kings of the Royal House of Severo were respected, not loved. Maintaining distance and dignity with people you had been born to rule was important. Maintaining your privacy even more s
o. Or this circus could consume your life.
She watched him, her scrutiny making him uncomfortable. ‘Then whose role is it?’
‘The Queen’s,’ he murmured, but even as he said it, the brutal spike of memory—from another Christmas, a long time ago—made a strange band tighten around his chest.
‘Why don’t you join the other children, Leo? I’m sure Santa has a present for you too.’
‘Papa said I must not. That my job is by your side, Mama.’
‘Papa isn’t always right, my sweet boy.’