The Most Powerful Of Kings - Jackie Ashenden Page 0,39

inside him wanted.

So he watched her approach, remaining unmoving. People would be looking at him because a king was always under scrutiny, but, since he was relatively hidden by the rhododendrons, he wouldn’t be visible to that many people. And neither would she.

‘Your Majesty,’ she said formally, coming to a stop in front of him and sweeping into a low and graceful curtsey. ‘Do you have a moment?’

He eyed her. It really was a magnificent gown, the light glittering off the crystals sewn into her skirts. Where had she got it?

‘I do not recall inviting you to this party, Anna.’ He kept his tone flat. ‘And yet here you are, in a couture gown, with your hair and make-up done...’

She rose from her curtsey, her colour high, her eyes glittering silver, much like her gown. ‘No, I know I wasn’t invited. Princess Calista helped me with the gown and her stylist did my make-up and hair. I wasn’t going to turn up at something like this wearing my grey dress, if that’s what you were wondering.’

‘What I was wondering was why you are here at all. Especially when, as I said, I did not invite you.’

She gave him a narrow look, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. ‘Since you refused all requests for a meeting, I had to find some way of talking to you directly. This seemed the perfect opportunity.’

She was enterprising, his little nun.

Yours?

Just a figure of speech. Of course she wasn’t his.

‘I’ve been busy,’ he said shortly. ‘What is this about?’ He very much hoped it wasn’t going to be about what had gone on in his office, yet what else could it be?

She was very cool and collected, but he could see the familiar little spark that spoke of her temper all the same, which meant he had to be careful. He found her bright sparks of emotion altogether too fascinating, though at least now he was aware of where his weaknesses lay.

‘What do you think this is about?’ She seemed annoyed that he didn’t know.

‘If you’re here to talk about what happened in my office—’

‘Of course I’m not here to talk about that,’ she interrupted, apparently feeling that she could interrupt a king at will. ‘I’m here to talk about Ione.’

Surprise rippled through him, closely followed by disappointment, which made no sense. He hadn’t wanted to talk about what had happened between them, and Ione was far more of an important subject.

‘What about her?’ he asked. ‘My assistant has been keeping me updated with her progress and I’m pleased with what you’ve been doing with her.’ And he was. Ione had been doing very well by all accounts, though he hadn’t seen much of an improvement in her behaviour the few times he’d glimpsed her.

Perhaps she’s only good with other people.

It was a thought that did nothing for his own temper.

‘She is doing well and has been enjoying the outings I take her on,’ Anna said. ‘And thank you for granting permission, by the way.’

Ah, yes. The outings. Xerxes had plagued him about that for hours, presenting argument after argument. But it hadn’t been until Xerxes had mentioned his being too like their father for comfort that he’d changed his mind. Xenophon had been brutal, but Adonis wasn’t, and so he’d given in.

‘You can thank my brother for that,’ he said coolly.

‘And I did.’ Anna gave him a stern look. ‘But outings aside, Ione’s behaviour probably won’t get any better until she spends more time with her father.’

He stiffened at the inescapable hint of judgment in her tone. ‘Are you questioning me?’

‘Yes, actually, I am.’ Anna took a step towards him. ‘I know you’re very busy, that being a king is time-consuming. But the truth is that she needs more of you, Adonis. And she doesn’t get it.’

Heat lanced through him at her casual use of his name, as though she had a right to it. As though he was simply a man and she a woman, naked in his arms.

‘I did not give you leave to use my name,’ he said coldly, trying to lock down the anger at his own reaction to her. ‘You forget yourself, Sister.’

But of course she wasn’t cowed by him. She never had been. And instead of inclining her head and accepting her chastisement, she took another step, so she was right in front of him, determination and anger glowing bright in her eyes. ‘I don’t care. You might be a king, sire, but you’re also a