The Most Powerful Of Kings - Jackie Ashenden Page 0,4

the nun said to his daughter. ‘You can call me Anna, if you like. What’s your name?’

‘Princess Ione,’ Ione answered regally.

‘What a pretty name. I heard you were a lioness.’ The nun leaned forward slightly. ‘Can you roar?’

‘Yes!’ Ione said, suddenly animated. ‘Would you like to hear it?’

‘Oh, yes, please.’

Ione roared obligingly and very, very loudly.

The nun clapped her hands and looked delighted. ‘What a magnificent roar.’

‘Ione,’ Adonis said firmly, deciding to cut short this particular meeting. ‘Please go and find Hesta. Miss Angela will be waiting for you in the schoolroom.’

Hesta was one of Ione’s guards and probably responsible for his daughter’s sudden interest in weapons. Adonis was not opposed to it, but Ione was still struggling with reading and that, surely, was more important.

‘But—’ Ione began.

‘Now,’ Adonis said.

His daughter made a grumpy sound and went disconsolately out through the door.

The nun was still smiling that radiant smile and he had the strangest urge to lift his hands to it, as if it were a fire he could warm himself in front of.

‘She’s delightful,’ the nun said.

‘She’s a terror,’ he disagreed.

Her smile became warmer, the sun shining directly on him. ‘I know you wanted to kiss her finger. I hope you didn’t stop for my benefit.’

And the spark in the cold, dead hearth of his heart glowed again. He crushed it. No fires could be lit in that fireplace. The only passion a king was permitted was for his country. It was something his father had often said and Adonis agreed.

‘You didn’t answer my question,’ he said expressionlessly.

Sister Anna’s lovely smile faltered, and the sun dimmed, as though it went behind a cloud. ‘Which particular question?’

‘I think you know what I’m talking about.’ It was perhaps foolish to push for an answer when it was obvious that she had no idea about the Reverend Mother’s real agenda.

Still. He wanted to hear the answer.

She looked away, smoothing her grey dress with her hands. ‘The Reverend Mother said nothing to me about...well, you know. She only said something about a tutor for the princess and that I would be a good fit for the position.’ A flush stained her cheekbones, her fingers fussing with the hem of her dress.

It seemed she was uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation, which perversely only made him want to continue it. He couldn’t fathom why. He had a great many other things to do that were much more important than making a pretty nun blush.

‘I see.’ He should end this conversation and dismiss her, yet he didn’t. ‘So nothing at all about the best way to seduce me, then?’

She flushed an even deeper shade of pink, her fingers furiously pleating the hem of her skirt.

It was wrong of him to tease a woman this innocent. That was more his brother’s mode of behaviour—though, now Xerxes had married, he didn’t do that so much any more. But the prince was more handsome and possessed far more charm than Adonis ever had. He was...fun. Adonis had never seen the point of fun.

Annoyed with himself, he was about to end the conversation, when suddenly the little nun met his gaze, her eyes full of what looked like temper. ‘No, Your Majesty,’ she said flatly. ‘The Reverend Mother said nothing about seduction and it would be highly improper of her to do so even if she had.’ She gave him a severe look. ‘Why on earth would you think that’s what I’m here for?’

Adonis stared at her in surprise. He was the king. Everyone was afraid of him and he didn’t mind that. His entire purpose was to protect his country and put its interests first. He didn’t need to be loved or even liked; what he needed was to be obeyed, and if respect didn’t make that happen, then he’d settle for fear. He wasn’t fussy.

But right now there was neither respect nor fear in the little nun’s disconcertingly direct gaze, only offended dignity and outrage.

Another man might have apologised. But kings never apologised and neither did Adonis. In fact, far from prompting shame, the expression on her face instead ignited a small, electric jolt of sensation centred in much lower, baser parts of his body.

‘Then what are you here for?’ he asked, before he could stop himself.

The little nun drew herself up in her chair, lifting that determined and very firm chin. ‘I’m here to help you with the princess,’ she said with dignity. ‘Just like the Reverend Mother ordered me to.’

‘And do you do everything