I see the lines deepen on his face. He cares about his people, and he wants to be a good king.
I didn’t understand it before. When we were kids, I thought Theo was too responsible. Too boring. I didn’t understand that through him runs a deep well of kindness and a sense of importance. Like every action he takes is significant.
Now, I get it. Theo has a purpose. He has the one thing that I’ve wanted to find—what I thought I would discover if I left Argyle. He knows what he needs to do in life, and every action he takes is carefully considered to align with his duties.
A week into our tour, we visit a small nursing home on one of the more populated islands of the Kingdom. An old man with a shock of white hair and mottled skin smiles at Theo, revealing big gaps in his teeth. He waves the Prince closer to his wheelchair, his smile widening.
“Tell your father I’m very proud of him, Your Highness,” the old man says, patting Theo’s hand.
“I will, sir.”
One of the nurses apologizes and tries to quiet the old man down. The old man waves her away.
“He did great things in this Kingdom when he was a young man. It’ll be your time, soon.”
Theo nods politely.
The old man leans back in his wheelchair, staring at the Prince. “You have to be strong. Make sure you have a good woman by your side, because being a leader is a heavy burden to bear alone. Your father could have continued building this country up if he’d had a faithful wife by his side. It was only after she betrayed him that things went to shit.”
“Thomas!” the nurse chides, her cheeks turning bright red. “That’s no way to talk about our royal family. Your Highness, I—”
“It’s fine,” Theo says, smiling sadly. “He’s right.”
Theo’s eyes slide to me, and a dagger pierces my heart. In that brief glance, I realize what I’ve been afraid to admit to myself: I want to be the good woman by his side. The one to support him, to help him bear the weight of the crown.
Not because it’s the Crown, and I feel like it’s my duty to help. But because it’s Theo who has to bear it.
My priorities are shifting. Day by day, I realize I don’t want to run away. I don’t need to leave to find myself. There are things right here in Argyle that are worth staying for.
That evening, when Theo and I are alone in the royal villa, Theo has a faraway look on his face. We’re sitting on a plush sofa, watching the waves crash on the shore. I thread my fingers through the Prince’s.
“You’re going to make a great king,” I say softly.
Theo turns his head to glance at me, smiling. “That old man was right, you know.”
“About what?” I keep my face steady as my heart thumps. I know exactly what he’s talking about.
“About my father falling apart when my mother left.”
A lump forms in my throat. The controversy between the King and former Queen rocked the Kingdom when it happened all those years ago. The former Queen had an affair with the King’s brother, and the two of them ran off together.
After that, the King fell into a depression. He isolated himself, and the economy started falling apart. Trade deals faltered. The people of Argyle suffered.
“What happened, exactly?” My voice is small.
“Pretty much what the newspapers said. My mother cheated, and it broke my father’s heart. After she left, I think he had no interest in ruling anymore. It all became too much for him.”
“Maybe it’s better to go into it alone,” I say softly. “Becoming King without a Queen means you can’t get hurt.”
“I used to think that,” Theo says, meeting my eye. “I’m not so sure anymore.”
The lump in my throat turns into a massive boulder. It’s hard to swallow, let alone speak. Our hands are still interlaced, and I’m worried that Theo can feel the violence of my heart banging against my ribcage.
“I don’t know if I can do it alone, Cara.” His voice is soft, and his eyes are full of pain. “My father will step down soon. He has to. Once that happens, who can I trust?”
“Your brothers,” I answer.
Theo snorts, shaking his head. “Luca might never come back. Dante is content to deal with palace security and stare at computers all day. Beckett still thinks he doesn’t belong here. I’m alone, Cara.”