The Reluctant King (The Star-Crossed Series)

by Rachel Higginson

  “It’s a very good thing,” I promised and then was rewarded with a deeper flush to her cheeks. “Are you hungry?” I asked, hoping to calm her down a little bit, I could feel her jumpy magic as I made her nervous with my interest in her.

  “Not really,” she admitted and I hoped she was being honest with me. Although we just ate dinner not that long ago and I wasn’t really hungry either. “But their cappuccinos are fantastic.”

  I signaled the waiter over then and gave him our order for two cappuccinos. As soon as he was gone, I refocused my attention on Amelia not even knowing where to start. It could be said that I had never been tongue-tied before in my entire life. But looking down at this beautiful creature across from me, I didn’t even know where to start.

  “Avalon, seriously, why are you looking at me like that?” Amelia laughed at me. She shook out her hair and averted her gaze.

  I laughed with her, a little self-consciously, hoping I wasn’t scaring the hell out of her. My only encouragement was that she didn’t pull her hand out of mine. “How am I looking at you?”

  “I don’t know,” she fidgeted a little, fixating on the table cloth. “Like…. like you’re shocked I’m sitting here with you.”

  “I am shocked I’m sitting with you.” I squeezed her hand in mine and gave her a crooked smile I hoped came off as charming. “I keep waiting for you to remember how much I irritate you.”

  “Irritate me?” she asked, her eyes flashing with confusion. “You don’t irritate me. You…. I just…. I don’t think I trust you yet.”

  The waiter came back with two small cups of strong smelling foamy coffee. I watched her closely as he set down our drinks in front of us, letting her words sink in and trying to figure out what to do with them.

  As soon as he left she took a sip of her coffee, her eyes darting around the restaurant nervously. She was probably hoping I would let the whole thing drop, but I couldn’t.

  “I’m trying to decide if I should be thrilled you don’t find me obnoxious or worried because you don’t trust me,” I admitted lightly, hoping she would explain better what exactly there was not to trust me with.

  “Ok, maybe I was a little too generous earlier. You’re not irritating me tonight,” she smiled at me, batting her thick eye lashes innocently.

  I chuckled at her sense of humor. “I figured as much, I’ve been told I’m a very difficult person to get along with.”

  “Who told you that?” Amelia asked, leaning forward and resting her chin in her free hand.

  “Mostly Eden,” I admitted. “And Jericho, and Kiran and uh, Talbott…. Lilly says that a lot too I suppose. Actually the list could go on and on,” I pouted thinking about my council and my list of friends and old teammates. “But in my defense I don’t exactly try to get along with all of those people, or uh, any people.”

  “That’s what I mean,” Amelia bubbled animatedly. I gave her a questioning look and so she continued. “What makes me different? Why are you trying with me Avalon? And why now? You’ve known me for years and until I showed up in Romania you barely noticed my existence.”

  “Only because this is the first time I have been around you since Eden’s wedding,” I defended myself and worked at keeping my tone gentle. “I’m fairly certain if you would have been a more permanent fixture in my life I would have been trying for years now.”

  “I don’t understand why,” she mumbled, tearing her eyes from mine to stare down at the tablecloth again.

  “Do you really not know how amazing you are?” I asked, and felt myself smile again just because I couldn’t help it. “You’re compassionate and sweet, you’re confident and humble, you don’t put up with my BS or let me get away with anything. You are this incredible woman and I just can’t seem to get enough of you. I want to, no I need to get to know you better. I can’t help myself, I can’t…. stop myself and I honestly don’t want to.”

  Amelia looked up at me, her face shy and half hidden in the candlelight. She was silent and thoughtful for several moments before she finally responded, “I don’t want you to either.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “I have to ask you,” Amelia asked seriously after a moment. She withdrew her hand from mine and tucked it under the table away from my reach. I bit back my objection and stilled the nervousness simmering in my chest. “How dangerous is Terletov?”

  All at once I let out a breath of relief because this wasn’t the question I was expecting and I was happy that she wasn’t pulling away from whatever was between us. At the same time though I was wary to go into too much detail with her because I didn’t want her to worry.

  Terletov was my problem. And it wasn’t just Amelia; I didn’t want anyone to worry. Well, except me. I could worry because I would take care of him.

  “He’s dangerous,” I admitted, even after convincing myself to keep her sheltered from the truth.

  The exciting atmosphere of the beginning of a relationship was completely sucked out of the air between us and we were left somber and serious. Even her magic that had been happily flirting with mine retreated.

  Damn it.

  I had even more of a reason to hate Terletov.

  He was apparently in the business of torturing Immortals and ruining my dates.

  “More so than my uncle?” she asked, her eyes revealing her depthless concern.

  “In some ways, yes,” I held her gaze, deciding I very much wanted to pull her into me and comfort her. She was too considerate for this not to affect her. I had ordered for the details of our findings to be kept confidential and knowing what kind of guy Sebastian was I knew she hadn’t heard any of the more gory aspects of our trip to Siberia. I planned to keep it that way. Her lips parted so that she could ask more questions and I decided to offer her more information to curb her curiosity. “Lucan was dangerous because the Kingdom followed him without question. I mean…. he was the King. He obviously had unlimited power. He was the ultimate authority and he abused his power and his people. Terletov is dangerous because he wants the same thing. His plan seems to restore Lucan’s totalitarian rule only extend his cruel reach to every citizen. Whereas Lucan was bred to believe and act the way he did, Terletov was given options and chose this path completely free of influence. I don’t know much about him, but I do know that he, if given the chance, would make what our people went through with Lucan feel like vacation.”

  “And you’ve seen evidence?” Amelia asked, her golden eyes lit up with scrutiny. “I’m not trying to offend you Avalon, but your democracy is new and untested. Are you sure he is not just a concerned citizen that doesn’t trust you? That he simply believes he would be a better ruler?”

  I swallowed back my impatience. I was used to people just going along with whatever I said. It hurt my pride to have Amelia question me. Was this what she meant when she said she didn’t trust me? That she actually didn’t trust me as King?

  That was a slightly frustrating revelation.

  “I am positive he is not a concerned citizen,” I all but growled and then regretted it immediately. She wasn’t in Siberia. She didn’t see the carnage or feel the evil. She wasn’t with Henri and Sophia when they passed away, rotting shells of what they used to be. “Amelia, trust me when I say that this man is the worst kind of evil. He has no respect for our people, or life in general. His fight isn’t to ensure our people have the right kind of freedom, or democracy, he wants to ensure they remain enslaved and imprisoned.”

  “What are you keeping from me?” Amelia’s eyes narrowed as she dared me not to answer.

  “Things that would never let someone like you forget their horror,” I replied softly.

  “Avalon, I can handle the truth,” she pressed. She leaned across the table, her fingers finding mine as she gently traced a line from my fingernails to wrist in a clever plea to get me to open up. I smiled at her tactics not minding them one bit.

  I looked her intensely in the eyes before I said, “Believe me when I say I am very aware that ther
e is very little you can’t handle. You’re so strong.” I paused and let my words sink in. A flush crept up the base of her throat, quickly moving to her face and darkening her complexion.

  God I loved that look on her.

  “There is more to this than I am willing to share at the moment, obviously. But it has nothing to do with me not trusting you or assuming you’re not ready to hear any of it. I’m still processing it myself and if any of this were to get out to the public I’m afraid of the consequences.” Her hand stilled on mine and her face flushed deeper with anger. I chuckled at her defensiveness and continued quickly, “Again, not because I don’t trust you, but because this is a very sensitive matter and frankly I don’t trust the rest of the world.” I gestured around the room, revealing my deep level of paranoia.

  She withdrew her hand, but some of the heat faded from her cheeks. “Alright, Avalon, if you don’t want to tell me, then I guess I’ll have to interrogate my brother.”

  She was challenging me. Damn it if I didn’t want to prove myself to her.

  Heads up, a very irritated brother is about to interrupt your plans, A. Eden burst into my thoughts and if I wouldn’t have been frustrated with the entire situation and how the date was turning out I would have applauded Eden’s timing.

  “Speak of the devil,” I murmured.

  Amelia shot me a questioning look just as her cell phone rang. Her confusion turned to a satisfied smirk when she read the number on her phone and answered.

  “Hello, Sebastian,” she said happily. She paused to listen to whatever he was saying. I could have used magic to eavesdrop, but I frankly didn’t want to hear anything Sebastian had to say at the moment. “It’s just coffee…. No, I understand…. Alright, tell them I’ll be home soon….. Yes, yes. Alright. See you soon.”

  She ended her phone call and looked up at me with a decidedly thoughtful expression. “I didn’t mean to pressure you tonight, Avalon. I’m just…. I’m just obviously concerned for the Kingdom. I don’t want any more fighting or dying or coups-ing. Do you know what I mean? And not knowing, or not being informed I just feel helpless and I hate it. I sat through the entire last ordeal completely out of the loop. I was treated like a child and sheltered from everything. I don’t want to be that little girl anymore.”

  “Nobody knows that more than me, trust me, Amelia,” I promised, my voice dropping to a deeply lower register, just thinking about how much of a little girl she isn’t. “And I will never treat you like one.” I paused and let her blush reappear before commenting reluctantly, “I take it Sebastian asked you to come home?”

  She cleared her throat nervously and then nodded, “My parents are anxious to see me.”

  “Ah. Well, then, we better not keep them waiting.” I smiled and discreetly tucked a handful of Euros under my empty cup to pay for the coffee and tip the nearly nonexistent waiter enough to pay his rent for a while. Maybe Amelia’s generosity was rubbing off on me.

  “Whatever you want,” she grumbled adorably.

  “Well, I wouldn’t say going to meet your parents is exactly what I want,” I murmured, not able to hold back my playful smile.

  “Did you forget that you’re King?” Amelia slipped her arm into mine without being invited as we stood up from the table and a thrill surged inside of me. “You’re supposed to be able to do whatever you want.”

  “Mmm, I’ll keep that in mind.” It felt like she was flirting with me and insinuating something I wouldn’t let myself believe just yet. But still, when she snuggled closer as we walked back to the car I leaned over and pressed a kiss on the top of her head.

  Not for any other reason than because I wanted to.

  And Amelia had told me I was supposed to do whatever I wanted.

  ----

  I woke in the place I created, the place I designed for her. I looked around and decided I was pleased but made no effort to move.

  This was risky. This was maybe going too far.

  But with all that had happened, I had forgotten to tell her happy birthday.

  I took a steadying breath and gathered my courage.

  And then I called her.

  Electricity snapped and crackled in my brain with blinding intensity before she appeared before me. Her golden brown eyes opened immediately, wide-eyed and fearful before they settled on me and relaxed.

  “Avalon?” she asked, her voice full of amusement.

  I smiled at her, standing to my feet so I could pull her to hers as well. “I forgot to tell you happy birthday.”

  She let out a soft, nervous laugh and turned in a circle to take this place in. “I’ve never Dream-Walked before,” she whispered.

  “I’ve only ever with Eden and Kiran,” I paused thinking about those times. “It was awkward.”

  She smiled wider and stepped up to me. “No cake?”

  “No cake,” I smiled down at her.

  The white sand beach we stood on was warm beneath our feet, the moon bright and the stars twinkling above. I designed the place with lanterns lining our space on tall poles stuck deep into the sand. There was water that lapped at the shore a little ways away, the sound was like music in the warm night air.

  Amelia was wearing a thin tank top and very short shorts as her pajamas and I was only in plaid pajama bottoms. Her hair was a mess, wild and unruly and her face completely bare of makeup.

  She was breathtaking.

  I held out my hand to her and she looked at it skeptically. “What exactly are your plans to celebrate my birthday?”

  “Will you dance with me?” I asked.

  “There’s no music,” she answered but put her hand in mine anyway.

  I pulled her to me, slipping my other arm around her waist. Ever since the gypsy village I had been fantasizing about holding her against me again. I nodded to an old school turn table that sat on top of an oak stand. Not very hip looking, but my version of romance. I used magic to move the needle and the familiar squeak scratched the vinyl before the slow, sultry sounds of big band jazz filled the air around us.

  The stars twinkled above our heads. The sand glistened beneath our bare feet. Amelia danced close in my arms. Perfection.

  “Thank you, Avalon,” she tilted her head up to me, her chin resting on my bare chest.

  “Happy birthday, Amelia,” I murmured down to her before capturing her lips with mine for a short but infinitely sweet kiss.

  I didn’t know how this rated on her inventory of birthday gifts, but this was going on top of mine as one of the best. I held her until the sun came up, memorizing the feel of her skin against mine, the fragile feel of her tiny hand in mine.

  I could have held her forever.

  If only the sun didn’t need to rise. If only there was this kind of perfection in my life and nothing more.

  I released her back to reality just as dawn was breaking. She was quiet but happy with the night and I wondered, in the cold light of day if her feelings for me would change or if this gift had been a bridge to her heart I would be able to travel often.

  ----

  Breakfast the next morning was a catered affair. Bianca and Jean had given up their servants after Lucan was more or less dethroned, but that didn’t mean they were used to functioning without help. I joined everyone for an early meal where we would talk about our plans.

  I had been up most of the night reflecting on the next step to hunting Terletov and felt a bit conflicted. Our original plan was to hang around Paris for two days so Titus could recover, but since Eden healed him he had called late last night to say that he was fine. I believed him. And that was important because some guys would have faked feeling one hundred percent to get on with the mission, but I trusted Titus enough to know that he would never put the mission in jeopardy by being anything less than absolutely ready.

  So he was ready. And the more space we put in between us and whoever ransacked Gabriel’s church the less likely we would be to finding anything out. That should have been enough for me.

  Hell, re
membering anything that had happened up until now should have been enough for me.

  But there was another side to my emotions apparently…. Another side I hadn’t even known existed until Amelia showed up and that other side wanted, no, demanded that I stick around for the next day and get to know Amelia as much as possible. In fact this brand new side all but completely revolted at the idea of leaving early.

  And now that I sat around a long, formal table, with her on the other side practically begging me to carry her into the other room and ravish her with her sleep mussed hair and form fitting tank top and sweat pants, I realized just how close this new side was to winning the argument.

  “Avalon, are you still planning to stay for another day?” Bianca asked as if she could read my thoughts. “Sebastian says that Titus is better.”

  “He is better,” I agreed. “I wanted to give him plenty of time to recover, but if he is as well as he says he is than we will probably leave this morning. I don’t want the trail to go dead before we have a chance to chase it.” Damn duty and responsibility.

  “Where is the trail?” Jean asked in his bored voice that had more to do with how he was raised than his actual emotion behind the tone.

  “Peru,” Sebastian answered, giving a pointed look to his parents that I didn’t quite understand.

  “Who will you take with you?” Amelia asked. I met her eyes from across the table and I was rewarded with a small, friendly smile that reassured me I hadn’t imagined there really was something between us. Although if we left this morning I had no idea when I would see her again.

  “Gabriel, Silas, Sebastian of course,” I nodded at Sebastian assuming he was already planning on going, “And then Jericho, Xavier, Xander, Roxie, Titus and the retired Titans if they’re up for it. We don’t always see eye to eye, but they have an insight into Terletov that I don’t.”