Helia had never felt such anger towards people she’d been supposed to admire. Andreas had told her how Vasili’s parents had been loved throughout the Kingdom. The perfect monarchs. She wanted to laugh. How could they have been perfect monarchs, people meant to care for an entire kingdom, when they hadn’t even cared for their own child.
Her heart ached for the young boy alone in this big palace.
Alone.
Lonely.
Just like her.
‘How did you cope?’
It was hard to comprehend that someone who had every right to be angry and cold was anything but.
‘I told you—I rebelled. At first I would escape into the library and books...’
Helia had spied the stack on the bedside table. She couldn’t help but think it was a sign of a deeper connection between them.
‘Afterwards I acted out. Rebelled against the idea of being the perfect son. The perfect prince. I didn’t want to be a prince at all. The partying, sex, women—all seemed to get a bigger reaction. And since all I wanted was to live my life, I figured living hard was a win all round.’
‘But it didn’t make you happy.’
‘No, it didn’t. And I regret my choice of rebellion now.’
Helia looked into his face then, attempting to read his thoughts. ‘Why?’
‘Because seeing the other side of Seidon...the orphanage... I knew I could have done something real.’
‘This world is not made up of good people. It’s full of people like me.’
But he was good. Vasili was better than he realised. He had been hurt over and over by the people who should have loved him most. He hadn’t seen love from his family, and the one person who had loved him was taken away. So Helia understood why he’d told her he didn’t love, but knew he was blind to all the ways in which he showed that he did.
‘It’s why I don’t blame the people for wishing Leander was still on the throne. I’m sure they would rather our places had been switched.’
Helia looked up at him, horrified. ‘Surely you don’t believe that!’
He said nothing.
‘Is that what you think? That it would have been better if you were on that plane?’
More silence.
A knot formed in Helia’s throat. He really was an island. Alone at sea with all his hurt. So much so that she was certain he didn’t even love himself.
‘Vasili, look at me.’
He looked down at her, his normally bright, intelligent eyes showing nothing at all. They were perfectly expressionless and she hated it.
‘You didn’t know. And now that you do, you have a plan to fix things. You are helping me with the thing that means the most to me. You are good and kind and your people love you. I hate what your parents did to you, but it’s their loss. Do you hear me? You were and are entitled to the way you feel. You are entitled to affection.’
‘Helia...’ he said in a low voice.
‘Do you hear me?’
He huffed a laugh and kissed her lightly. ‘I hear you.’
‘Good.’
She was quiet for a moment, thinking through everything he’d revealed to her. She completely understood why he didn’t want to be King, but she had no doubt he was the King Thalonia needed. She also finally understood why he was so set against having children. In his place, she would feel the same.
