‘Thank you. Can I make a confession?’ she asked.
‘Should I be concerned?’
‘No.’ She laughed. ‘I saw you the first day I started working at the palace.’
‘You did?’ He sat up straighter, enticed by this titbit of information.
‘You were wearing black leathers and climbing on to your motorcycle. I thought you were rather sexy. Unusual, but sexy.’ She could feel herself blush.
‘You did, did you?’ He smirked.
‘I also thought your ego probably didn’t need inflating.’
‘Lie.’
‘What?’
‘That was a lie, Helia. I’ll let it go this time. If you like, I could take you on a ride.’
‘A king out on a motorbike?’ she scoffed.
‘Why not? Who’s going to stop me?’
Helia held her glass between both hands as she leaned towards the King. ‘You know, you say you don’t want to be King, but you seem to have taken to it just fine.’
Vasili shrugged.
‘Also, there is no way I’m getting on that death machine.’
‘Scared?’ he taunted.
‘Yes! I can’t even drive a car, and that has four wheels. You’re out of your mind if you think I’m getting on two.’
‘You can’t drive?’
Helia shook her head. Another thing she’d never had the opportunity to learn. A fairly basic skill at that.
‘Well, then, we’ll just have to teach you how.’
Helia laughed, even though the idea appealed to her more than it should. ‘I’m not sure we’ll have the time.’
‘I’ll make the time.’
‘I know I’ve said it before, but thank you for bringing me here, Vasili. It’s the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time. You know, I never dreamed of anything like this. A life like the one I’m living now. It feels like I’ve stepped through a portal into an alternative reality and I’m struggling to wrap my head around it.’
‘You can ask for help, Helia.’
Just like her, he kept his gaze over the sea, and she was grateful for that because it made it easier to be honest with him.
‘From whom? Andreas? Carissa?’
‘Me?’ he replied.
Helia shook her head. Of course he would offer. He was ensuring his queen would be competent, and the woman in the palace office before they’d left was not.
‘I’m sorry for failing with Andreas. I don’t know how to wield this power I have just yet. I’m so afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing.’
‘You’ll learn, Helia. I don’t expect you to handle this world with the level of mastery that only comes with years of experience. And there was no harm done. I was there to support you as I said I would be.’
