Page 21 of Fit for a King

NOAH

SEVERAL DAYS AFTER I won the breakfast war, I stumbled upon the king in the winter garden.

I hadn’t meant to. It wasn’t like I was purposely seeking him out to intrude on his private time, even though part of me was dying to know what he was like when he was all alone. Was he as surly by himself as he was with everyone else? Did he really read that book of poetry by his nightstand, or was it just for show?

I wasn’t foolish enough to wander the halls to find out, not when I was still trying to make up for my twenty-four hours of shame when I’d first arrived. But after the evening Montclair had had, the entire palace seemed too wired to sleep.

Because the de la Vega royal family had been invited for a private dinner that had sent the staff into a frenzy of activity…and whispers. Apparently, according to Violet, Crown Prince Alejandro de la Vega was being eyed as a potential match for Nicholas Valemont, which would be a strong political move for both Valoria and the de la Vega’s kingdom of Solterra.

Even without the political advantage, I could see the appeal of the prince. He was incredibly handsome and looked effortlessly royal, like he was born to have his painting hung high on palace walls.

I tried to keep my head down, really I did, but I was too curious about Nicholas’s reaction. Every time I looked at him, though, his expression always remained the same. Very controlled, very hard to read. He didn’t exactly look enthused about the match; then again, I’d never seen him express excitement in any way. Which made me wonder what exactly could bring a smile to his face, and that was a place I didn’t need my brain to go.

Nicholas Valemont was not only king, he was intended for someone else. It was ridiculous that I needed to remind myself of that, because I was his footman, and my lot in life was to serve him. That was all.

So that night, when I took the long way back toward the staff stairs, I told myself it had nothing to do with the fact that I needed some air after watching Nicholas beside the man he would someday marry.

It was late, and most of the palace was dark, but moonlight spilled through the glass ceiling of the winter garden as I passed through the courtyard, catching my attention and forcing my feet to move in its direction. I’d only seen it in the daylight, and had only glanced inside long enough to see orange and lemon trees in large pots and beautiful flowers and plants filling the large space, making it seem cozier than it was. The scent of the citrus trees mingled with a floral bouquet that invited me in.

If I’d known it wasn’t empty, I never would’ve stepped inside. It wasn’t my place to be here, to enjoy the view that was reserved for the owners of the palace.

I trailed my fingers lightly over the tops of the topiaries, admiring the obvious, painstaking care that went into shaping them so beautifully. I was lost in my thoughts, deep inside the garden, when I looked up and stilled.

Standing near one of the orange trees was Nicholas. He wasn’t wearing a jacket, his tie was loose, hanging down either side of his neck, and he had his eyes closed and his face angled up toward the moonlight. It felt like such a peaceful moment, one I’d just intruded on.

I needed to leave before he noticed I was there.

I carefully lowered my arm and took a step back, but the heel of my shoe knocked into one of the planters with a thump and Nicholas’s head turned in my direction.

Even half shadowed and half undone, he looked more like a king than most would even with a crown on their head. He was…beautiful.

His eyes found mine, sharp even in the low light. “Mr. Bennett.”

I’d done it now. I bowed my head. “Your Majesty. I apologize, I didn’t realize anyone was in here.”

“Clearly.”

“I was just dropping off your correspondence and heading back downstairs.”

“I don’t receive correspondence in the winter garden.”

“No, sir. Of course not.”

He arched a brow, and I swallowed a sigh.

“I may have, uh, taken the scenic route.”

“The scenic route. After midnight.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” And then, because I couldn’t help myself, I added, “It’s a large palace. I’m still getting familiar with it.”

For a moment he looked at me, like he was trying to decide whether it was worth his energy to continue engaging or if he should just dismiss me. With the moonlight cutting across his face, it was easier to see the hollows of his cheekbones and the dark shadows beneath his eyes. He looked exhausted…but still beautiful.

No doubt he would prefer if I didn’t notice either of those things.

“Will you require anything, sir?” I said.

“No.”