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“Nice to meet you, Eva Hertzsprung.” His English is a little more heavily accented than Teo’s but just as elegant. “What are you doing in my palace?”
I suck in a breath, my heart threatening to pop right out of my chest, it’s beating so hard and fast. I don’t want to throw Teo under the bus, but I have no excuse for being here. And I don’t want to get sent to prison for infiltrating a foreign government. “I kind of… lost my tour group.”
Teo finally speaks. “I thought I’d show her around.” His tone is challenging, as if he has a right to be here. “You know how boring the official tour is.”
Lord Eduard—I’m sticking with that title until someone tells me otherwise—wrinkles his nose but doesn’t respond to Teo. “You were at the bar last weekend. I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet, then. I had hoped Teo would introduce us.”
He’s still holding my hand, and my palms are clammy. I give a tiny, experimental tug, and he releases my fingers almost as if he didn’t realize he was still clasping them. It feels like one of those scenes in a Regency romance where the hero holds the heroine’s hand a moment too long.
“She was still jet lagged, so I took her home. But you met Susan and Odele.” Teo gently pushes me aside and steps slightly ahead of me.
“Suzie and Odette,” I whisper.
His lips twitch, but he doesn’t break eye contact with the monarch.
I have to say, there’s something kind of sexy about a guy staring down royalty on your behalf. Especially royalty whose palace you just stormed. If I wasn’t completely, one hundred percent over my crush on Teo, I’d be hyperventilating a bit.
“They were charming.” Lord Eduard glances away, then brings his gaze back to me. “As are you, I’m sure.”
It doesn’t seem like he’s going to call security. My heart rate starts to slow, and I suck in a couple more deep breaths. “I do my best.”
We stand there looking at each other for a few seconds, as if no one is quite sure what to do next. I’m certainly not going to make the first move. I’ve already assaulted the head of state. Leaving could be construed as a hit and run or something.
“Don’t you have important state business to get to?” Teo finally asks. There’s the tiniest edge to his words, as if he doesn’t believe His Grace—ha! I just remember that form of address from the previously mentioned romances—has any significant plans. Teo’s attitude seems strangely belligerent for someone who broke into the royal Schloss.
“I just finished up for the day.” His Dukeship spreads his hands, as if he has all the time in the world. “Perhaps I can offer my services as a tour guide?”
Beside me, Teo stiffens. “That won’t be necessary. I’m sure you have other plans.”
“Not at all.” His lordliness crooks his elbow at me and waves the other hand down the hall. “After you, cousin.”
Cousin? Maybe Teo really is from the wrong side of the blanket! I make a mental note to tell Lina.
Teo flinches, then puts a hand on my lower back and nudges me forward. As before, the warm pressure makes me feel safe. As safe as you can feel when you get caught infiltrating a foreign power. When his touch drops away, I feel a flash of panic, but Eduard takes my hand and places it on his arm. I feel like a princess and wish I’d worn a long, full skirt instead of ripped jeans. And maybe a tiara.
His Dukedom takes us through stately and dramatic rooms with high ceilings, fabulous paintings, rich draperies, plush furniture, and floors so shiny you could use them instead of the dozens of mirrors on the walls. We pass through the public rooms quickly and head into an enormous entry hall that holds enough flowers to make me sneeze multiple times.
Eduard offers a “Gesundheit,” then goes on. “The Grand Duchess—my mother—and I met with Prince Hans Adam of Liechtenstein this morning. He’s an old and valued ally—hence the floral display. It’s a bit ostentatious but expected.” He wrinkles his nose when I sneeze again. “Are you allergic?”
I bite back a giggle. “No, no allergies. There’s just so much—” I wave my hands helplessly, then turn away to sneeze again. “So much flowerness.”
“Flowerness? You have a unique vocabulary.” Eduard smiles. I’m not sure if he’s amused or disapproving.
“You have to admit it’s descriptive.” Teo sweeps an arm to indicate the massive banks of flowers. His tone sounds aggressive, as if he’s defending me. “An overabundance of flowerness.”
I dart a mischievous glance at him. “It looks like a flower market got bit by a radioactive spider.”
Teo snorts and tries to cover it with a cough. “Or the staging warehouse for the Rose Festival.”
“Were you on that trip? You’re not usually in town in June.” Back in high school, a group from Rotheberg helped decorate a float for the annual Portland parade. We spent the weekend sticking a gazillion cut flowers into chicken wire frames. The end result was stunning, but I’ve never looked at flowers the same since. As far as I know, the school only made the trip once, but I don’t remember Teo being there. That must have been after my crush.
The one that is definitely not coming back.
“That was when Muti and Vati opened the permanent store in town. We were there from April that year, so I got to do some things I normally missed. But I didn’t ride the bus—Vati drove.”
The debu-duke clears his throat. “I hope to visit Rotheberg. Soon.”
We both turn and stare at him in surprise. Teo frowns. “Really? I hadn’t heard. I’m surprised?—”
