Page 33 of Betraying Korth

“A situation I will remedy as soon as we are alone together.”

I leaned against him with a sigh. “At this rate, that will never happen. Are you always watched this closely?”

“Only around you. They must know I’m weak.”

I let my fingers trail down Korth’s shoulder to his flexed arm supporting under my knees. “I could never believe that.”

“Your Highness!” The physician had arrived, wheezy from his run down the hall with his medical bag in hand. “I heard you were injured.”

“It isn’t bad,” I assured him, then shot a sly glance at Korth. “His Majesty Prince Korth has been very attentive.”

In too short a time, I was deposited in my room and the physician looked at my ankle, which he professed to be a minor sprain and bound with a length of white linen with instructions to keep it elevated.

Korth heaved an enormous sigh of relief as the physician left. Gerta volunteered to temporarily take Godfrey’s place as chaperone so he could go eat, which he gratefully accepted. “Watch them closely,” was his growling admonition as he left.

With a wink in my direction, Gerta shut the door and busied herself in the next room, saying loudly how she had been meaning to organize the washroom for days.

For the first time, Korth and I were practically alone.

“I’m sorry you got hurt,” he said, softly stroking my cheek as he sat at my bedside.

“It was my suggestion for us both to get on the swing. Besides, a mild bruise to my ankle and pride is a fair price if it means being pampered and carried like a princess.”

“Youarea princess,” Korth reminded me.

My heart beat faster. While I sometimes felt guilty about the luxurious lifestyle I was living while others in Ebora were mistreated and had none of my comforts, I had no shame about accepting Korth’s attention. I loved the sensation of him caring for me so tenderly. My hand rose of its own accord to press against Korth’s chest. I could feel his heart thumping inside, matching its beats with my own that I felt pulsing through my body, right down to the fingertips that were exploring the fabric of his shirt.

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” I finally said. Korth had no idea how much the truth would cost me.

“I’m not. I’m fine.”

“You don’t resent that I roped you into one of my adventurous schemes?”

“No. An adventurous life with you is the best thing I could imagine.”

My fingers curled around Korth’s rolled-up sleeves as waves of pure, undiluted happiness flooded through me. “I’m glad you’re here, Korth. You make me feel safe, and that is something I’ve never really had before.”

“I’ll always keep you safe,” he promised, fingers exploring my hair. Everywhere he touched left scorching trails that demanded my instant and undivided attention.

I couldn’t even breathe with how giddy and lightheaded I was feeling. As I closed my eyes to more fully embrace the touch, shame slunk back in to remind me that this happiness and affection didn’t belong to me. It was reserved for the title he assumed I held. I felt a keen sense of loss for that which could have been mine as guilt swept through me. I was a fraud. I couldn’t fall for Korth. Even if he didn’t know it, he would never truly be in love with me. He was in love with the woman he thought held my station.

Were the poor always destined to lose? No wonder others became discouraged and gave up on their quest for equality. If all evidence led someone to believe that such a bright future was impossible, then why try? But selfishly, for the tiniest of moments, I was prepared to set all that aside and share a moment of pure happiness with Korth. What was the harm in getting a taste of the life that could be possible once the rebellion was complete?

The warmth of Korth’s breath swirled around my mouth. How wonderful it would be to marry a man who truly adored me and wanted to provide the best in life for his wife.

“Your Majesty!” Godfrey was back and sounded horrified. Korth immediately pulled away from me and turned to face his ever-diligent manservant. Curse that man’s ill-fated timing; I was never going to be kissed. Godfrey looked aghast at how close Korth and I were. “Where is your chaperone?”

Gerta poked her head back in. “I was just tidying up the washroom.”

Godfrey glowered. “You need to keep a closer eye on these two.” He shot us a dirty look, like we were misbehaving children.

“What do you need, Godfrey?” Korth asked, much more politely than was warranted. Shoving our overly vigilant chaperone into the lake was becoming more appealing by the second. “I thought you were going to have a meal.”

“Peter Pan’s trial will begin soon. In order to commence, we need a sovereign representative. The judges were looking for you and it’s a good thing I ran into them.” He inclined his head pointedly. “As your parents are overseeing the reconstruction in the east, you need to oversee the trial.”

Korth’s back muscles, visible even through his shirt, looked tense. What would he do if I offered to massage them? Godfrey would faint dead away if I even suggested such a thing. Perhaps I should do it just for that reason.

For several long seconds, I watched a vein throb on Korth’s neck, pulsing to match his heart rate as he worked his jaw from side to side. I flopped back onto my pillows. So much for having time with Korth. He was going to be trapped in court proceedings for days, possibly weeks. A high profile criminal trial would be drawn out, and as an outsider, there would be no room for me.

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