Page 120 of Duty and Desire

I glanced at the faces of those around the table. They all appeared as exhausted as I felt. I took a deep breath.

“There will be no wedding.”

The Prime Minister’s jaw dropped, and he gaped at me, but a moment later he regained his self-control. “Your Majesty, this was the wish of your late father. He had a vision?—”

“I knowexactlythe vision my father had for me. He left a legacy, one of tradition—a legacy I now reject. I would be untrue to myself if I married Princess Karoline, because I already love another.” I looked him in the eye. “As you now know.”

He frowned. “Your Majesty, we discussed this last night. There can be no question of allowing this article to go unchecked. We need to issue a denial. If he were alive, your father would agree with me.”

I held my hand up for silence. “Yes, he would have done. He held strong views on this matter, and were he alive right now, this wouldn’t even be up for discussion. And now you know one of the reasons that drove me from my home, my country.” I looked at the minsters around the table. “If I am to be your king, then there must be honesty.”

Where the courage to say those words came from, I would never know.

I suspected Gio was its source, however.

The Prime Minster croaked, “Ifyou are to be our king?”

My heartbeat raced. “If I have to choose between duty, or the desire to be true to myself, then yes, I will make that choice because now I have the strength to make such a decision.” I stilled. “But I repeat, there will be no wedding.”

Another onset of murmurs broke out, until the Prime Minister flashed the ministers a sharp glance. He stared at me in horror.

“I must ask… does Her Highness know of this decision?”

“She does.”

He made an unhappy noise. “While this is a sad state of affairs, I must confess what concerns me more is hearing you speak as if there will be no coronation.”

Despite my trepidation, I regarded him with my chin high. “It isn’t a decision I will make lightly, I assure you.”

“But who else could claim the throne, if not you, the rightful heir?”

I’d given that a lot of thought.

“The next in line would be my cousin, Wolfgang Rechsteiner. And ifhewouldn’t be willing to be king, there is a line of cousins behind him who might jump at the chance.” I’d spent some time the previous night going over my family tree. “But we are not at that point yet.”

I had to talk to Gio first.

I rose. “That is all for the moment. I would ask Miss Risch to prepare an announcement for the media, to the effect that Her Highness and I will not be marrying. Post it on the palace’s website too.”

Let them get used to that bombshell before we drop another.

“Your Majesty, if I can have a minute?—”

I flashed Daniela a patient smile. “Later. There’s something very important I need to do first.” I walked out of the Council chamber, heading for the guest rooms, my heart hammering.

I did it. I reallydidit.

Now to share that news with Gio.

I approached the door of his bedroom, an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I raised my hand to knock, my mouth suddenly dry.

I’m at a crossroads, having to choose between love and duty, between happiness and responsibility.But in the quiet of my heart, there was only one thing I knew for certain.

I couldn’t lose Gio.

“He isn’t in there.”

I jumped at the sound of Claudia’s low voice. “Do you know where he is? I need to talk to him.” I smiled. “I told them, Claudia. I said I won’t marry Karoline.”

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