Page 91 of Duty and Desire

Beside me, Claudia chuckled. “What did you expect? Skyscrapers? Heavy industry?”

I’d seen photos online, but they hadn’t prepared me for the reality of the place. There were no buildings with more than three stories, with the exception of the numerous church spires. Far-off snow-topped mountains surrounded it, the same mountains I’d traveled through on the train, providing a barrier shutting off Eisenland from the outside world. The fields and trees contrasted with the white walls and red roofs of the houses. I spotted vineyards on more than one grassy slope.

Then it hit me. There were hardly any people in sight. The whole city was as quiet as the grave.

It didn’t take a genius to work out the reason why.

“When is the funeral?”

“Tomorrow.” She pointed to the right, where a tall spire rose gracefully above the surrounding houses. “The service will take place in there.”

“And will you be going?”

Claudia sighed. “Everyonewill be going. As we speak, foreign dignitaries and heads of state from all over the world are probably on their way here.”

I frowned. “Until a week ago, I’d never heard of Eisenland. Why would heads of state be coming to such a tiny country?” Thirty-nine thousand inhabitants? That was about the size of Culver City’s population back in California.

Then I remembered my research, and I face-palmed. “Of course. I’m so stupid. Three percent of the world’s vital raw materials come from Eisenland.” I’d read figures relating to rare earth metals and minerals.

Claudia smiled. “You did your homework, didn’t you? Good. All this knowledge will prove useful. It will provide back-up to your cover story.”

Wait a minute…

“I have a cover story? Why am I only hearing about this now?”

“You’re a writer—truth—researching for a book about Eisenland and its strategic importance in the world. Plus, you’re also writing about the Royal Family. Kind of truth—You’re interested in one member in particular.”

I frowned. “But why do I need a cover story?”

Claudia expelled a patient sigh. “To get you in there? Franz says it’s the only way.”

What the?—

“Wait—Franzis helping me? The same Franz who threatened to rip my armsoff?”

She gave a wry chuckle. “I know. It was a shock to me too.”

“Then Iwillget to see Nick?” When she didn’t answer, I touched her hand. “What’s wrong? What is it you’re not telling me?”

“Gio, you… you might find Nick has changed from when you last saw him.”

“You mean he’s had a haircut? Got rid of the beard? Of course, there’s also the tiny detail that he’s now a king, and about to marry a princess.” I peered at her. “But you’re not talking about any of those things, are you?” My stomach clenched. “Talk to me, Claudia. I thought we could trust each other.”

She laced her fingers with mine. “He’s… different. I didn’t tell you about our last phone conversation, because frankly, I wanted to forget it. That wasn’t the Nick I’d known and loved for six years. That’s partly why I came to find you, to bring you here. I’m hoping the sight of you,talkingwith you, will be the jolt Nick needs to steer him from this disastrous path.” She gazed at me with a pained expression. “Because if you can’t, they’re going to turn him into his father, and Eisenland will have lost a potentially great king. More than that, the whole country will remain as it was, and that isn’t a good thing.”

“No pressure, then.”

Inside, I was a mess.

Any thoughts I’d had about angry confrontations had dissipated. During the flights, I’d resigned myself to using this trip to gain closure, to say the goodbye I’d been denied. Yes, I’d wanted to let out my rage, my disappointment, but the more Claudia told me about Nick’s circumstances, the less I wanted to vent. We’d planned a rescue mission to save Nick from a horrendous mistake—his marriage—but another aspect had been added.

We had to show Nick his country neededhim, not a carbon copy of his father.

Claudia pointed through the window. “Look up there.”

The castle stood high on a rocky hilltop whose lower slopes lay hidden beneath a dense forest. The warm color of the stone walls reflected the sunlight. It rose above the tree line, seemingly carvedout of the rock on which it perched. The red roofs glowed, and black flags were draped over its sloping ramparts.

“That’s the palace, isn’t it? How old is it?” It had looked like something out of a fairytale when I’d first seen it online, and seeing it in real life only reinforced that impression.

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