Page 56 of Pregnant at the Palace Altar

She was angry, yes, but she could not begin to fathom what had happened during that conversation. She had expected him to be angry and upset. She would not be surprised by self-blame or recriminations, because the men who should have protected him had manipulated him instead. They had brainwashed him into this warped vision of himself.

And still, under all that, he was a good man. No doubt forged by the parents who had loved him, and each other, so very much.

Her heart ached for Diamandis, that they had been ripped from him so cruelly. All because of a throne. All because of men and their greed for power. So many different attempts at getting what they wanted through manipulation and violence and cruelty.

Katerina rubbed the side of her stomach. The twinges had been getting more frequent, but the nurse had assured her that as long as they were not consistent, or more painful, everything was fine.

Go to Anavolí. Alone. What was he thinking? That she wouldabandonhim?

But she was so tired. The pregnancy was taking a toll, and if there was going to be upheaval, then maybe...

No. She couldn’t leave him. He wanted it, so she couldn’t do it. She finished her work on Diamandis’s appointments, ignored another uncomfortable twinge, and then asked Stelios to have a lunch brought up.

When he announced its arrival, he also announced Zandra.

“The princess has requested to eat with you, if you are up for it.”

“Of course.”

Zandra entered ahead of the staff with a rolling tray of food. She plopped down into a seat near Katerina. “I have heard that Diamandis wishes to send us away.”

Katerina smiled at the blunt way Zandra put it, though she didn’t feel particularly smiley about it.

“That is his current grand plan.”

“Are you going to go along with it?” Zandra thanked the staff members once they had lunch set up, then dismissed every single one of them. Katerina waited for everyone to leave before she answered Zandra’s question.

“I don’t want to go, no.”

“Lysias is not too keen on letting me out of his sight this far along,” Zandra said, running her hand over her belly with a fond smile. “And I am not eager to leave him either, though I do want to go to Anavolí. I think I might remember it. But seeing it in person would clarify it for me. Perhaps we should all go there once Marias is dealt with.”

It sounded so nice. The four of them—the family—taking a vacation together. Katerina had never imagined such a thing. And her children would have a cousin their age. They would have a true family. A kind, loving family.

What about their father?

She knew it was foolish to wish for a man to change, but surely when he saw them...

But he’d confessed everything to her, everything he thought was shameful about himself, and left. Coldly. He wanted to send her away. Anytime he felt something, he put distance between them.

It would likely be the same with the children. Perhaps worse, if familial memories made being with them even more distressing and emotional.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Zandra asked when Katerina had still not made herself a plate.

Katerina shook her head. “No. The babies have been quite active in there and it doesn’t do much for my appetite.”

“You must keep your strength up though.” She put her own plate aside and bustled around the cart making a new plate. She handed it to Katerina. “I will not leave until you’ve eaten at least half.”

Katerina had to swallow down the lump in her throat. It was such a strange thing to be so looked after, so taken care of. Diamandis had comforted her after her mother’s cruelty, and now Zandra, pregnant herself, was fussing after her and making plans for future family vacations together.

“Zandra, do you understand your brother?”

“Oh, not at all,” Zandra replied emphatically. “He’s a complete and utter mystery. I think Lysias is able to shed some light for me sometimes, but the man makes no sense.” Zandra took a big bite of her slice of cheese. “Except, to me, it is clear Diamandis loves you very much and has for some time.”

“Isthat clear?”

“Perhaps not to you. But... I know he loves me, no matter how annoying he finds me. So I can recognize it in him, even if he can’t. I can see the way he looks at you, talks to you, treats you. There is a kind of...fear in it.”

If she had said anything else, anything about love or joy or sweetness, Katerina would have scoffed. But itwasfear she saw in him, so how could she argue with Zandra? “Every time I think I have made some progress, he only pushes me farther away. I am getting tired of it. Perhaps I should accept that he only has push inside of him. Maybe...” Her throat closed and a lump formed there, but she managed to speak on. “Maybe I should go to Anavolí. Give him some space. He can deal with all this and...” Katerina trailed off because she felt so tired. So wrung-out. Maybe spacewasthe only option.

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