Page 15 of Back to Claim His Crown
‘My physical recovery after the accident took some time,’ he explained briefly. ‘I made it to Piri-nu and convalesced there. But my mother died before learning I was safe. The situation in Monrayne then became complicated.’
He’d not had health or strength or money. He’d been utterly powerless to take on Garth at eighteen. But he was never going to be in that position again. He would ensure Monrayne’s stability and his own strength.
‘Ten years is alongtime,’ she said.
‘I had to wait until the time was right.’
‘Is all this horrible stuff about Anders true?’ She gestured to the news articles on the screen. ‘Or is it a smear—part of the campaign to restore faith in you? Have your people been leaking stories all night?’
He read a few of the more salacious headlines upside down.
‘The media reports have nothing to do with me.’ He glanced up and that hardness inside eased a little at the concern in her eyes. ‘And what you read there is all true. It’s not even half of it,’ he added. ‘Anders routinely gorged on drugs, drink and enjoyed exerting power over unwilling women.’
Her face flushed. ‘How could I not have known that?’
‘Because until last night Garth had control of the media.’
Her eyes widened. ‘And now you do?’
‘No. Now there is afreepress. I’ll not allow that corruption to continue. I’ll not be a dictator.’
‘Why did no one warn me? Surely people must have known something—or suspected? Why would Garth let me...?’
That had been another source of his anger.
‘Perhaps he thought that Anders wouldn’t dare harm you, given your status. Or his own greed blinded him to the depths Anders had sunk. I think he was arrogant enough to believe he could control him.’
She stared at him in horror. ‘I get that you needed to gather your strength. But surely that didn’t take a decade.’
‘I needed to accumulate all kinds of resources for my return. Niko had done too much for me already. I couldn’t ask for more assistance.’
‘King Niko of Piri-nu?’ She regarded him thoughtfully. ‘It says online that you worked in his security team.’
‘He saved my life,’ he said harshly. ‘I owed him.’
‘So you repaid him with loyalty and time?’
He nodded. ‘I also needed the opportunity. I couldn’t fail and I couldn’t leaveanyroom for doubt. I needed the eyes of the world upon Monrayne in that moment I returned. There could be no risk of violence. No one else could be hurt.’
‘At least not physically,’ she muttered.
He paused. ‘Right.’
She stared down at the headlines again. ‘I never would have resented myrescueif I had known about this.’
‘Is that your way of saying “thank you” at last?’
She glanced back up and there was a sad smile in her eyes. ‘I’m not afraid to say the words, but only when they’re warranted.’
‘Are they not now?’ He inclined his head. ‘Are you still angry with me for interrupting the wedding? He would have enjoyed forcibly removing that dress from you, Zara. He’d have done it with far more violence than I did, and he’d have done far worse once he had.’ His tension built until he sighed in frustration. ‘You should go back to your family.’
Her expression grew pinched. ‘My family didn’t wait for me. They won’t be interested in how I’mfeeling. They’ll want me to hide in that castle like a pariah princess for the rest of my life. I’ll be scorned and shamed.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m not exactly raring for that to happen.’
He could help her disappear. Get her a new name, a new identity. But he knew how lonely that life was and his gut told him that wasn’t right for her.
‘So you don’t wish to return home.’ He glanced at another of the headlines on the screen. ‘At least sympathy is on your side.’
‘Sympathy.’She grimaced. ‘Well, isn’t that just all I’veeverwanted?’
