Stealing Kisses With a King (Kings of Carolina #3)- Sylvie Stewart Page 0,2

let’s be honest; if my blood were a swimming pool, dicks would have shrunk to gherkins. “Let’s avoid that, yes?”

All Leo could do was shrug, but the fingers of dread began clawing inside my chest again. Mother’s interference was the last thing I needed. “I’ll do my best to help, but you can’t let it happen again, Mal. Your coronation is only three weeks away, and there’s no room for error.”

The whiskey turned sour in my belly and I abandoned the glass on the table. Leo was right, as usual. I always did my best not to acknowledge it, but he was unfailingly steadfast and kind, not to mention the sharpest man I knew, apart from our father. And Father—King Gregory—was the best of men. Strong, patient, wise, and beloved by the Feldish people as well as his family. But his multiple sclerosis had made it impossible for him to continue in his role as king, so it was up to me—as the oldest child, if only by two minutes—to take the helm and attempt in some small way to live up to his legacy. It was, in a word, terrifying.

So it’s no wonder that, with impeccable timing, my brain chose to abruptly develop a crippling fear of public speaking three weeks before I was meant to take the throne.

Fan-bloody-tastic.

“I’m just going to see Andrew at the guards’ office. No need to accompany me.” I tried waving off Victoria, but it was no use. Her heels clicked a rapid steel drum beat on the marble floors of the north wing’s main hall in her attempt to keep pace.

“But, sir.”

I raised a silencing hand. “No buts. I’m perfectly capable of crossing a courtyard on my own, Victoria. Why don’t you work on the coronation details? Lord knows there must be something you can do there.” If the minor pieces of planning I’d been privy to thus far were anything to go by, this event would be an absolute circus—minus the fun bits like tigers eating people. Hmm, I wonder…

No! I mustn’t let my mind wander. There were security personnel to annoy, sports cars to be driven, waves to be surfed, and kingly duties to postpone thinking about. All my mind needed was an afternoon at the beach, and I was sure it would sort itself out and be done with this fear nonsense. Now the only thing coming between me and my afternoon plans was my annoyingly competent and clingy assistant.

“Sir, as you are aware, I’ve been instructed not to let you out of my sight until the coronation.” Her cheerful tone belied what was surely some degree of impatience.

“And, as you are aware, I am your boss and I instruct you to do the exact opposite.” I didn’t enjoy losing my temper with Victoria. It wasn’t her fault I disliked her. She was just so… so… enthusiastic. No, eager. No, charming. Yes, that was the problem. Everyone in the sodding place sang her praises like she was the next coming of Hugh Jackman (yes, even I can’t deny the pull of that man’s devilishly handsome smile and smoldering countenance). Even Mother approved of Victoria; and she detested almost everyone.

To be fair, Victoria ticked every box for the perfect assistant. She was agreeable, punctual, bright, well-mannered, engaging with colleagues and superiors alike, and rarely overstepped—except when it came to anything my mother instructed her to do that I would surely dislike. And she didn’t shy away from doling out compliments, something one would think I’d enjoy.

Not to mention, Victoria was unarguably attractive, with a tall frame, flawless bone structure, and an almost concerning amount of lustrous blond hair. Her beauty had little to do with being fit for the job, but it was difficult not to take notice—especially when she occasionally stood a touch too close or brushed an accidental hand over my arm. And the smiling. I’d never seen such extraneous smiling.

I knew I was being ridiculous. But, like I said, it wasn’t Victoria’s fault I didn’t like her. It was Alice’s—the same Alice who hadn’t answered a single call or text in over four months. I’d never been so callously ignored, even if her abandoning me was… possibly… partially my fault.

“And you know I wouldn’t normally insist, but the queen did direct me to do as she sees best, so you can understand my predicament.”

“Is that so?” My feet came to a halt, causing Victoria to totter on her ridiculously high heels for a moment before steadying herself and