Agnes

I tucked Thea into bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. She clutched her favorite stuffed rabbit to her chest as I settled on the bed beside her.

“Mommy, can you read me a story?” she asked.

“Of course, sweetheart,” I replied, reaching for the well-worn book of fairy tales that was sitting on the nightstand. Flipping through the pages, I found one of her favorites—a story of a brave princess and a kind prince who overcome all odds to be together.

As I began to read, Thea listened intently, her little fingers tracing the illustrations. When I reached the part where the prince rescued the princess from the tower, she sighed dreamily.

“Do you think they’ll get married and live happily ever after?” she asked, tilting her head back to look up at me.

I smiled softly. “Well, that’s how the story goes, isn’t it?”

She nodded, then thought for a moment, tapping her chin. “Will you and Daddy get married like them?” she suddenly asked.

My heart skipped a beat at the sudden reminder. She hadn’t mentioned it since this morning, and I had sort of hoped she would have moved on from it by now. “Oh, Thea... it’s not that simple,” I said gently.

“But why not?” she pressed, her brows knitting together. “You kissed him last night, didn’t you? Doesn’t that mean you’re in love?”

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. “Well… Sometimes, in real life, things are a bit more complicated than in stories.”

“But you like Daddy, and he likes you,” she insisted. “Why can’t you be like the prince and princess?”

I took a deep breath and momentarily set down the book, taking a moment to search for the right words. Finally, I said, “Because sometimes, people have responsibilities and... other commitments that make things difficult.”

She pondered this for a moment. “But I know you and Daddy will fall in love someday,” she declared confidently.

I brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “Maybe,” I whispered, even though I highly doubted that. “But for now, let’s just enjoy our story, okay?”

She nodded slowly, her eyelids already growing heavy. “Okay.”

I continued reading until her breathing became slow and steady. Once she was asleep, I gently closed the book and watched her for a moment, envying the simplicity of her little fantasy world. If only things were as straightforward as they are in the imaginations of little girls, I thought. Things really would be so much simpler in life.

But they weren’t. And that was just a fact.

Once I was certain she was fast asleep, I got up and set the book aside. Pressing a soft kiss to her temple, I whispered, “Sweet dreams, my little one.”

Leaving her room, I headed back to my own, where the daunting binder Elijah had given me lay open on the desk. Fifty more pages of names, faces, and alliances stared back at me. We had made great progress today, but there was still so much left to learn, and I had to make sure that my memory was perfect by the time the gala came up.

I wouldn’t be sleeping much anyway tonight, I figured. So, with a sigh, I settled into the chair and resumed my work.

Hours passed as I tried to commit the details to memory. My eyes grew bleary, the names, faces, and information on the page starting to swim before me. Hours passed, and still I didn’t make much progress.

Rubbing my temples, I realized I needed a break. My throat was dry, and the clock read half past midnight. Grabbing my empty glass, I decided to get some more water.

The house was blissfully quiet as I made my way downstairs to the kitchen, the wooden floors cool beneath my bare feet. Flicking on the light, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw a figure standing by the counter.

“Goddess above!” I gasped, my hand flying to my chest.

Elijah turned to face me, equally startled by the sudden light. “Agnes?”

“What are you doing here?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his gaze. “This is my house…”

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks. Of course it was his house. And of course he had every right to be in his own kitchen in the middle of the night. But what threw me off was the fact that he was standing there shirtless, his toned physique illuminated under the warm light.

“I... I didn’t expect anyone to be here,” I stammered, quickly turning away.

“You might want to fill that before you head back,” Elijah suddenly said with a soft chuckle before I could go.

I froze, my face reddening even more as I looked down at the empty glass in my hand. “Right,” I mumbled, feeling even more foolish. I stepped toward the sink but hesitated, suddenly hyper-aware of Elijah’s proximity. I could practically feel the warmth radiating off his shirtless torso.

He noticed my hesitation. “Allow me.” Taking the glass from my hand, his fingers brushed lightly against mine, sending a subtle jolt up my arm.

I watched as he filled the glass, the sound of running water filling the silence between us. Handing it back to me, his eyes met mine. “Here you go.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

An awkward silence settled over the room as I took the glass. I took a sip of water, hoping it would help cool the warmth I felt creeping up my neck.

Elijah cleared his throat. “About last night…”

I looked up sharply. “Yes?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize?” I echoed, surprised.

“Yes. I shouldn’t have kissed you without... resolving things with Olivia first. It was disrespectful to you.”

I shook my head. “No, I should be the one apologizing. I was impulsive and I put you in an awkward position.”

He studied me for a moment. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I feel like I overstepped,” I insisted. “Especially knowing that you have a mate.”

He sighed softly. “Agnes, the situation with Olivia is... complicated. But that doesn’t excuse my actions, either.”

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. “I just don’t want to cause any trouble.”

He took a step closer. “You’re not causing trouble. If anything, I’ve been the one making things difficult for you.”

I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were steady, fixed on me like I was the only thing in the world. Unbidden, memories of last night’s kiss flitted back through my mind. But I quickly looked away, not wanting to make the same mistake twice.

Because that mark was still on prominent display on his neck, and there was no ignoring it.

“Well, um…” I swallowed hard, feeling awkward beneath his gaze. “Thank you for the apology. But maybe we should keep things professional from now on. For Thea’s sake.”

He nodded slowly. “Perhaps you’re right.”

I gave a small smile, trying to ease the tension. “Besides, I have enough on my plate with this binder of yours.”

“Finding it challenging?”

“That’s an understatement,” I chuckled. “I’m not sure how I’m supposed to memorize all of it before the gala.”

He crossed his arms, the movement drawing my eyes momentarily before I snapped them back to his face. “You’ll manage. You’re more capable than you give yourself credit for.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said dryly.

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

I sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I have a lot more studying to do.”

“Not just studying,” he said. “You have your first etiquette lesson before the gala.”

“Etiquette lesson?” I raised an eyebrow. “Is that really necessary?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. We can’t have you tripping over titles and toasts.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I’d dealt with plenty of etiquette lessons growing up, courtesy of my well-to-do parents. But then again, it had been years since I had practiced. Maybe a little brush-up wouldn’t hurt.

“Alright,” I finally said. “I’ll be up bright and early.”

He nodded and strode toward me. My heart pounded as he brushed past me, and he paused in the doorway, glancing at me down the length of his nose.

“First etiquette lesson,” he said, eyeing me for a moment before turning and walking away, “try not to be so flustered around your own husband.”