Daniel, who had been listening intently, finally said, “She’s right. Esmeralda likes to talk.”

  Scowling, Sibella said, “Again, who is Esmeralda?” But rather than filling her in, Luciana kept talking.

  Luciana said, “But then I spoke to Riccardo, a soldier who was stationed in Esmar for a while. He had met the Duc and his sons—”

  “Yes, yes, Leo and Simon. My brothers. What’s your point?” Sibella interrupted.

  “He never met any daughter. He’d never even heard of a daughter,” Luciana continued.

  Daniel looked at Sibella, raising his eyebrows. He’d never much thought about her official social ranking. He’d just trusted his father had done his research when he’d invited Sibella to the palazzo. Now he was curious as to her true identity.

  She scoffed. “That’s typical. They’ve always been his pride and joy. Why would he mention me?” There was a sad look in Sibella’s eyes that struck pity in Daniel. Suddenly, Sibella’s lack of attachment to the people of Esmar made sense. She’d been outcast by her own family.

  “Well, you’re not a failure,” Luciana reasoned. “So, either you’re lying or—” Luciana cut herself short, a hand flying to her mouth, eyes wide. Daniel looked at Sibella, who had the appearance of a cornered animal.

  “I feel like I’m missing something here,” Daniel said. The stare off between Luciana and Sibella was so tense it sent shivers down his spine.

  Luciana brought a trembling hand to her back. Loosening her top slightly, she pulled a slip of paper from inside. It was crumpled and worn, but Daniel knew what it was. The letter from Nicolas’s daughter.

  Daniel looked at Sibella. No. She couldn’t be. Although she did have the same uncommonly blue eyes as Luciana… and Nicolas’s strong cheekbones.

  “I believe this is yours,” Luciana said, holding the letter out to Sibella.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sibella said. Still, she took the letter. As she read each line, she gripped the paper tighter, shaking with rage. Sibella shook her head. Then she tore the letter in half, tossing the parts into the canal.

  “Sibella, no!” Luciana screamed.

  “Oops,” Sibella said smugly.

  “Is it true?” Daniel asked.

  “You can’t prove it,” Sibella hissed.

  “I have all the evidence I need. Do you want to come clean or should I tell Daniel how I figured it out?” Luciana asked.

  Sibella’s lips hardened as she considered her options. She looked back and forth between Daniel and Luciana, then seemed to give up with a sigh. “Nicolas met my mother on a trip to Esmar. She was a lowly seamstress at the time, but he loved her. At least that’s how she tells the story. Anyway, he wouldn’t marry her. Too poor, I suppose.”

  Daniel was surprised Luciana didn’t bring up the fact that Nicolas had been an Ambassador of the Sun. That alone would have been reason to refuse a marriage. Instead, she let Sibella continue her story. “We were poor. And I was bitter. So, I decided I’d get my revenge on him for abandoning us. It worked, by the way. He managed to convince the Duc des Étoiles to marry my mother.”

  “The second wife,” Luciana muttered.

  “Wait,” Daniel said. “If you had a great life in Esmar, why come here?”

  Sibella was quiet.

  Luciana was expressionless as she said, “You wanted a crown, didn’t you?”

  Daniel shook his head. “Of course, she does. Why else would she come here to marry me? This changes nothing.”

  Sibella let out a shaky breath. “Thank you.”

  Luciana took a step closer to Sibella, looming over her menacingly. “No. It changes everything. You knew the price of a crown. You saw it tear your own family apart, how your father disowned you in his pursuit of power, yet you still wanted it. That changes everything,” she spat.

  Sibella stood, rising to meet Luciana’s scrutinizing gaze. “You know nothing about me. You know nothing about my situation.”

  “I know enough,” Luciana said, crossing her arms.

  “Daniel, please,” Sibella begged, turning to face him. “Don’t break off the engagement.”

  Daniel shook his head. This was so much all at once. So, he just said, “We will discuss this tomorrow. I need time to think.”

  From there, the group fell into silence as the gondolier guided them through the familiar waterways back to the palazzo. Daniel couldn’t look at either Sibella or Luciana. His stomach was churning with the implications.

  Cousins. Luciana and Sibella were cousins. He certainly wouldn’t have thought it, with Sibella being ghostly pale and Luciana having a warm brown complexion. But it made sense. The two girls were so alike otherwise. How had he not noticed the similarity in their builds? In their faces? Not to mention they both apparently had an attraction to power. Although it seemed like Luciana had moved past her desire for a crown. It was probably best to leave her alone then.

  Like it or not, Daniel came with strings attached. Strings that Luciana probably wouldn’t want.

  Before he knew it, they’d docked at the palazzo. The gondolier tied off the boat, then helped the three of them ashore. Daniel slipped him a few coins from his pocket. While he didn’t say anything, the message was clear. Not a word of this to anyone.

  Sibella cleared her throat to get Daniel’s attention. “I think I’d better retire for the night.”

  Daniel nodded. “I think that would be best.”

  Sibella left, her head hung low.

  And then it was just Daniel and Luciana. He shook his head. What was he going to do with her? It was much too late to send her back to Quirino’s. She’d have to stay at the palazzo. With him.

  “I’ll have Gabriella prepare a room for you,” Daniel said dismissively.

  “Wait!” Luciana called after him. “I need to speak with you!”

  “Can’t it wait?” Daniel asked, fully intending to put her off. As much as he’d love to spend more time with Luciana, it would hurt too much knowing he could never have her.

  “No, Daniel. It’s important. And it needs to be now.” Luciana looked around. They were in a corridor that carried an echo. Any conversation held there would certainly attract the attention of half the staff. “Although I’d hoped to do it somewhere more private.”

  Daniel shook his head. He knew her well enough to know she wasn’t going to give up. “Fine,” he said. “Follow me.”

  Daniel’s room wasn’t at all like Luciana expected. Back in Askaña, her bedroom had been on one of the highest floors. Their philosophy was the higher-ranking you were, the closer you should be to the sun. But Daniel’s room was on the very first floor. Water level. Where the servants should have been. When he’d opened the door, Luciana had been expecting a study. But instead, there was a bed and a wardrobe, and a million books. Luciana was impressed.

  “You like to read?” Luciana asked, running her fingertips along the clothbound volumes.

  “Books just serve as inspiration for my own writings,” Daniel said, blushing slightly.

  Luciana turned her attention to the rest of the room, the floor-to-ceiling windows giving her an impressive view of the canals and the city in the distance.

  Daniel cleared his throat from behind her and Luciana turned back to face him.

  “What are you here to discuss?” Daniel asked.

  And there it was. In the heat of everything, she hadn’t prepared a speech. How was she supposed to start this? She took a deep breath.

  “Daniel, I… I’m sorry. For everything,” Luciana said. “I should never have run away from you at the beach. Up until tonight you’ve been good to me. Much better than I deserve. So, thank you.”

  If she could have slapped her past self, she would have. She’d behaved like a child, putting her selfish wants above him. And she was done with that. That would be a good place to start.

  Daniel crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “That’s not why you needed to talk to me,” he mused. “But thank you for the apology.”

  “It’s difficult to just tell you this,” Luciana admitted. If she was honest, she had no idea how to convince him not to marry Sibella. Daniel made a strange face. Almost as if he knew what she was going to say and couldn’t decide if he wanted to hear it or not.

  “I know you think I’m dangerous. I know you think I could destroy Osmain. And I think those fears are well-founded but—”

  “You’re not dangerous. I don’t think so, at least,” Daniel said.

  “But your father—”

  “Do I look like my father?” Daniel asked. He was suddenly very tense, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Then he just snapped, deflating. “He is a good man, but we don’t see eye to eye on everything.”

  “So, you’re just mad at me, then?” Luciana blurted before she could help it. “I left you at the beach, so you decided not to talk to me anymore?”

  Daniel took a step closer. “No! I mean, yes, I was hurt. But that’s not why I was staying away.”

  Luciana couldn’t look at him. She averted her gaze, hoping Daniel couldn’t see the pink heat rising in her cheeks. It was embarrassing to think that maybe he was in love with his fiancée after all. “Do you love Sibella?” she asked, the words stinging as she said them aloud.

  Daniel laughed. “What? No! I thought our little boat ride made that clear.”

  “Then why?” Luciana asked softly.

  Daniel gently took Luciana’s hand. His touch was warm, and she couldn’t help it—she looked up at him. His eyes were like pools of warm honey, and she could get lost in them forever. She was suddenly aware of just how badly she wanted him to kiss her. No. She wanted much more than that. Her heart beat fast, even at such a small touch. She wanted all of him.

  But instead of taking her in his arms and sweeping her off to the bed, he just shook his head. Luciana tried not to be disappointed. What could she have expected?

  “Luciana, I don’t blame you for anything you’ve done. You are more courageous than anyone gives you credit for,” Daniel said. “But you’ve been through hell this summer.”

  Luciana pursed her lips. What was he implying there? What he said was an understatement. She’d lost everything. Well, almost everything. And she’d had more worries than she could count. Every night, if she managed to sleep, she had nightmares. If she wasn’t dreaming about Daniel—which was its own breed of torture—she had to witness Camila’s death over and over again.

  Daniel was right. She had been through hell and now words escaped her. When Luciana didn't respond, Daniel continued. “The last thing you need right now is more responsibility. Another crown, another country to learn. Not to mention, you need time to make sure your decisions aren’t based on grief.”

  Luciana yanked her hand out of Daniel’s grasp. The air was suddenly suffocatingly heavy, like everything was happening in slow motion. Her cheeks grew red-hot. “And who are you to tell me what I need?”

  “I don’t want you to resent me. I want you to be happy in who you are before you commit to anything. Your world was rocked, Luciana,” Daniel said, reaching back out to her. But it was too late. Luciana was angry now.

  “When have I not known who I am?” Luciana asked, raising her voice. “I might not always know what I want, but I know who I am. That hasn’t changed a bit.” She stood tall, facing him. She did know who she was, and she was proud of herself. She was someone who made mistakes, sure. But she was also someone who owned up to them.

  She smiled at that thought. Because her worth didn’t come from any of the things she’d always imagined it did.

  Luciana straightened her back and squared her shoulders. She took a deep breath and said, “I am not eager to become royalty again. That much is true. But I am sure of two things, as I have been since long before my home was destroyed. I know myself… and I know you.”

  She continued. “I have always put reason before anything else, and reason pushed me away from you. But you’re all I have left, Daniel. And if you think I’m going to let some perfect, pretty girl take you away from me, then you don’t know me at all.”

  Daniel looked shocked but he was smiling from ear to ear. And that infuriated her. Here she was, being completely honest, telling him the deepest desires of her heart, and all he could do was grin like an idiot. She stomped up to Daniel, getting into his face. She was so close to him that the heat from his body went down to her bones. “And another thing—”

  He cut her off with a kiss.

  Gone was his slow melt into her. This time he dove straight in, kissing her with an intensity that left Luciana breathless. As her initial shock wore off, she kissed him back with the same fire. She ran a hand through his thick curls, pulling him closer.

  This was what she had come here for, and it was better than she could have imagined. This was the feeling of victory Luciana had pictured when she’d dreamt about him. As Daniel held her in his arms, everything seemed to fade away. None of the problems that had plagued them seemed to matter when she was at his side.

  Daniel grabbed her ass to pull her right up against him, and even through the layers of her gown she could feel the hardness of his manhood. This made Luciana pause in surprise, but it quickly gave way to arousal as Daniel traced his lips down her neck, kissing along her collarbone. He left trails of fire everywhere he touched, and Luciana found her breathing getting faster. As he teased her and touched her, Luciana became aware of the growing heat between her legs. She knew that feeling. Desire. She’d felt it every time she’d imagined being alone with Daniel.

  When Luciana didn’t think she could contain herself anymore, Daniel broke off their kiss. He brought his hand to her back where her bodice was tied, but he didn’t pull the string just yet. Lingering close to her lips, he muttered, “Is this too far?”

  Breathless, Luciana shook her head. “Not even close.”

  “How far do you want to go then?”

  “As far as you’ll take me.”

  Daniel grinned devilishly and kissed her again. Then, with expert fingers, he unlaced her corset. He pulled off petticoats, skirts, and shoes, kissing her each time he removed an article of clothing. Each time she lost something, she smiled more and more with excitement.

  Before she knew it, it was just her, standing before Daniel. He kissed her softly then took her hand, leading her to the bed where she laid down.

  “Your turn,” Luciana teased, gesturing to his clothes, which were still very much on his body. Daniel wasted no time fixing that. As his torso came into view, Luciana was once again reminded of just how muscular he was. He even had the faint outline of muscles along his stomach. The army had done him good.

  Daniel followed Luciana to the bed, positioning himself above her. He leaned down to kiss her once more. It was a deep kiss, and when he broke it, he said softly against her lips, “I love you, Luciana. I always have and I always will.”

  Luciana’s heart soared. “I love you, too,” she said, taking his face in her hand and pulling him closer. He was somehow even more intense in his kiss, pressing his tongue into her mouth. His hand ran up her body, then he cupped her breast. Luciana gasped at the sensation, and he gently brought his mouth to her nipple, kissing and licking it gently. Luciana let out a small moan of pleasure.

  His hand traced down the length of her core again, making her shiver. She instinctively opened her legs as he touched her carefully, as if she were a delicate flower blooming before him. His caresses sent a different kind of feeling rippling through her body. No one had ever touched her there before. It was a strange sensation, yet she wanted more.

  “Do you like this?” Daniel whispered in her ear.

  Luciana nodded, then gasped as he touched her more fervently.

  “Do you want more?” Daniel asked. Breathless, Luciana could barely form words. She nodded again.

  “Tell me what you want,” Daniel said, moving down to kiss the place he’d just been touching. Luciana moaned again as Daniel indulged her.

  “I…” Luciana tried to say between breaths. “I want you.”

  Daniel lowered himself to her body, their skin pressing together, and she fought the urge to gasp at the sensation of the tip of his cock against her opening.

  “Are you ready?” he asked.

  Luciana nodded vigorously. Her nerves twinged with anticipation as Luciana waited for him to push into her. The butterflies in her stomach were flying out of control.

  Daniel entered slowly, but Luciana still gasped. It was slightly painful, but Daniel was gentle. He rocked back and forth, pressing a little further each time until he was fully inside. Then he moved slowly, gently pulling in and out. Luciana tried to keep her breathing steady.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. Luciana nodded. He continued, “It won’t hurt much longer, I promise.”

  Daniel continued to touch her and tease her as she became accustomed to having him inside of her. Luciana couldn’t tell the exact moment that it happened, but as he moved, pleasure spread to every inch of her body. As the warm feeling grew inside her, she softly cried out his name. He moved with a passion that Luciana had never expected from him, and they fell into a rhythm, their two bodies perfectly in sync.

  She didn’t know how long they did this. Time seemed to disappear as they moved. Luciana touched him and kissed along his collar bone, smiling every time he sighed in enjoyment. They were the only two people in the world, and Luciana had never been more at home.

  Daniel kissed her everywhere until it seemed like the world might explode. He tickled the side of her neck with his tongue, ran his hands through her hair, and he kissed her breasts. All the while, Luciana grew closer and closer to what she knew must be the release.

  Finally, the pressure inside of her built up to be too much, and with one last cry she threw her head back in ecstasy. It was almost like she had left her body, overcome by wave upon wave of breathtaking, wordless bliss.

  It only took Daniel a few minutes to follow, pulling himself out of her just in time as he finished. Daniel collapsed on the bed beside her, content. They both caught their breath, coming down to earth together, then fell into a comfortable silence.

 

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