The Lost Princes of Ambria 06 - Taming the Lost Prince by Raye Morgan Read Free Book Online Page A

have happened in the last ten years. You understand?”
    He looked at them. They looked back, and it was clear they didn’t understand. It was obvious neither one of them had ever done anything to be ashamed of in their lives. Or not much, anyway. They stared at him with huge eyes and didn’t say a thing. He groaned.
    Suddenly, he was a little angry. “You know what? I didn’t ask for this gig. I don’t know much yet about what it means to be a prince. And I’m starting to feel like it’s going to crowd me a bit. I live my life pretty free and easy.” He shook his head, looking from one to the other of them. “I don’t know, maybe that sort of living is incompatible with royal structure. What do you think?”
    They just stared and he began to feel uncomfortable. In his experience, women talked over everything. They never quit. What was with the silent treatment? Did they really think he’d done something so awful it couldn’t be talked about at all?
    He was about to ask about that when Pellea made a move toward him. As he watched, she walked up and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulling his face down inches from hers.
    “Promise me you won’t run away,” she said fiercely.
    That was a tough one. “Um … for how long?”
    There was a pause while she seemed to digest his attitude and realize he was close to an edge she didn’t want to reach. She closed her eyes for a second, then opened them again. “Promise me you will give this a month.”
    A month. Could he take a month of this constant royal oversight?
    He shook his head. “How can I do that?” he said, his tone almost sarcastic. “I may have to go serve time in East Slobovia here.” He gestured toward the poster, then pulled back and used his most disarming smile. “How about a week?”
    She winced and made a concession to reality. “Two weeks.”
    He glanced at Kayla. She looked like she was holding her breath. He drew in a long breath himself and nodded as he looked back at the queen.
    “Okay. I can give you that.”
    She let go and gave him a pat where she’d been grabbing his shirt. “Come to me tomorrow and be ready to tell me everything,” she said as she headed for the door.
    “I’ll tell you what I feel you need to know,” he countered as she opened it.
    She whirled and glared at him. “Listen, Max. I hope you understand that you must take this seriously. So far, I’ve been able to keep this nonsense out of the king’s notice. But if things get more dicey, I’m going to have to go to him with it.”
    Kayla bit her lip, wanting to stop Pellea. Didn’t she see how he resented being talked to like this? Didn’t she notice the sarcastic twist to the corner of his mouth, the veiled anger in his deep blue eyes?
    She was actually surprised he hadn’t said anything. He was used to talking back and walking out. It wasn’t going to be easy for him to learn to hold his tongue and take honest criticism. Was he going to be able to handle it?
    “Tomorrow,” Pellea said. “And you will tell me all.”
    “Or at least as much of it as I know myself.”
    She threw back an exasperated look, but this time she didn’t stop. In a few seconds, the door was closing and he and Kayla were alone again.
    She turned to him, her eyes huge and dark in the lamplight.
    “Max, what did you do?”
    He took a deep breath and faced her. This was almost funny. Maybe someday they would look back and laugh. But not today.
    “You know what? I don’t have a clue.” He saw the skepticism in her eyes and he looked away, swearing softly. “I’ve done a lot of things, Kayla. Nothing ever seemed bad enough to deserve jail time. Or death.” He turned back and looked at her. “But you never know. People take things more seriously than you think at the time.”
    She shook her head slowly, almost in wonder. “Mercuria. It’s a simple little country. You never even think of it. It’s smaller than Ambria. What can they be so upset about?”
    He shrugged,