The Goddess (19 page)

While Helene tried to absorb what he’d just said—that he would give up his kingdom
for her, that he was in
love
with her—Darius moved closer to the crowd.

“If you want to believe the media reports over what I’m telling you now, that’s your
choice.” His words were stone. “I’ve already made mine.”

He waited a moment before turning to go inside. When he was almost at the door, another
voice rang out.

“We want to see the goddess.”

Others joined in.

“Where is she?”

“Bring her out now.”

Beside Helene, Yanni stiffened and Otis appeared, taking his place beside Tahlia.
After gathering her in his arms for a moment, Otis looked out at the crowd and pried
himself away.

“I’ll go and stand with your brother,” Otis said.

But Helene stepped in. “No. I should go.”

She took the figurine from Yanni. If Darius had faith in her, the least she could
do was have faith in herself.

She and Darius met at the doorway and together they walked back out to face the crowd.
Darius took the figurine and held it above his head.

“This is the goddess. A symbol of our longevity and unity. From now on, she’s yours.”

While the crowd stirred and murmured, he walked down the stairs, moving between two
guards. A wary man edged up and studied the figurine. As he moved away, clearly satisfied,
another came up, and then another. After several moments, once the pack hushed, Darius
headed back up the stairs. On the terrace again, he stood ready to face any more accusations
or complaints, but no one raised their voice. With the majority looking appeased,
people began to wander away.

Finally, Darius turned, and together they moved back through the doors.

Otis ventured out on the terrace and returned with a report. “They’re all drifting
out through the gates.”

Darius handed the figurine to Yanni. “I’ll let you take care of this.”

As Yanni moved off, Galen studied his nephew and then hugged him. Helene heard him
murmur, “Your father would be proud.”

Darius seemed to slump against the other man then inhaled deeply and drew away. Then
Galen, Tahlia, and Otis, along with the relieved staff, moved off.

Darius took Helene’s hand and drew her into the closest available room—the library.
Once the door was closed, he gathered her into the strong circle of his arms and kissed
her with a passion that left her weak.

“I’ve fallen in love with the most beautiful, bravest woman in the world,” he murmured,
tracing a palm over her cheek. “I can’t wait to meet our child.”

He released her only to fold one of her hands in his and press it to his chest. His
heart pounded just as hard as hers. She was so relieved, so in love, she wanted to
laugh. Wanted to cry.

“I don’t want to abdicate…”

“You won’t need to,” she slipped in.

“But I will, if it means keeping you.”

More emotion surged to prickle behind her eyes and clog her throat. She felt hot,
happy tears edge her eyes. “You’d do that for me?”

“In a heartbeat.”

“You’re sure?”

He drew her close again. With his brow pressed against hers and his smiling eyes searching
hers, he let her know, “My heritage is one that believes in omens. If the sun rises
on a fine day of the coronation, it will be a long and successful reign. If a released
dove circles three times and returns, the year will be a fruitful one.” His head angled
as his gaze dropped to her lips. “And if I kiss you now and you kiss me back then
you’ll know that I’m certain. That I love you. Today. Forever.”

As tears curled around and tickled her chin, slowly and deliberately, his mouth captured
hers. When they joined, there was no question. No doubt. With all her heart and being,
Helene leaned in to embrace her only love and kissed him back.

When his lips left hers, he stayed close and asked, “Do you love me, Helene?”

She bit her lip then let out a sob of pure joy. “So much.”

“And you’ll marry me? Be my wife?’

Not so long ago she’d led an ordinary existence. But Darius was a long way from that.
And from this day forward, his life would also be hers.

She cupped his jaw and, already knowing the answer, asked the question. “We’re going
to be happy, Darius, aren’t we?”

A heartbeat before his mouth slanted over hers again, he assured her. “My love, so
very happy.”

Epilogue

Diving, Acacia grabbed the figurine, spun on the balls of her feet and, shaking, drew
the carved stone over her head like a boy ready to cast a ball. She would have hit
the man’s head, cracked it wide open and rejoiced in his death and their freedom,
except the pop of a pistol came first.

Leandros’s head jolted back. He clutched his chest at the same time a much smaller
man bolted into the chamber. The man with the gun stumbled back, and then Acacia saw.
She understood. These weren’t rebels. They hadn’t come to cut them down.

They were here to help.

The palace’s Chief Aide rushed over. His hands braced her arms.

“Princess, are you unharmed? Who is the man? Did he abduct you? Harm you?”

She knocked him out of the way and scrambled to Leandros’s side. On her knees, her
palms pressed against his bloodied shirt, she begged him as tears coursed down her
face. “Don’t leave,” she whispered. “Not yet. Stay with me. Please, please, my love,
don’t go.”

The Chief Aide’s voice came from behind. “We need to move.”

“I’m not leaving him.”

“When we discovered the boat, I guessed you’d found shelter in here. I should have
walked in front. I take full responsibility. But this man is dead—”

“No,” she said. Leandros wouldn’t leave her, not this way. Not ever.

The Chief Aide’s voice was at her ear now.

“The rebellion has been quashed. The leaders are imprisoned and awaiting trial. We
must get the young prince back to claim the thrown as soon as possible.”

She swallowed against the aching sob rising in her throat. She ground out, “We’re
not going back.”

“Did you hear me?”

“I heard.”

“We must leave now—”

“We’re not going back.” She snapped at him, ferocious and determined.

The Aide blinked, shook his head in a tight swift motion, and then resumed his calm
voice. “You’re exhausted. Frightened.”

“I am grieving,” she cried out, but she didn’t crumble. Rather, she dug her fingers
into the still warm chest and after an anguished moment, kissed the man she would
always love one last time, giving him a lingering embrace that both coddled and shredded
her heart. Steeling herself, she stroked his brow then stood, tall and proud, as a
princess would.

“You will take us far away from here,” she commanded. “You do it now or I will find
a way myself.”

“But the rebels—”

“Killed my sister-in-law,” she cut in. “Murdered my brother. Took a dear friend, and
I have no idea how many others have paid the price tonight. I made a promise and I
won’t break it.” She collected the baby and pressed her lips to his soft crown. “We
will never return.” With tears strangling her throat, she croaked out, “I won’t take
the chance.”

The Chief Aide blinked several times as if deliberating what best to do with her.
But Acacia’s mind was so clear, so set. She would do this for her brother, her nephew,
but most of all for the man who had loved her as she would always love him.

The Chief Aide grunted. “Your father would want me to say that peace should be maintained
at any cost. Resuming full order will be made more difficult without a sovereign to
carry on.”

“Then get someone else. Tell them you found the prince. Set another babe up to be
a pawn if your conscience allows, but I am done.” Her gaze dropped to Leandros and
her heart squeezed. “My father can ask no more of me.”

She’d dropped the figurine at Leandros’s side. Now the Chief Aide set their goddess
back on her ledge. The centuries old secret hidden within the walls of this cave would
remain safe with her.

Perhaps if she were lucky, the goddess would have looked kindly upon the time she
and Leandros had spent together here. In the coming weeks, she would find comfort
in the hope of perhaps being fortunate enough to keep a part of him with her forever.
As the four left the chamber and traveled toward the cave’s moonlit mouth, she prayed
she was indeed fertile and that nature, along with spirit, was at work even now.

If he was a boy, he would be named after his father.

A girl?

Acacia remembered and found a smile. Leandros had once compared her to the greatest
beauty the world had ever known.

If this child was a girl, she would call her Helene.

Acknowledgments

With thanks to my editor, Liz Pelletier, for her brilliant suggestions and attention
to every detail.

About the Author

Robyn Grady was first contracted by a major publisher in 2006 and is thrilled to be
working with Entangled on her IDOL series. Her books feature regularly on bestsellers
lists and at award ceremonies, including The National Readers Choice, The Booksellers
Best, Cataromance Reviewers Choice and Australia’s prestigious Romantic Book of the
Year.

Robyn lives on Australia’s gorgeous Sunshine Coast where she met and married her real-life
hero. When she’s not tapping out her next story, she enjoys her three daughters, the
theatre, reading on the beach and dreaming about bumping into Stephen King during
a month-long Mediterranean cruise.

Robyn knows that writing romance is the best job on the planet and loves to hear from
her readers!