Valantín was about to cross the Harem living room when he saw Angelica sneaking out of the courtyard, dressed in a long black dress, with a huge Spanish shawl thrown over her head, hijab style, and another over her shoulders, covering her almost to her feet, but not concealing the large bag on her right shoulder. If she was planning on going out, that was the worst disguise Valantín had ever seen. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Valantín!” Angelica jumped, startled, putting her hand on her heart. “You scared me.”

He ignored that and pointed to the huge iron key she was carrying “Are you going somewhere?”

“I…” Then she raised her chin. “Sí. I’m heading out for a whi—”

“No.”

No one seemed to understand she was not a child anymore. She understood the reason for the heightened concern for her safety, but then she’d always been under some kind of confinement regardless of how things were going with the country.

“Val, I need a break. I’ve been cooped up in here for days.”

He walked over to a bench near the fountain, ignoring the fact that she said she was leaving. “I know. But just a few more days. Give the police time to catch whoever is terrorizing the city, and possibly plotting to harm us, or you.”

He expected her to argue, but instead, she just stared at him.

She’d made all the arguments already.

Her silent stare was unnerving. Valantín struggled to match her unwavering gaze. He felt a little chill run down his spine; he wasn’t sure where it had come from. He wanted to reach out and grab her, to fold her in his arms and keep her safe as he had done so many times when she was little. From what, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps, from life. Perhaps, from herself.

But he simply didn’t know how to do it now that she was all grown up and suddenly so mature.

She didn’t have a temper, or at least not the temper that people generally thought of when they imagined a Spanish pampered princess.

She was patient and kind. She was obedient.

She could also be stubborn and immovable.

And she needed her space.

He pulled in a long breath and stared at her, but it didn’t help. His head seemed to be ringing, echoing with a noise that repeated over and over.

Well, some practical side of himself whispered, it could have been worse. She could want to run off and get married, leaving the palace life behind for good. He refused to think about that.

His earliest memories of her were of baby powder, toothless smiles, and little hands pulling at his hair. Picking her up and sweeping her in his arms in a wide circle while she screamed in delight, making sure to hold on tightly so that she wouldn’t fall. And then the memories dwindled as she grew and ended in their afternoon teas.

He took a step forward and took hold of her hand. She was so much smaller than he—not so large a difference now, but enough to have him worrying.

Her voice broke him out of his brief reverie.

“Once in a while, I just want to have some normal time, not being a bloody royal. You, of all people, should understand that.” She shook her head. “And yet—”

“I love you,” he said, pulling her into his arms—awkwardly—and kissing her hair. “That’s all this is. I love you and I don’t want you to suffer. And…for me…well, it doesn’t matter.” He looked over at her and smiled. “Go.”

Angelica hurried along the tunnels, free from her golden cage, knowing she shouldn’t be out here alone. It was so wrong, but it felt so right.

Her mother would likely croak if she knew that her daughter was roaming around without her guards, but she felt as if they were smothering her. Since the explosion, the only time she got any privacy was when she went to the bathroom or when she was in bed. Otherwise, someone was always watching and it drove her mad.

Angelica reached the end of the tunnel, climbed up the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief when the key turned smoothly in the lock and the door opened into a bedroom. She studied the map Maria had given her.

In a few minutes, she was going to hail a cab and surprise Ludwig.

She smiled and opened the door, exiting to the busy street in downtown San José.

“Angelica.”

Angelica’s head shot up and she was surprised to see Abelardo lounging against a wall, smoking a cigarillo, only two houses away from the one she had exited from.

“I cannot believe they allowed you out of the palace.”

“I’m visiting some friends.” What’re you doing here? The gateway house was in a dark alley, with only a couple of other houses around, all owned by the royal family which housed their security team. “How did you know it was me?”

He chuckled, eyeing her scarf. “Do you really think I would forget how you walk?”

She frowned, sliding the hood from her hair. “What are you doing here?”

He gave her a lazy grin. “Why, I was visiting some friends and I came out to smoke.”

Here? Alone? In front of the house which is a gateway to the tunnels?

“You are looking beautiful.”

She arched a brow. “What do you want, Abelardo?”

He pushed away from the wall, dusting off his jacket as he did so. “Let me walk with you, my dear. You’ve had a rough go at it lately, haven’t you?”

He offered her his arm and, feeling cornered, Angelica put her hand on it.

“It’s been difficult,” she said slowly, still wondering what he was after. “But I’m more concerned about our country than my health.”

“Of course, you are,” Abelardo said, his expression soothing, as they walked onto the main street. “And everyone—well almost everyone—thinks that you have the best interests of the country at heart.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, hating that he had her intrigued by his words. She no longer trusted him or anything he said, but he knew what those outside of the palace walls were talking about.

“Abelardo, you grace us with your presence. We are blessed.”

Angelica looked over to see a man in a red coat bowing to Abelardo as if he were part of the royal family.

“Ah, my friend. Thank you. See, I have the princess here, discussing the needs of our fair country. She is eager to help our people.”

The man bowed toward Angelica this time, a wide smile on his face. “Ah, princess. I am happy to hear that you are working alongside the people of Aragon. I will spread the word.”

Caught between a blush and a concern, Angelica inclined her head. “Thank you. The royal family, myself included, wish only to help.”

The man made a sweeping bow before continuing on his way.

“You see that, Angelica?” Abelardo started. “People seeing you with me works in your favor. They see that you are willing to work with us peasants. You could use such good will.”

Angelica turned her attention back to Abelardo. “What is in it for you? What do you want?”

“Only to help our people, just like you” he said solemnly, a fist over his heart. “I disagree with this violence. Will you allow me to take you to dinner and discuss how we can work together for the common good?”

She didn’t want to trust him, but his words did make sense and appealed to her desires. If he could rally the people, help her and her family speak to them, then they could end this violence.

After all, the worst that could happen would be having to suffer through dinner with her ex-fiancée. “Alright,” she said. “I will go to dinner with you.”