“Oh, no you don’t,” I grunted, cutting off my prey’s escape with a swift lunge that I was inordinately proud of. For about two seconds. Right up until my feet skidded out from beneath me, sliding along the treacherous polished-within-an-inch-of-their-life wooden floorboards, and I landed on my ass. And even though my ass was very well padded, something I was completely fine with and very grateful for right now, the shock reverberated up my tailbone and had me grinding a curse between my teeth.

It wouldn’t do to curse in front of a baby. Little legs darted past me, leaving a trail of mischievous giggles in their wake. Not so much a baby, more of a toddler. A demon toddler. Ugh. No, Tahlia. That’s no way to talk about your charge, the little darling Prince.

I allowed myself a brief moment to regard the ceiling, the sweeping cornices and painted cherubs mocking me from above with their cute little cherub faces and round little tushes, their bows clutched in their hands as they danced above me, then shook my head, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. How the hell did I get here? It was something I’d asked myself at least twenty times a day, and had for the last month, ever since I’d been hired to look after Prince Alexander. A Prince of Switzerland. I’d Googled and everything told me that Switzerland wasn’t a monarchy anymore, but here I was. Nanny to a real-life prince.

But, more to the point, the little rascal was getting away from me. Again. His giggles sounded close enough, and I knew from experience that this was his version of hide and seek. Though, sometimes, it felt more like hunter and prey. And I wasn’t completely sure who was the prey.

Lurching to my feet, I swerved out into the corridor, paying no heed to the ornate furniture and immense paintings that dominated the walls, that had once stunned me into awed silence. Now, I was used to the palace, had grown accustomed to existing in a place that looked like a black Amex had thrown up all over it, spitting out gold and chintz before sealing the glory with a layer of pompous arrogance. Yeah, it was a palace, but did it have to shout it in everyone’s faces?

The giggles led to a large set of velvet drapes, a deep aubergine, framing the perfect view of the perfect yard. Though the acres surrounding the property could hardly be called a yard, and the aquamarine brilliance of the pool stretching off into the distance, was hardly something you’d find back where I’d grown up. Dragging my eyes away from the perfect view, I crept up to the drapes, biting back a chuckle at the sight of the little toes poking out of the bottom. Prince Alexander was advanced for his age—a grand old two years—yet another reason that I should feel duped. The agency had informed me I’d be looking after a baby. Turns out, they hadn’t bothered to update the details, not after the last twenty or so applicants had been returned within weeks of their arrival. But, even though I preferred working with babies, a two-year-old was still okay, that’s if my charge didn’t act and sound like a five-year-old. Babies were easy. As long as you loved, fed, watered, and cleaned up the poop, they adored you. Once they started walking and talking, they got trickier. Tricky little monkeys. The agency knew my preference, since I’d been working for them for years, but they also knew that I’d been desperate to get as far away from home as possible. Oh, and the money was nothing to be sniffed at either.

“Gotcha!” I yanked back the drapes and pounced on the golden-haired child, picking him up and tickling him all over.

“Lia!” He squealed, wriggling in my arms before erupting into another fit of giggles. Secured safely in my arms, we made our way back into the playroom, back to where we’d been enjoying an afternoon snack before he’d made a break for it. Mock groaning, I let him down and he took his seat, little chunky legs tucking back under the table and big blue eyes blinking up at me, as if he was nothing but an angel.

“We need to stop feeding you, little Prince,” I grumbled, taking a seat next to him, within grabbing distance.

“I’m growing up big and strong,” he insisted, taking a big bite of his burger and chewing with relish. You see? Two going on five. No babyish talk for this little prince. And a burger for a snack? I’d tried to influence the chefs, but they insisted that the Prince needed to eat regularly. But, a burger? My remarks had fallen on deaf ears.

“Yes, you are,” I agreed, picking up a fry and swirling it in ketchup. He pulled a funny face as I popped it in my mouth, the same expression he gave me every time I put ketchup on anything. Which was pretty much everything. What could I say? I was a condiments kind of girl. Especially with the slabs of meat they served up around here for every meal. “I was thinking we’d go for a swim when you’ve finished your snack.”

He nodded, shoving more food into his mouth at an alarming rate. Once he’d finished, and I’d removed his plate to avoid a repeat performance of him trying to lick it clean, we changed into our swimwear and wandered out to the pool. On our way, we waved at the other staff who flitted around the palace with the finesse of ghosts, their silent steps and downturned glances allowing them to blend into the walls as they carried out the duties involved in running such a huge, and frankly excessive, house.

“How’s my little Alexander?”

I recognized the voice as belonging to the woman who had interviewed me, then helped me settle into my role, and turned to greet her with a warm smile. “Zara, how are you today?” Not letting go of Alex’s hand, I leaned into her embrace and accepted her hug. Taller than me by nearly a whole foot, she was statuesque with the proportions of a goddess, her curves full and unfettered, all six feet of her towering over me and resulting in my cheek nearly being enveloped by her generous cleavage. Alex tugged his hand away and jumped into her outstretched arms, snuggling his cheek into her neck with a sigh.

“Today is a good day,” she replied with a smile, stroking her fingers through Alex’s blond curls. I still wasn’t sure what Zara’s role was at the palace, but she’d always been friendly to me and being so far from home, I could do with a friend. Her eyes broke away from mine and flitted over me, taking in my bikini with a tilt of her lips. “I wish I had the time to join you both.” She sighed, looking torn, the sunlight dusting her skin with a golden glow.

“Why not? You deserve a break.” I don’t think I’d ever seen her out of her ‘uniform’, a sharp tailored suit and perfectly coiffed hair, even on a weekend.

“You know what? You’re right.” She nodded, her lips taking on the firmness of determination. A shrill ring tore through the air and she rolled her eyes, fishing a tiny cellphone out of her pocket. After glancing at it, her lips firmed into a pout, then she handed Alex back to me, pressing a kiss on the top of his head before she let go. “Duty calls. Have fun, guys!” With a little wave, and a longing glance at the pool, she spun on her heel and strode away, already barking orders into the phone.

“Well, it looks like it’s just you and me, buddy,” I murmured to Alex, jiggling him on my hip and pulling a face.

He patted my shoulder and shook his head. “Alex, not buddy.”

“I’m American, so sue me.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Lia, not Sue.”

I hid my face and rolled my eyes, walking to the edge of the pool and wriggling my toes in the cool water. “Do you remember what we were practicing last time?”

“Doggy paddle!”

“Front crawl,” I corrected, biting back a shriek as the water lapped over my knees as we descended into the pool.

“Doggy paddle.” His arms were crossed and little mouth firmed into a scowl. I could almost see the little crown sitting on top of his head as he gave me the royal stare.

“Fine, doggy paddle.”

With a euphoric cry, he pushed away from me and proceeded to lap me, little arms and legs pumping a mile a minute, then he dove into the water, his little short clad bottom popping up then sinking below. The first time he’d pulled this on me, I’d screamed and dove after him, but I now I knew better. The kid was a natural and my only job while floating around him was to make sure he didn’t get into any real trouble.

Leaning back, I spread my arms and dipped my head, my eyes drifting over the view of the palace, while Alex splashed around me, letting out little yips and giggles that were muffled through the water. White washed walls reflected the afternoon sun into a brilliant glare, bouncing off the uneven terra-cotta tiles that connected the house to the outside area. Chairs and tables were dotted around, set in little groups to encourage socializing, something that must happen long after I go to bed, if ever. During daylight hours, this was a pretty tranquil place to live, the harsh but beautiful landscape held back by wire fencing enclosing the manicured lawns, creating a false sense of security that I was happy to wallow in. Switzerland was a far cry from the suburbs of Seattle, that’s for sure. Silly me, I’d expected glitz and a cosmopolitan experience, or at least an orgasmic chocolate experience, instead I’d ended up living somewhere that was all open spaces and not much else to look at. Good thing I wasn’t planning on being here come winter, I was told it snowed. Heavily.

Shivering beneath the water, I herded Alex toward the side and bundled him up in one of the towels that someone had thoughtfully left out for poolside guests. Our feet left wet puddles as we marched back to our rooms, my charge’s mouth going a million miles an hour as he quizzed me on everything I knew, and made me realize just how much I didn’t know.

“How do planes fly?”

“Uh,” I knew this one, “Aerodynamics.”

He didn’t look impressed. He tugged on my hand. “But how.”

“The engines rotate blades and displace air … somehow,” I finished lamely. At his raised eyebrows, I shrugged. “Let’s google it later.” When in doubt, turn to the internet.

“What about birds?”

Can you say precocious two-year-old? “Same thing?” We rounded the corner, almost to our suite of rooms, when he dug his heels in and dragged me to a stop.

“How are babies made? Do they all come out of eggs? Even me?”

My mouth opened, then closed again. I’d managed to follow his train of thought, just. “Babies are either grown in their mommy’s tummy or hatched from an egg.” Were there some species that carried them in a pouch?

“Did my mummy grow me in her tummy?”

I nodded, hoping that would be enough.

He frowned, then blinked up at me. “Good. She got to hug me close.” His bottom lip quivered, eyes filling with tears as he sniffed, trying to force them back.

Sinking down onto my knees, I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him onto my lap. “I know, sweetheart, I know.” And this was the real reason I’d decided to stick around. It had nothing to do with the money, I’d have stayed for free. This handsome little prince was suffering and everything inside of me demanded that I try and ease that pain. “Your mommy and daddy loved you very much.”

“I know. Uncle Nick says so every day.”

Ah, the mysterious Uncle Nick, or King Nicholas, my employer that I’d yet to actually meet. Though, from the sound of it, he saw Alex every day. Somehow. Despite the fact that I slept only one door down and listened out for Alex needing me during the night. Then again, Alex could be confused. A week can fly by for a child. “Your Uncle Nick is right,” I murmured, lifting him up and carrying him the rest of the way to his room. After helping him out of his wet trunks, I wrapped him in a towel and set up a movie, cuddling up next to him on the huge bed when he refused to let me leave. Tiny fingers wrapped around mine, his head coming to rest on my chest as his sniffles died down.

Poor kid. Losing a parent at a young age sucked, but losing both at once? I couldn’t even begin to try and imagine what he’d gone through. Zara had explained that a car crash had taken the royal couple, a drunk driver swerving into the wrong lane, resulting in a fatal collision in the bottom of a ravine. Alex had been spared because he’d stayed home that night, as he’d been too young to attend the lavish parties. Lucky for him, he had an Uncle who had stepped in, both as the role of father and the position of King. Though, I was doubting how seriously the man took the role of parent, seeing as he was never around, always busy with meetings or whatever it was that kings did with their time. Zara made excuses, but in my eyes, it wasn’t good enough. His nephew needed him, and up until this moment, I hadn’t been aware that he even bothered to make time to stop by. The king kept to his wing of the building, and avoided … well, us. King Nicholas. I imagined a short man, with a huge, bushy mustache and maybe a round belly. Or really tall and skinny, with a long droopy mustache? Either way, he had to have a mustache, right? And a beard. Probably not a white one, that would just be too funny. And maybe his name was influencing my overactive imagination just a tiny bit?

“Lia?”

I brushed back a damp curl, resting my chin on his head. “Hmmm, what sweetie?”

“How did I get in my mommy’s tummy?”

Oh. Right. Errrr. “Why don’t you let your Uncle explain that one to you?”

“It’s okay that you don’t know, we could google it?”

“No!”

He twisted, blinking big blue eyes at me. “Okay, I’ll ask Uncle Nick and he can explain it to you, too.”

Swallowing back manic laughter, I nodded. “Okay, that sounds good.” And maybe I’d get a chance to give the king a piece of my mind at the same time.