Free King's Ransom by Amelia Autin Page B

anything—you know that was never her way—but I knew just the same. I had not thought you so cruel, so careless. Not to Mara.”
    She was stung by the accusation, knowing there was some truth to it, and at the same time startled and wounded by the use of his pet name for her so long ago—
little one.
She’d always been petite and seemingly fragile, but she had strength of will and a stamina that could put many men to shame. Next to Andre, however, who’d always towered over her since the first day she met him,
little one
had been an obvious endearment. And at the time she hadn’t minded. On the contrary, she’d welcomed his having a pet name for her, the same way he’d had one for his sister.
Dernya
, which meant “little treasure” in Zakharan, was what he’d always called Mara.
Kolinya
, or the English translation, “little one,” had been his choice for Juliana. It had made her feel precious. Cherished.
    But Juliana hadn’t expected to hear it on his lips ever again. Thrown off stride, she tried to defend herself. “I just
couldn’t
remain friends with her. Not after...” She couldn’t bring herself to say the words. Couldn’t bring herself to talk about that terrible day she’d learned the truth about Andre...and about the fairy-tale world she’d been living in for two months.
    His eyes darkened. “So I am to blame for that, as well?”
    Pain welled up with such overwhelming force she couldn’t hold it back. It slashed across her face, and the backs of her eyes prickled as a precursor to tears. She blinked rapidly, not wanting him to see her cry again. He closed his eyes, and if she hadn’t known better she could almost have believed he couldn’t bear to see her pain. But he’d authored her pain so many years ago maybe he’d forgotten. Was that possible?
Could
he have forgotten? Maybe he just
wanted
to forget, the way she wished she could.
I would give anything to forget,
her heart cried.
    When Andre opened his eyes again Juliana saw that he had somehow retrieved that iron control over himself she remembered so well. “How did you come here, Juliana?”
    If he could control himself and speak in a normal voice, so could she. “I walked.”
    â€œAll the way from the palace?” He raised his head to look at the palace in the far distance, several miles away at least. “All by yourself?”
    â€œI like walking.”
    He didn’t smile, but his eyes softened. “I remember. But I cannot imagine you do much walking in Hollywood. Not alone.”
    â€œNot so much,” she agreed, forcing herself to a semblance of a casual smile. “Fame carries a price.” She indicated Andre’s bodyguard. “I’m sure you know all about that.”
    Andre untied Charlemagne and quickly mounted with a creak of saddle leather. Then he held his hand out to her in imperious fashion. “Come. I will take you back.”
    She stared at his hand, suddenly afraid. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d ridden double, with him mounted behind her. But she didn’t think she could bear it. Didn’t think she could bear the memories it would evoke of Andre and her in the soft light of early dawn, cradled lovingly, protectively in his arms. Or so she’d thought at the time.
    She looked up at his face now and his eyes betrayed him. The memory she wanted so desperately to avoid was fresh in his mind, too. She stepped back, away from the memories, away from pain, and shook her head. “I’d rather walk.”
    * * *
    Andre watched Juliana walking away from him, her head held high. He noted with passing approval that shortly after her departure a discreet shadow picked up her trail and followed her from a safe distance. In a corner of his mind he wondered why there weren’t two shadows, but knew he’d get a report before too long that would explain the