Chapter 26 — She Was Rich?
Alexander had understood that Amara came from wealth.
He simply had not understood what the word wealth meant when applied to her family.
His education began aboard King Adisa’s flagship.
The royal council had gathered to discuss the return voyage, the continuing search for Rourke, and the commercial arrangements necessary to move six ships and hundreds of soldiers across an ocean.
Alexander attended at Adisa’s invitation.
Amara sat across from him.
She already looked amused.
That should have warned him.
A large map covered the table. Minister Okoro pointed to several coastal territories.
“These ports remain under royal administration. The southern routes will stay open while the northern fleet returns.”
Alexander studied the map.
“How many ports?”
Okoro answered.
Alexander looked at Amara.
“Your family controls all of them?”
She nodded innocently. “Mostly.”
“Mostly?”
“My father dislikes that word too.”
Adisa, seated at the head of the table, heard her.
“Because when you use it, trouble usually follows.”
Amara smiled.
The meeting continued.
Trade routes were discussed next. Ships carried minerals, agricultural goods, textiles, spices, timber, and manufactured products between Azania and foreign markets.
Alexander listened more carefully.
Then mines were mentioned.
“How many mines?” he asked.
Amara covered her mouth.
Alexander noticed.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Okoro attempted to remain diplomatic. “The royal family has interests in several major mining regions.”
“Several meaning?”
The minister gave him a number.
Alexander slowly leaned back.
Amara lost the battle and began laughing.
He stared at her.
“You knew I didn't understand.”
“I told you my father was involved in business.”
“Amara, your father appears to be involved in half the economy.”
King Adisa looked up from his papers.
“Not half.”
Alexander waited.
The King added calmly, “Probably.”
Amara laughed harder.
After the meeting, Alexander followed her onto the deck.
“You enjoyed that.”
“Immensely.”
“You deliberately never explained how wealthy your family was.”
“You never asked for an accounting statement.”
“I asked what your father did.”
“And I said trade.”
“He owns ships.”
“Yes.”
“Many ships.”
“Yes.”
“Ports.”
“Some.”
“Land.”
“A considerable amount.”
“Mines.”
Amara nodded.
Alexander stared at her.
“What else?”
She looked thoughtful.
“No.”
His suspicion increased.
“What else, Amara?”
“There are agricultural estates.”
“How many?”
“Alexander—”
“How many?”
She told him.
He closed his eyes.
Amara laughed again.
“This is not funny.”
“It is from where I am standing.”
“I thought you were the daughter of a wealthy merchant.”
“Technically, I never said that.”
“You encouraged me to believe it.”
“I was kidnapped. Forgive me for not providing audited financial disclosures.”
He could not argue with that.
Unfortunately, she knew it.
Alexander leaned against the rail.
“So when you stole my horse…”
“Borrowed.”
“You could have purchased the entire stable.”
“Probably.”
“My house?”
Amara considered.
“Which one?”
He stared at her.
She smiled sweetly.
“Never mind.”
“No, answer.”
“I don't discuss money. It is vulgar.”
“You have been discussing my money for weeks.”
“That was different.”
“How?”
“You had considerably less of it.”
Alexander laughed despite himself.
Amara moved beside him.
The humor slowly faded.
“Does it bother you?”
Her question was genuine.
Alexander thought before answering.
“The money?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“The title?”
“No.”
“My family?”
“Your father interrogated me before breakfast.”
“He likes you.”
“That is how he behaves when he likes someone?”
“You should see him with people he dislikes.”
Alexander decided he did not want to.
Amara looked toward the harbor.
“Some men become different when they learn what my family has.”
Alexander understood the concern beneath her words.
“They become agreeable?”
“Very.”
“That sounds unpleasant.”
“It is. Suddenly every joke is funny, every opinion brilliant, every request reasonable.”
Alexander looked at her seriously.
“Your jokes are frequently terrible.”
Amara turned.
“My opinions?”
“Exhausting.”
“My requests?”
“Usually disguised orders.”
She smiled.
“Thank you.”
“For insulting you?”
“For remaining yourself.”
Later that afternoon, King Adisa invited Alexander to inspect the flagship.
It was less a tour than another education.
The vessel carried diplomatic quarters, military communications, maps of trade routes, secure storage, and a staff larger than Alexander had expected.
Adisa noticed his expression.
“My daughter did not explain much?”
“Almost nothing.”
“That sounds like Amara.”
“She told me you were a businessman.”
The King stopped.
Then he laughed.
For several seconds the ruler of Azania seemed unable to continue walking.
“She said that?”
“Yes.”
“That is technically true.”
“Apparently your family enjoys that phrase.”
Adisa smiled.
“Wealth is useful, Captain. But it can also make it difficult to know why people stand beside you.”
Alexander understood immediately.
The King continued, “Amara spent much of her life surrounded by people who knew exactly who she was. Then she met you when you knew nothing.”
“And argued with me immediately.”
“That may be why she trusted you.”
Alexander looked toward the deck above, where Amara was speaking with Lela.
“I didn't fall in love with a princess.”
“No.”
“I fell in love with the woman who told me no.”
Adisa smiled.
“I suspected as much.”
Preparations for departure continued throughout the day.
Amara reviewed reports concerning Rourke while Alexander worked with royal officers coordinating the investigation.
By evening they finally found a few minutes alone.
Amara stood beside him at the rail.
“Still recovering?”
“I have questions.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“How many houses?”
She laughed.
“Absolutely not.”
“Ships?”
“No.”
“Horses?”
“Alexander.”
“Jewels?”
She turned toward him.
“Are you planning to marry me or audit me?”
Alexander froze.
Amara froze too.
Neither had intended the word.
Marry.
The harbor noise seemed suddenly distant.
Alexander recovered first.
“I was asking financially irresponsible questions.”
“Yes.”
“Entirely academic.”
“Of course.”
Neither believed that.
Amara looked away, smiling.
Alexander watched her.
Princess.
Royal daughter.
Heiress to wealth so enormous that his own family fortune suddenly seemed almost ordinary.
None of it changed the woman standing beside him.
She was still stubborn.
Still impossible.
Still the woman who had stolen his horse, his blankets, his peace of mind, and eventually his heart.
Alexander reached for her hand.
Amara let him take it.
“One final question.”
“What?”
“How rich are you?”
She considered this very seriously.
Then she leaned closer.
“Rich enough to buy you a better horse.”
Alexander stared at her.
Amara laughed and walked away.
He followed.
“Amara!”
Her laughter carried across the deck.
For weeks Alexander had wondered who she really was.
Now he knew.
And somehow the most extraordinary discovery was not that Amara belonged to one of the wealthiest royal families he had ever encountered.
It was that when she was with him, none of it seemed to matter.