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A Week Later

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One thing doing this Egyptian tour has taught me is that you can be the greatest king, queen or politician, and you can change the world with policies and movements, make historical changes or be beloved by the people alive all you like, but if history wants you erased, you will be.

The Egyptians took us around all the historical sites Kai could've wanted to see: the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Luxor temple, Hatshepsut's Temple, Karnak Temple, Abu Simbel, and, of course, Valley of the Kings. Every place we went, the security was doubled, people stopped, offered their love – and some hate – and we got exclusive tours of everything. They even took us to a few modern sites like Cairo University, and we did a traditional felucca ride along the Nile and went to dinner with a Nubian family.

The whole trip, I've hidden the oncoming morning sickness. Weirdly, diet lemonade has been keeping it at bay – something that didn't work with Emma – so I keep sipping it now and again. Each member of our security team is carrying a bottle for me in case I run out. We've had to tell them the good news so they know how to look after us while we're out here, but no one beyond them knows yet, including our families. It's been difficult not to tell Dad, Annie or Patrick, but we plan on getting a scan when we get home and telling them then.

We're currently standing in the Egyptian museum with our security for the second time.

"What gets me," I whisper to Kai. "Is that they tried to wipe out both Akhenaten when Tutankhamun ascended, but then, when Tut died, they tried to take him out of history. Why did they keep trying to erase history?"

Kai puts his hand in mine – a royal protocol we've been breaking recently, but conveniently, no one says a thing about it. "Because they basically each tried to get Egypt to follow a different religion from the other. Aten was the religion – or cult – based around the sun, while Amun was the traditional religion. That's why you see the different endings to the pharaoh's names. Because Aten brought discord amongst Egypt, they struck it from the record."

I nod, thinking it through. "It's amazing how animated you get about this."

He grins as we approach the Tutankhamun room. It's completely guarded, mass security, and no phones or videos are allowed inside. I can feel Kai's excitement forcing his hands to shake in mine. This is his element, and given the excitement that oozed when he spoke to the Egyptian government, I think our relations will get on perfectly when we ascend. They even mentioned a tour of Tutankhamun's treasures soon, and letting England be the first to host.

The guards clear the current tourists out so we can go in.

"Will they let them back in?" I ask.

Jamie nods. "It's not ticketed or costs money, so the people can just go back in when we're done, Your Highness."

"Stop calling me that," I whisper.

"In public, I have to."

My eyes roll. "Okay, but you know I don't like it."

"You'll soon have to get very used to it," Kai whispers.

I don't respond as the security let us in. Kai holds my hand as I hear the whispers in various languages of the people watching us walk around. They kept the museum open around us, but they've not let as many people in as a whole whilst Kai and I are here. As much as I argued the point, they say it's a security thing, so I had to go along with their compromise of capping the people.

We walk into the room, and it's this weird moment of surrealism, just like when we walked down the slope into the King Boy's tomb. The white room has these flimsy glass cabinets with the treasures inside, all padlocked with these tiny, flimsy locks anyone could probably break if there were fewer security guards around.

"Wow," I marvel, heading straight for the centrepiece; the death mask of King Tut. The well-preserved gold is insane, even with the glued-on beard the museum broke and restructured during a move. "How could they just... erase this from history?"

"Well, the idea for any Egyptian back then was their body was buried or hidden in their tombs so well no one would find them. That way, they'd lie peacefully so their soul could go to the afterlife. It's a magical belief. But, I digress. It was easy to erase a pharaoh from history after they died; people didn't know where they rested after the pyramids, and as for Tut, they carved over his name and portraits. It wasn't until they found the tomb that people remembered him."

"Wow."

I suppose even though you may erase someone from history, someone will always find you. The ancient Egyptians didn't have social media or records like we do today, so it must've been harder to find something. But they did.

What is hidden will always be found in the end.

The golden treasures around me suddenly start spinning, closer to the floor.

"Uh, Kai?" I slur.

"Peach?" He's by my side in a second, hands holding me up while the security team moves closer.

"I'm gonna—"

Within seconds, Jamie gives me a carrier bag and I'm vomiting in it. The security team of ours moves around me so people outside can't see anymore, but the damage is already done; the clamour of people gossiping and taking videos and photos has already happened.

I'll be all over tomorrow's news, puking near the fucking death mask of Tutankhamun, and before my next hurl, I realise how humiliating this is going to be, especially at the end of a successful diplomatic trip. The Egyptian security guards for the museum grab me a bucket, a seat away from the window, and some water.

When I sit down, I realise the rumours will probably have already started on social media. People will assume I'm pregnant, or maybe I've just caught the stomach bug people get when they come to Egypt because of the hot weather. We'll have to deal with this, probably by telling the press the truth, because after all, what is hidden will always be found.

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I lean against the sofa as we overlook the pyramids again that afternoon. They booked us back into the same suite as before, and Emma's feeding from my breast as Kai sees who's at the door. No doubt it's Dad, as I know the photos of me puking are all over social media.

"Sweetheart, is everything okay?" Dad appears a moment later, as if on cue.

I nod. "I'm fine."

Patrick appears behind him. "Seahorse, you got the Egyptian bug Mum's got? You're all over social media and the news puking near the death mask."

I roll my eyes. "I better tell you. But it cannot get out. Hugh and Charlotte don't know. The security team here only knows for safety."

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Patrick asks. "Puking, you look peaky, the brown henna the other night instead of black—I spent ages on obstetrics. I know my shit."

I arch an eyebrow. "My dear brother... I hate you. Yeah, I'm pregnant. Found out on our first night here. I'm literally, like, three or four weeks."

Dad grins. "Annie will be over the moon. Mila, this is amazing."

Emma finishes her food, so moves off my breast. Patrick immediately takes her so I can cover myself up. When I'm done, Dad grabs me in a hug.

"Last time you were in shock and it was weird," I mention with a laugh.

"And yet I was still the proud grandpa," Dad whispers. "Congratulations, my baby girl."

"Dad," I joke. "I'm twenty-three and about to become queen."

He scoffs, but I know he knows I'm joking. "You're never too queenly enough to be my baby. Hell, I'll be the queen's father and grandfather to a princess and... well, who knows."

"The press is spreading rumours that we have to have a son because of the law, but Hugh is changing it behind the scenes, so Emma will be next in line. Or we could pass it through – or try to." I stand back and half-hug Patrick while Emma falls asleep in his arms.

Kai appears in the doorway, looking stressed to fuck. "Peach—"

"We'll go inside. Congrats, man," Patrick says.

"Congratulations, Kai." Dad pats his shoulder as they walk inside.

"Thank you!" Kai closes the balcony door. "Peach, that was... well, the first thing is, the palace is keeping silent about the puking thing. It's not a big deal. People are just being people. Unless we want to put something out. I also had a call from Dad."

I arch an eyebrow. "Okay?"

"When we get back tomorrow, we've been called to see him immediately. Like, we'll get off the plane, into a car and straight to see him. He sounds serious." Kai sits down. "I can't deal with this shit. He refused to tell me what's going on. The fuck is it now?"

I grab his hand and kiss his cheek. He's growing stubble again, and though it's a little rough, I love it on him. "Whatever it is, we can't do anything now, all right? He doesn't want us to know right now, so we have to deal with going home. Nothing we panic about will change whatever this is – it could be a good thing, Kai, we just don't know."

"That's my problem, Peach. Dad doesn't just summon us for nothing."

"And we can't change anything we don't know about. I know it's hard, but focus on the last night of being here, in front of these things for now. This is your paradise; enjoy it. I'm sure we'll come back again, but we don't know when. Emma's in there giggling with Uncle Patrick and Grandpa; go in and join them. I need to nap this nausea and headache off, and maybe die of embarrassment. Who the fuck pukes in front of Tut's treasures?"

Kai laughs. "Only Her Royal Highness, Mila Abbott. Princess of accidents and awkward moments on camera."

I play-hit him. "Hey, it's your fault. You turned up to a nightclub in disguise and seduced me."

He scoffs. "I was trying to be nice and help you win back your idiot of an ex."

"And now look, we're stuck together!"

He pulls me to him. "And I would not have it any other way, wife. You may not be Queen Consort of England yet, but you're my queen."

I kiss him. "Prince Kai, I'm pleased you failed in helping me get my ex-boyfriend back. Soon to be King Kai the First. You're going to be amazing at it. I've been watching you since we met, and I know you'll be amazing."

His answer is a hug where he's clinging to me for dear life. Despite the forced way we got together – because I fell pregnant after our one-night stand – it turned out the best partnership. I lift him up, and in turn, he lifts me up. I just hope he's not worrying over something with his dad; they say the truth can never stay hidden, just like the tombs of the ancient Egyptians, but this time I hope there's nothing but a red herring underneath all the sand.

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