His short red hair had been tousled from the wind. His sleeve torn from where he’d almost fallen and his arm was scuffed and bleeding through the material. Still, his blue eyes had been shining with concern for her and her beloved pet as he handed it back to her with a smile that had only increased his boyish handsomeness and charm.

He hadn’t said a single word about his injuries. Rather, he’d closed the window and then wrapped her cat in a blanket so that it wouldn’t scratch her.

Worse, his father had loudly and very publicly castigated him when he’d seen Darling’s condition. “You’re a prince, boy, not some lowborn hooligan who can’t control himself. You have to live and breathe decorum at all times. Do you understand? When you look like this and roll around on the ground like some recumbent barbarian, you not only embarrass yourself, you embarrass me. What were you thinking? You’re too old to behave like this. I swear, Darling, it’s ridiculous that I can’t depend on you for something as simple as staying clean for an hour. What was so important to you that you had to get filthy for it, huh?”

She’d held her breath in fear that Darling would tell their fathers that she was to blame for his dishabille. While his father’s setdown had been bad, hers would have been much worse. To have endangered their heir…

That was a crime punishable by death, and while Arturo wouldn’t enforce that law to protect Darling, his father would have.

Not to mention, her father would have killed her for letting Darling take the blame for something that was her fault, and not speaking up to defend him.

But she’d been too petrified of the consequences to say a single word.

To Darling’s credit, he’d kept his spine straight as he stoically took his father’s berating. He didn’t speak until his father had asked him what he had to say for himself.

Her eyes filled with tears, Zarya had held her breath, waiting for Darling to denounce her like her brother would have done in a heartbeat.

Instead, Darling had met his father’s gaze without flinching. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I shall endeavor to do better and not shame you again.” He’d inclined his head to her father. “Please forgive me, my lord. I meant no disrespect to you or your family by being unkempt in your home. I hope I haven’t offended you overmuch.”

His father had sighed heavily, then looked at her. “I swear, Zalan, he is a good boy. I hope you won’t hold it against him.”

“No harm done, Your Majesty.”

Still, the fury on the governor’s face said that Darling would be punished later for saving her cat.

But rather than being angry at her for getting him into trouble, Darling had looked up to where she was peeping through the staircase spindles on the landing above him and winked at her. Then, after making sure his father wasn’t watching, he’d smiled and given her a military salute.