Reclaiming the Prince's Heart

Yesterday Rini had been excited to come on this trip. She was so clever and creative. Her plan had worked, jerking him out of his depression for a little while. But at this point the novelty had worn off. He needed to get away from Luna where he could come up with a plan to live life on his own. As the minutes wore on, he grew more depressed and shut his eyes, praying to lose consciousness.

* * *

The loudest noise Luna had ever heard in her life reverberated in the darkness, bringing her wide-awake. It sounded like a train barreling right through the walls.

“Gustavo!” Rini yelled and shot up in bed.

Gustavo? Luna was mystified. He

was calling for the mining engineer who’d died in the cave-in.

Rapid gunfire resounded, then another crashing boom followed that lit up the entire hotel room.

“Rini?” She grasped his arm. The muscles stood out in his neck.

“Follow me, Gustavo. I’ll get us out of here.” He spoke in fluent Italian. She couldn’t understand what was going on.

“Darling—It’s me. Luna. Wake up, my love. You’re dreaming.” The loud noises continued, and she suddenly realized it was fireworks.

“We’re in an earthquake.” Again, his Italian was perfect. He leaped off the bed and got down on the floor on his hands and knees. “Follow me. I know a way out of here. There’s a little chute that leads to the side of the mountain.”

From the trance-like look on his face, she realized Rini was reliving his horrific experience in the mine. Her husband was speaking Italian. But he couldn’t hear her and was like a sleepwalker you couldn’t wake up.

He crawled over to the open window and got to his feet. One look outside and she realized it was definitely fireworks going off with sizzles and whooshes. Venice put on their Redentore fireworks show once a year, but she’d forgotten it took place this month, let alone that it would be tonight.

She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “It’s all right, darling. There’s no earthquake. Come back to bed.”

His arms and body were like steel. He wouldn’t move. “Gustavo? I hope you can hear me. I’m going for help and will be back.”

When he started to climb out the window, it terrified her. She grabbed his right leg so he couldn’t lift it. “Turn around, Rini!” she screamed at him. “Look at me!”

He stared down at her, not seeing her. “I swear I’ll get all of you out.”

She held on to him tighter so he couldn’t move away. “Wake up, Rini! Wake up!”

“I need to get help for the men.”

Luna reached for his arm, never letting go of him, and stood up. “They’re all right. So are you. Listen to me.”

“But the earthquake—”

“There was no earthquake. Venice is having a fireworks show.”

His eyes showed confusion. In the next breath his black brows knit together. “Fireworks?”

“Yes. Come back to bed. They’re still going on. We’ll enjoy them together.”

He started to come out of his trance, looking out the window, then staring at her so strangely. “Luna?” he murmured as if he wasn’t sure she was real. “It is you. You’re here.”

She ran fingers through his hair. “Yes, my love. You’re not at the mine. You’re in Venice with me.”

Rini rubbed his hands up and down her arms. Before the earthquake, he used to do that as his desire to make love.

“Luna—” It was as if he were seeing her for the first time.

Her old husband was back.

He was back!