The King and the Kindergarten Teacher (The Rebel Royals 1)

“Oh, no,” a second boy exclaimed. His green eyes went wide as he looked at the walls. “There’s a dragon in the walls. What do we do?”

“Tell our parents,” said a blonde-haired girl that was about Penelope’s age.

“No need to bother them,” Esme replied. “Adults can’t see or hear dragons. Only kids can.”

“But you hear it,” said the dark-haired boy.

“Because I’m around kids all day,” said Esme. “So, I have special powers.”

“Who are you?” asked the green-eyed boy.

“She’s the kindergarten teacher from America,” Penelope offered, as though announcing Esme at a grand ball.

“A kindergarten teacher?” said the dark-haired boy. “What’s that?”

“It’s an American type of teacher,” Penelope answered.

“I have tutors,” announced the boy with the green eyes. “I’ve never met one.”

“You’re from America?” asked the blonde-haired girl. “Where the streets are gold?”

Esme nodded. “Dragons love gold, which is why I know so much about them. I’ve come here undercover as a baker’s assistant. But my true job is a dragon hunter. Isn’t that right, your highness?”

Esme wasn’t sure if Penelope would play along. To her surprise, the little princess put down her book and nodded.

“Perhaps the dragon is in the dungeons?” said Penelope.

“Perha-wait?” Esme jerked to attention. “You have real, live dungeons here?”

Penelope nodded enthusiastically. “Down at the bottom of the castle. It’s a ways away.”

Perfect. All part of Esme’s master plan. “Take the lead, your royal highness. We’re going dragon hunting.”

Chapter Nineteen

A king’s work was never done. After his trip abroad to strengthen diplomatic relationships and brag a bit about his country’s successes, Leo hit the ground running back on his home turf. Or rather, he hit the ground shoveling.

Groundbreaking and ribbon cutting were mainstays of his job. He shoveled already-loosened soil at a groundbreaking for a new, state-of-the-art retirement home for veterans. He snipped the ribbon at the entryway to a new wing named in his late wife’s honor at a recreational center for underprivileged kids. He attended a luncheon hosted by two land barons whose families first discovered there was oil off the coast of Cordoba. He stopped briefly at an agricultural show and waved. He drove by the new railway station opening that would connect the east side of the country with the northwest, and he waved.

Before heading back to the palace, he stopped at the House of Commons and took tea with the Prime Minister. Cordoba had a House of Commons, where officials were elected, and a House of Lords, where lords were all men and women of titles. Unlike in the British Parliament, the Lords were all hereditary. But the two houses had to work together in order to implement new laws.

The current Prime Minister was a working-class young man who’d made his fortune in technology. Leo admired him greatly and often chose to sit with him and not speak a word of politics. This was one of those days. Once he’d reached the bottom of his tea cup, Leo said his goodbyes to the Prime Minister and hopped into his town car to head for home.

It had been a grueling day. Leo was looking forward to resting his voice and his facial muscles from all the smiling, folding his hands in his lap and letting them rest from all the waving, and closing his eyes where he could lose himself in a daydream of damsels and dragons and sweet cookies. Unfortunately, those dreams would have to wait.

“You know for someone supported by taxes and a massive family fortune from centuries of hoarding, you are the hardest working man I know.”

“Where is security when you need it,” moaned Leo.

His grin resurfaced, he reached out his hand and clasped his palm to his oldest friend, Omar, the Marquis of Navarre.

“I saw the car and decided to catch a ride to tonight’s state dinner,” said Omar. He brushed some stray strands out of his eyes. His dark hair and sunburned coloring made the man look more like a desert sheik who’d been dropped into western civilization.

“I thought you were out of the country on business?”

Omar was one of the hottest entertainment producers in Europe. He didn’t need to work. He just loved the job.

“Just got back last night. Wouldn’t miss Union Day. Besides, it seems the most interesting drama is going on on our home front. I hear you met a special lady in the States.”