His Princess in the Making by Melissa James

same way we learned how to be firefighters before we applied, Charlie.”
    To his relief, Charlie nodded, grinning. “I see where you’re going, but the logistics, convincing the treasury to release the funds, are going to be hard.”
    Giulia said softly, “They agreed to meet me cent for cent with the shelters. I think it’s possible, if they’re approached the right way.”
    The King turned to her. “Jazmine, Max and I would appreciate it if you all filled us in on what you already seem to know, Giulia.”
    He spoke in Hellenican Greek, a form of the old Koi. Trying to shut Toby out.
    Toby had wondered when he’d try that.
    Without missing a beat, Toby replied in the language Papou had taught him with painstaking care after he’d become an official part of the family. “I think if we present a proposal that saved as much money as possible, the treasury would be happy to cooperate. I’m talking about using retired experts—firefighters, builders, plumbers and the like. Teachers for the future, to teach your people how to rebuild the country their own way. Those who know the country best should be the ones to rebuild it.”
    The King’s eyes narrowed, knowing he’d been outwitted.Toby didn’t smile, or acknowledge the win. He knew better than to meet fire with ice. Cool water was the trick here, and not splashed in the King’s face. He was an old man who needed his dignity as his power failed.
    “It’s the same basic thought we have, sire—jobs, education, wealth. We teach locals to put out fires, to learn self-defence, to build strategic walls and clear land around villages and towns, so even planning attacks will be harder. Giving the village and townsfolk kids much-needed trades—stonemasonry and carpentry,” Charlie said, with an excited grin. “We can give older tradespeople apprentices, and retired firefighters can teach people how to fireproof their homes to show Orakis that the towns and villages aren’t as vulnerable as he thinks. We can mobilise the ordinary people for defence. They’re used to running and hiding until the violence ends. This time they need something to take pride in, to fight for.”
    Giulia turned to Jazmine and the King, encompassing them both in her smile. “Charlie’s right, Theo Angelis. So far we’ve been re active, not pro active. We’re all working so hard to heal the hurts done by the war, but while it makes the people happy it leaves them passive—and gives Orakis the chance to destroy them again. We show him we’re not putting plasters over the wounds he created, but equipping the people themselves to stand strong and choose the rulers who care enough to give them some power and say in their future.”
    Toby had been involved in family dynamics long enough to know when it was time to watch and wait in silence; but, ah, if he hadn’t wanted to kiss Giulia before—and that had been basically all the time—right now he could have grabbed her and kissed her senseless in front of them all. Her quiet, well-chosen words reached down into the hearts of a royal family shattered by war, unable to see beyond the first tasks of healing. If Charlie had taken the bait and run with it, Giulia had given his practical proposal a Hellenican heart and soul.
    The conversation took an excited turn. The King wanted to know how many people would participate in the scheme, how many they’d have to import from abroad. Max—whom Toby was beginning to like, despite his best efforts to hate his rival—said he’d go to the Duchy of Falcandis to find out. Charlie said he’d do the same in Malascos. The King told Jazmine to find out the mood of the rest of the nation on the idea, and Jazmine was smiling for the first time in weeks.
    “When we have numbers we can go to the Treasury and call a meeting of the Hereditary House of Lords,” the King said as Jazmine wheeled him out of the room, Max right behind them.
    At the door, Charlie grinned at Toby. “Grizz, that was