by Kiera Cass
“What I remember is Marlee telling her to wipe it off,” he said, his spirits rising.
“And you taught Ahren and Kaden how to handle a saber. Kaden recently suggested a duel, and the first thing I thought of was how he would have won hands down thanks to you.”
General Leger watched me. “I treasure those memories. I do. I’d defend all of you to my last breath. Even if I wasn’t essentially paid to.”
I giggled. “I know. Which is why there’s no one else I’d trust with my life.” I reached out for his hand. “Please take the day off. No one’s going to invade today, and if they do, I’ll call you,” I added quickly when I could see he was going to protest. “Go spend time with Miss Lucy. Remind her of every good thing you’ve been to each other, and remind her of everything you’ve been to us. I know it’s not a reasonable substitute, but do it all the same.”
“I haven’t found the glasses yet.”
“I’m sure he’s left them in the parlor. I’ll take care of it. You go.”
He gripped my hand one last time before letting it go and dropping into a bow. “Yes, Your Highness.”
I watched him leave, leaning against the desk as I considered the general and Miss Lucy and their life together. They’d faced so much sadness, so much disappointment, and yet he still showed up every day, ready to serve. So did Miss Lucy. It was a strange thing to measure them beside my parents, whose lives had seemed to fall into place perfectly.
I was surrounded by examples of how love, real love, could make you less bothered by your circumstances, whether it was facing the greatest disappointment of your life or shouldering the weight of a country. And suddenly, for the life of me, I couldn’t remember why I’d been so afraid of it.
I mentally thumbed through my list of suitors. Kile’s sweetness, Fox’s enthusiasm, Henri’s joy . . . these were all things that drew me in. But, beyond that, was there something beautiful and lasting?
I still didn’t know. But finding out no longer looked so frightening.
I shook the thought away for the moment and headed into the parlor. Sure enough, Dad’s glasses were sitting, unfolded and upside down, on a pile of books. I carried them toward his room, still wondering about the future. In an effort to keep from waking Mom, in case she was sleeping, I knocked on the door to his personal study.
“Yes?” he called.
I walked in to find Dad at his desk, squinting at some papers.
“I found these,” I said, holding up his glasses and wiggling them between my fingers.
“Ah! You’re a lifesaver. Where’s Aspen?” he asked, happily taking the glasses and popping them on his face.
“I told him to take the day off. He seemed a little down.”
Dad’s head snapped up. “Was he? I didn’t notice.”
“Yes. He, and I think maybe Miss Lucy, are having a bad day.”
At the mention of her name, he seemed to understand.
“Well, now I feel awful for not saying something.” He leaned back in his chair and rubbed at his temple.
“Have you been sleeping much?” I asked, fiddling with a paperweight.
He smiled. “I’m trying, honey, really. But if your mom makes so much as a peep, I’m instantly awake, and I end up watching her for an hour before I’m calm enough to sleep again. That heart attack sneaked up on us. If anything, I’d have expected for something to happen to me.”
I nodded. So many times recently I’d found myself watching him, wondering if he was okay. But Mom? She blindsided us all.
“Your mom keeps talking about going on the Report tomorrow like it’s some sign of things getting back to normal. As if, since she can do that, I should go back to work. And I know the second I go back to work, she will, too. I’m not saying I want her to sit around and twiddle her thumbs, but the thought of her going back to being the queen, all day, every day . . . I don’t know how to take it.”
He rubbed his eyes and gave me a humorless smile. “And the truth is, it’s been nice to pause, take a breath. I don’t think I realized how hard I’d been running until I had to stop.” He looked up at me. “I can’t remember the last time I had ten undisturbed hours with my wife. She’s got these pretty little laugh lines by her eyes.”
I smiled. “Well, you tell a lot of horrible jokes, Dad.”
He nodded. “What can I say? I’m a man of many talents. But that’s almost as hard to take: when she goes back to being queen, I need to go back to being king. And I don’t know when I’ll get another week like this, where it’s just her and me.”
“So, what if she didn’t?”
He squinted. “What do you mean?”
“Well . . .” It had been circulating in my head since the town hall meeting yesterday. I’d probably never be able to help all my people, but I could reach a few. That thought thrilled me more than I imagined possible. And, at the very least, I could help my parents, which recently started feeling like a monumental accomplishment. Still, as the words came out, I knew they were pure insanity. “What if she wasn’t queen anymore? What if I was?”
Dad stilled, staring at me in disbelief.
“I don’t mean it as an insult,” I stammered. “I know you’re fully able to lead . . . but you’re right. Mom’s going to want to go back to the complete role of being a queen. If I was queen, she’d have to do something else.”
His eyes widened as if he hadn’t considered this option.
“And if she wasn’t queen and you weren’t king, and this time it happened to be while she wasn’t recovering from a heart attack, maybe you could do more than sit around. Maybe you could travel or something.”
He blinked, astonished at the possibility.
“We could do it this week even. I can have a coronation dress made, Lady Brice and Neena can organize everything, and you know General Leger would make sure the entire event was safe. You wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.”
He swallowed, looking away. “Please, Dad, I don’t mean it as an insult. I—”
He held up a hand, and I silenced myself, stunned to see tears in his eyes when he turned back to me. “I’m not insulted,” he answered gruffly before clearing his throat. “I’m just so proud of you.”
I smiled. “So . . . you’ll let me ascend?”
“You’ll have a difficult time,” he said seriously. “The people are restless.”
“I know. I’m not scared. Well, not that scared.”
We shared a laugh. “You’ll be wonderful.”
I shrugged. “I’m no you. And I’m definitely no Mom. But I can do this. I have help, and I’ll still have the both of you. And between all of us, I’ll probably come out looking like a decent queen.”
He shook his head. “You are more than decent, Eadlyn. Maybe I haven’t told you enough, but you’re an extraordinary young woman. Bright and funny and capable. What a privilege it will be to be your subject.” His words were so genuine that I found myself blinking back tears.
I didn’t realize how much his opinion of my actions mattered until that moment. I should have, though, considering how many steps I’d taken at his suggestion. It meant the world that he approved of ones I was taking on my own.
He took a deep breath. “Okay, then.” Standing, he walked around the table and slid his signet ring off his ring finger and onto the middle finger of my hand. His eyes, the clearest I’d seen them in days, stared deeply into mine. “That looks rather nice on you.”
I tilted my head. “Nearly everything does.”
CHAPTER 16
WHEN MOM WALKED INTO THE studio on Friday evening, the entire room broke out in applause. She lifted her hand in a wave, acknowledging the support as Dad walked so close beside her you couldn’t see a speck of light between them. She had a tiny limp from where the doctors had removed the vein from her leg, but she was so graceful, you really had to look to see it. She’d chosen a dress with a high neckline, and I could tell by the way she kept touching it that she was anxious about her scar.
“You look wonderful,” I said, stepping in stride with her and Dad, trying to distract her.
“Thank you. So do you.”
“How are you feeling, Dad?” I leaned around her, trying to gauge his emotions.
He tilted his head from side to side. “Part relieved, part nervous. Not about you—you’ll do fine. I’m just concerned about the reaction.”
I noted that he looked a bit more rested, and I could tell that seeing Mom all dressed up lifted his spirits.
“Me, too. But we knew this day would come sooner or later. I’d rather do it now and help when it’s most useful.”
Mom let out a wistful sigh. “Finally out of the spotlight and into the background,” she said. “I’ve missed it there.”
“People will still watch, my dear,” Dad said. “Just try to keep your chin up tonight, and I’ll be right beside you if you need me.”
“So, same as always?”
He smiled. “Same as always.”
“Look, I don’t plan to kick you out or anything, but if you insist on being mushy all the time, I’ll have you in a cottage faster than you can say P-D-A.”
Mom kissed my head. “Good luck tonight.”
They made their way to the chairs while I walked across to the boys.
“Your Highness.” Ean sank into a bow, his smile brighter than usual.
“Hello, sir.”
“How are you tonight?”
“Good, I think. It’s going to be a very exciting show.”
He leaned in. “I’m always up for a little excitement,” he whispered.
Ean smelled of aftershave and tobacco, and as there had been since the moment we’d met, something slightly hypnotic filled the air around him.
“I’ve been very busy lately, but I’ve been wondering if you and I should have a date soon.”
He shrugged. “Only if you want one. As I said, I have no intention of demanding anything from you.”
“So you’re quite comfortable?”
“I am,” he answered with a smile. “And as always, I’m here for you in whatever capacity you need me.”
He bowed and walked away, sitting down next to Hale, who whispered something to Ean as he approached. I watched Ean shake his head in reply. Hale looked unsettled, and I realized we hadn’t spoken since our disaster of a date. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to cross that bridge yet.
I walked over to my small group of suitors all the same.
“It’s so great to see the queen back,” Fox said.
I beamed. “It is. She’ll be giving a small update about her condition, there will be the normal notes from the advisers, then my father will be making a big announcement. You’re off the hook for tonight.”
“Thank goodness.” Kile slumped back in his seat, grinning.
I chuckled. “I know the feeling. So just sit there and look handsome.”
“Done,” Ean joked, a thing I hadn’t thought him capable of doing. Hale laughed and Henri smiled, though his expression showed me that he didn’t understand what had happened.
I started walking away, shaking my head as I went, when I was caught by the light brush of fingers across my wrist.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Erik said. “I was wondering if I should sit with the audience since there won’t be any questions tonight.”
His blue eyes caught the bright lights of the studio, brilliant and clear.
“Are you afraid I’ll drag you into the middle of the set if you don’t hide?”
He chuckled. “More than you know.”
“Don’t worry. You’re safe. But Henri will need to understand my father’s announcement, so stay close.”
He nodded. “I will. Are you all right? You look a little on edge.”
“I am. Very much,” I confessed.
“Anything I can do for you?”
I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Cross your fingers. It’s going to be an interesting night.”
I took my seat next to Mom, looking out at the small crowd. Josie’s clothing choice baffled me once again. She was covered in so many sequins, one might have thought she was going to be on camera tonight. Maybe that was her plan, to be prepared in case it ever happened.
General Leger usually stood, but tonight he was seated next to Miss Lucy, and she leaned into him. He turned his head slightly to give her the gentlest kiss along her hairline. Neither of them looked at each other or spoke, but I could tell there was some wordless communication happening, and they both seemed lost in the moment.
I could have watched them for hours, but I got distracted. Kaden waved wildly, holding two thumbs up, and I smirked, giving him a small wave in reply.
“If he’s that excited about what’s coming, imagine how excited Ahren will be when he hears.” Mom tugged at her necklace again, arranging all her protective layers.
“Yeah,” I answered lamely, thinking that if he couldn’t even call me to tell me how he was, he might not be excited at all.
The cameras rolled, and the show began.
Mom opened the Report with assurances that she was on the mend. “I’m doing wonderfully, thanks to the work of our excellent doctors and the care of my family,” she promised. I knew that this was the only news that would matter to the audience until our big announcement. I could barely pay attention to the updates on funding and international relations myself; I doubted the rest of the country could.
Finally Dad walked up to the podium in the middle of the stage. Staring into the camera, he slowly exhaled. “My people,” he started, but quickly stopped and turned to face Mom and me. I took her hand, worried he would change his mind. As scared as I was to take his place, backing out now would feel like failing.
He gazed at the two of us for a moment, his lips slowly forming a smile, then looked back into the camera.
“My beloved people, I come before you tonight to ask for your mercy. In twenty years as king I have done my best to alleviate the wars and issues that threatened our peace for so long. We have formed new alliances, gotten rid of archaic social practices, and done all we can to give you, the individual, the greatest chance at personal happiness. Now, I pray you will do the same for me.
“With my wife’s recent health scare, I find myself unable to focus on moving our country forward, let alone maintaining what we currently have. As such, after much thought and discussion, our family has decided that my daughter, Princess Eadlyn Schreave, will ascend the throne.”
He paused to let the words sink in, and in that moment I heard the most unexpected sound: applause.
I looked up and saw it was the boys. They were clapping for me. Kile jumped to his feet, thrilled at the news, and Hale joined him, thrusting his fingers into his mouth to give a whistle. After the Elite were all standing, I realized that everyone in the studio had joined in. And not just Miss Marlee and General Leger, but the makeup girls and the floor runners who made sure the show went on without a hitch.
My lip trembled a little, completely overwhelmed by their instant joy. It bolstered my confidence. Maybe we’d been worried for nothing.
Dad, encouraged by the response, carried on as the noise died down. “We are settling plans for the coronation as we speak, and it will take place by the end of next week. Having worked side by side with the princess for the whole of her life, I know our country could not be in better hands. I also must tell you that she volunteered to take on this role early, so that her mother and I may step back from leading and enjoy simply being a husband and wife, a life we have not yet been privileged to lead. I hope you will join me in rejoicing over this wonderful news. Our whole family thanks you, our people, for your enduring support.”
As soon as Dad finished speaking, the clapping and whistling started all over again. We passed each other as I went to the podium, and when he raised his hand for a high five, I couldn’t not respond. I stopped in front of the podium, feeling a thousand butterflies in my stomach.
“I want to thank everyone in the palace for their help and guida
nce since I became regent, and let all Illéa know how delighted I am to ascend the throne. I cannot begin to express what joy it brings me to be able to do this for my parents.” That was truer than anything I knew. All the nerves in the world couldn’t dampen it. “And as I step into the position of queen, that means that one of these gentlemen back here won’t simply be a prince. He will immediately become a prince consort.”
I looked over my shoulder at them, and while some, like Fox and Kile, seemed ecstatic, Hale was frowning. So the other night wasn’t just a fluke. He was having genuine doubts. What had happened? How had I lost him?
“My upcoming coronation will be one of the biggest celebrations the palace has ever seen. Please go to your Provincial Services Office for information, as one family from each province will be invited to the palace, all expenses paid, to enjoy the festivities.” That had been my idea, one I felt sure Marid would appreciate. “And, of course, we appreciate your support of our family through this transitional period. We thank you, Illéa. Good night!”
I went over to Mom and Dad the second the cameras went down. “Can you believe that?”
“It went so well!” Mom said. “The boys clapping, starting it all themselves. It was so organic, and I know that had to encourage people at home.”
“It’s a good sign,” Dad agreed. “And I think the element of your chosen husband immediately becoming a prince consort definitely adds something to this Selection.”
“As if it wasn’t crazy enough.” I sighed and smiled, feeling too happy to care that this was all complete madness.
Dad kissed my forehead. “You were wonderful. Now, do you need some rest?” he asked, turning to Mom.
“I’m fine.” She rolled her eyes as they headed off the stage.
“Are you sure? We could have dinner brought up to our room.”
“So help me, if you do that, I will throw it at you.”
I laughed. It was making more and more sense that they fought through their whole Selection process.
Now I just needed to get through mine.