by Ember Casey
“You cheating bastard,” I say through gritted teeth as I approach him. “Victoria should have won.”
“Ah, how adorable,” he says in a mocking tone. “Crying ‘cheater’ to protect your American whore’s feelings.”
“This isn’t about her feelings. This is about a fair and honorable match—”
“Ah, I see. You’re defending her honor again. After you didn’t have the courage to face me yourself.” He grins. Even though his face still bears some bruises from our fight yesterday, he doesn’t look much the worse for it. In fact, he’s positively gloating.
Involuntarily, my hand curls into a fist at my side.
Control yourself, I think. Don’t do this in front of the crowd. But I’m very quickly losing the battle with my temper.
Until I feel a gentle touch on my arm.
Victoria.
I look down at her. She’s taken off her mask, too, and she looks up at me with those deep, beautiful eyes of hers.
“Don’t,” she says softly. “He’s trying to bait you.”
“You should have won,” I say through gritted teeth. “This was your match—”
“I know,” she says. “But it’s not worth it.”
“Of course it’s worth it. Victoria, I—”
“It’s not,” she says firmly. “There are more important things than winning, Andrew.” Her eyes flick away from me, toward the crowd around us that is growing louder and rowdier with every passing moment. “Do you want there to be a riot? Because that’s where this is heading.”
Victoria
The grin on Reginald’s face makes me want to slap him. It only seems to widen as the crowd begins to chant about his cheating. And perhaps he did cheat, not that it matters. He beat me—he’s a fine fencer, and there’s really no denying it.
“I’ll not stand for cheating. The people of Montovia deserve better—”
“It isn’t worth it, Andrew.” I’m not sure why I have to keep repeating that to him—it isn’t as though we can go back and refight the match, even if Reginald did cheat. And it isn’t as though I’d want to fight him again, anyway.
“If he—”
Reginald walks over to where we’re standing, still grinning as he performs another sweeping bow, his épée still drawn. “My offer still stands, my dear lady.”
I narrow my gaze as my hand tightens on Andrew’s arm. “I believe I declined your offer, Prince Reginald. And you’ve already won—”
“What is he talking about?” Andrew snaps his head to look at me. “What offer?”
Reginald straightens and turns his gaze to Andrew. “Why, I offered her everything you want, Your Highness.” He pauses for a moment. “Well, I suppose not everything.”
I glare at the man standing in front of me. “And I declined. And I still decline.”
His smile falls slightly and his gaze darts between Andrew and me for a few moments. “Then how about I make you a deal you can’t refuse, Victoria?”
“There is no deal I’m taking from you—”
“Perhaps you should wait to hear my offer before you refuse out of hand.” His smile falls away completely as he narrows his gaze at Andrew. “I’ll give you the scepter and the rights to the Amhurst Valley.”
Andrew’s mouth falls open for a moment and he turns to look at me. “Victoria—?”
“With the same conditions, of course.” The grin returns to Reginald’s face. “So what do you say, Victoria? Do we have a deal? Montovia gets back her scepter and avoids certain war with my country.”
My heart is pounding in my chest, thrashing in my ears. The crowd of people surrounding the stage is yelling so loudly now that I can barely think straight. And Reginald didn’t really just offer what I think he did—he couldn’t have.
“Of course, if you accept, there is one tiny addition to what I’ll need you to do in exchange…” Reginald’s grin is impossibly wide.
My mouth is opening and closing like a fish out of water. The crowd is chanting beside me. Andrew is saying something to me—asking what Reginald is talking about, I think. And Reginald’s head is cocked expectantly, waiting for my answer.
“You really have little choice, do you Victoria?” His head tilts in the other direction. “Of course, I’ll need you to do what we talked about in exchange for the scepter and the land rights. And I’ll need you to do it here. Now. In front of all these adoring citizens.” He makes a sweeping motion toward the crowd.
He’s right, of course. I have no choice. I have to do what’s right for Montovia and stop thinking only of myself and what’s right for me. My heart doesn’t matter. My love for Andrew doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is doing what’s right for the many—not for me.
And the crowd is so loud now, I can barely hear Reginald, even though he’s right in front of me.
“What is he talking about?” Andrew is nearly screaming in my ear.
But I can’t answer him—I can’t say anything at all to him. He’ll only try to talk me out of it, but this is the right thing to do. If Andrew has taught me anything, it’s that the most important thing to him in the world is his duty to his people. And this will make him the hero. It will win him back the love of his people. And that matters so much more than the love between the two of us.
I hold up my hand to the crowd, and I have no idea why, but a hush falls over them almost immediately.
Reginald lifts a brow, still smiling. He turns to the crowd. “Good people of Montovia. I’ll admit it—I cheated. Victoria of America should be named the winner of the festival jousting tournament.”
Andrew’s mouth falls open as he turns to look at me. He seems to know somewhere inside him that something terrible is about to happen, but he can’t do anything to stop it. Not now. He pulls my hand into his as he turns to face the crowd.
But he doesn’t get a word out. Reginald continues. “As a show of good faith, I am offering the scepter back to your country with my apologies.”
Reginald pauses and looks at me for a long moment, waiting to continue until I give him the slightest nod, agreeing to his terms.
“Victoria?” Andrew turns to me again, his voice so low I can barely hear it.
“And good citizens, as a further apology for my behavior at your festival these past few nights, it is with my father’s permission that I also offer the rights to the Amhurst Valley as a show of good will. Let this night be one that we shall all remember as the first night of peace between our countries in more than a century.”
There’s silence in the crowd—everyone seems to be as in shock as Andrew is beside me. But after a long moment, a cheer starts, growing louder and louder until Reginald raises his hand.
“Citizens of Montovia, I believe Victoria has something she would like to say.” Reginald turns to me with a grin.
There’s no way out of this—no way not to do to Andrew exactly what he did to Justine a few days ago. But it seems a small price to pay for doing right by an entire country.
I can barely breathe—barely get a word out. I pull my hand from Andrew’s—the one with the ring still on it. I set down my épée at my feet and turn to the man I love. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.
His brow furrows with confusion. “Victoria?”
“I’m sorry.” My words are still only a whisper as I slide the ring with the beautiful black pearl from my finger. I don’t dare look at it—I can’t bear to see it. I place the ring in his hand. “I can’t marry you.”
Reginald laughs. “This… This, good citizens of Montovia. This is what in my country we like to call…Karma.”
Andrew’s mouth is still gaping open as his hand closes around the ring.
I can’t seem to tear my gaze from his, but I know I have to. And I can’t seem to say anything else to him, so I whisper to him again. “I’m sorry. So, so sorry, Andrew.”
And all I hear as I run from the stage is Reginald’s laughter in my ears.
Andrew
I don’t understand.
She gave back the ring. She said she won’t marry me.
No—she said she can’t marry me.
It takes me a moment to remember that I’m not alone, that an entire crowd of people is watching me. They’ve fallen completely quiet, and their silence rings in my ears. They’re all watching. Waiting. Only Reginald makes any sound at all. His laughter grates against my skull, echoing through my brain and intensifying the sharp pain I’m suddenly starting to feel.
He did this. He tricked Victoria into doing this.
But she made the final choice, the other part of my brain says. She knew the cost, and she was willing to pay it. She was willing to give this up after everything you’ve been through together.
And give it up for what?
Slowly, I turn and look at Reginald. He’s still laughing, and he slaps his hand against the hilt of his épée as if he can barely contain himself. He’s enjoying this far too much.
My fists clench at my side. It takes all my effort not to punch him right here, in front of all these people. But I don’t have time to get into a fight with this prick. I have to find Victoria.
I practically leap down off the platform. I must go after her. Most of the crowd is still stunned, but some move back, giving me space.
“Let me through,” I tell them. I must catch her. I must. Even if I have to tear the whole damn city apart.
The people part for me, but the crowd is too thick to let me move very quickly. I push my way through, mumbling an apology here and there, but as my desperation builds, so does my anger. Behind me, I can hear Reginald pause to catch his breath, and my anger is sharp and hot.
I try to shove the emotion aside. My focus must be on one thing and one thing only: finding Victoria.
When I finally get through the bulk of the crowd gathering around the dueling rings, I pause, scanning the roads for Victoria. People mill about, laughing and singing and enjoying the revelry. Many of them don’t even notice me—I doubt they would have noticed Victoria, either.
If I know her, she’s gone straight to the train station. I don’t pause to think for long—if she means to flee, she’ll do it as quickly as she can.
I turn down the road toward the station, running through the crowds of revelers and dodging street performers and food vendors. I push my way through the crowds, not caring if they think me rude. I’ll worry about that after I find her.
“Victoria!” I call. “Victoria!”
My voice barely carries above the noise of the festival. But I call for her anyway. People are starting to turn and look at me, but I run by before anyone can stop me or ask me what’s going on. All that matters is finding her.
I’m out of breath by the time I reach the train station, but I don’t even pause. I scan the line in front of the ticket desk and, when I don’t see her there, turn my attention to the platforms. I don’t see her.
I don’t have time to search every train…
I march over to the ticket window, going straight to the head of the line. The man at the front of the line starts to protest, but when he recognizes me, he cuts himself off.
“Your Highness,” he says with a quick bow of his head.
“Forgive the intrusion,” I tell him. “This is an emergency.” I turn to the man at the counter. “Sir, I need you to tell me if Victoria Simpson purchased a ticket here tonight.”
The man doesn’t seem to recognize the name, which worries me.
“Right away, Your Highness,” he says, tapping a few things into his computer. His typing is unbearably slow. I let out a long breath and try not to show my impatience. My hand tightens at my side, and something digs into my palm.
The ring. I’m still holding the damned thing.
Before anyone can notice, I slip it into my pocket. The station clerk finishes whatever he’s typing.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” he says. “No one with that name has purchased a ticket today.”
Damn it.
“Thank you,” I tell him, hoping he can’t hear the annoyance and desperation in my voice.
If she isn’t here, then where the hell is she?
When I leave the station, I look up and down the street. Where else might she have gone? I wasn’t lying when I told myself I’d tear the city apart to find her.
I spend the next two hours scouring the streets, scanning the crowd and stopping in various bars, restaurants, and shops. I stop every member of the Royal Guard I see and ask after her, but none of them have seen her. A couple of them give me pitying looks, and I know word of my very public humiliation has started to spread. When I see those looks, I feel as if someone has kicked me in the stomach—but I don’t let myself focus on that feeling for long.
But no matter how many people I ask or how long I search, I can’t find her.
Is it possible she just went back to the palace? If she means to flee the country, maybe she went back to gather her things first.
I could kick myself for not thinking of that sooner. That’s probably exactly what happened—I only pray there’s still time to catch her.
I’m at the base of the road that leads up to the palace when I run into Reginald again. Apparently he’s decided he’s ruined enough lives for the evening and is turning in for the night. But he takes one look at me and perks right up.
“Well, Andrew,” he says, grinning. “How does it feel to finally have the scepter back? And the Amhurst Valley? You’re a national hero!”
That smug look on his face is just too much. I couldn’t give a damn about the scepter or the valley anymore. If he’s cost me the only thing I want, the only thing I need…
He won’t get away with it, not this time.
His grin falls slightly. “What’s that look for?” he says.
I flex my fingers.
“Nothing,” I say casually. “It’s just that I noticed there aren’t any Royal Guards nearby at the moment.”
He quirks an eyebrow. “Oh? You mean to have me arrested?”
“No,” I tell him. “It just means that this time there’s no one here to stop me.”
And before he’s able to respond, I hurl my fist at his face.
Victoria
I’m barely out of the arena when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I don’t turn—I can’t face him. Not after humiliating him like that.
“It’s what’s best for Montovia, Andrew.” My voice is broken, but not the sobbing mess I figured it would be when I made my decision to end our short engagement.
“You’re sounding more like my brother every day. Isn’t there some saying about how over time you become the same person as the one you love?”
I spin to face William.
He grins. “Because you, Victoria, are becoming more like my brother with every passing moment.” His smile falls slightly. “And that is not necessarily a good thing.”
“You can’t argue with my reasoning, William. No one in this country can. What I did back there…” Tears fill my eyes as I remember how I humiliated the man I love. “I made the only decision I could. Andrew got the scepter back and Montovia avoided certain war. What else could I have done?”
William shrugs. “I’m not questioning your reasoning. Not at all. I…” He glances around at the crowd that has started to form around us. “Come.” He holds his elbow out to me. “We should return to the palace.”
I nod and take his arm. He leads me to one of the horse drawn carriages waiting nearby and within minutes we’re back at the palace.
“What are you going to do now?” William looks over at me as we walk the short distance to one of the side entrances.
“I’m not sure. I need to explain it to Andrew. I need to make sure he understands—”
“If anyone can understand duty to our country, it’s my brother.” Willi
am’s mouth twists into something of a wry grin. “Unfortunately.”
“I suppose I should get my things. I can’t imagine he’ll want me under the same roof after what I did to him.”
William only blinks at me for a few moments. “If I know my brother, he’ll do what he can to change your mind.”
“That would be stupid. That would be—”
“We are speaking of my brother, are we not? The one who thought putting on a pageant of suitors would cover up the fact he’d gambled away our national treasure?” He chuckles. “For as brilliant as my brother is at times, he can also be quite stupid. As I suppose all the royal children have been from time to time.”
“Speak for yourself, Brother.” Sophia’s lilting voice comes from the doorway. She waves William away and takes me by the elbow. “Come, Victoria. We need to do a final fitting for your gown for the masquerade ball tomorrow.”
“I…can’t.”
She frowns. “Of course you can. You don’t think a little thing like breaking your betrothal to my brother is going to stop the ball, do you?”
She knows?
I’m sure they can both see the confusion on my face. “I thought you left, Sophia. How do you know—?”
“Have you learned nothing in your short stay in Montovia, Victoria?” She laughs. “Nothing travels so fast as a good rumor, particularly one about Andrew.” Her smile falls. “Not that I expect it to remain true for long. You are planning to go back on your word to Reginald, are you not?”
I glance between the two siblings. “And how could I do that? If I go back on my word, he’ll take back the scepter and his father will want to go to war.” I let out a long breath. “I think it will be better in the long run if I just go now. Stop torturing myself with trying to get out of what I’ve done. Besides, it was the right choice. I was never going to make a very good princess.”
William and Sophia give each other a knowing look, but it’s Sophia who speaks first. “That is where you are wrong, Victoria. I never could have made a decision like the one you made tonight. You did what was best for a country that isn’t even your own. I’m not sure I could have done the same, even under the same circumstances. My brothers may disagree, but I think you made a very royal decision tonight. You put the needs of our country ahead of your own.”