As soon as the door shut behind him, he began to yell.
“Frederick Pittser is a well-respected member of the press,” Grenfall yelled. He was a good two inches shorter than me, but that didn’t stop him from trying to stare me down. “He will be well within his rights to sue you for slander.”
“If he does, can you let him know I’m pressing charges against him for assault, and while you are at it, I’d like you to get your best men started looking into my shooting. If he comes to you to help sue me, it will save you from having to go search for him. You can start by interviewing him and finding out where he was that night. You might also want to look into his history. He’s a high up member of the Magi Death Squad. Remember, I asked you about the MDS? You said you hadn’t heard of them, but I have reason to believe that they are hiding in Silverwood’s top institutions, including your very own police force.”
I had no way of knowing that, but I wanted to see Grenfall’s reaction. As I suspected, he looked nervous for a second before covering up his expression with one of fury.
“Now, I know you say there is no law against peaceful demonstrations,” I continued. “but I think you’ll find that shooting at a queen is very much against the law.”
I tried not to smile as I caught the look on his face. His mouth was open in shock. He was clearly not used to being told what to do. Well, neither was I. I was way past being intimidated by this toad of a man. I couldn’t resist adding some words before sending him on his way.
“Oh, and by the way. Now that there are high numbers of Magi coming into the country, I’m creating an initiative for them to join the police force. There wasn’t a single Magi police officer when I last checked, and I think that it’s about time that there was.”
“I’m not having any Magi in my force!” he bellowed.
“I thought you might say that, which is why I’m going to hire a Mage to lead the police jointly with you.”
I turned on my heel and left the room, leaving a startled Grenfall with his mouth hanging open. I instructed the guard outside the door to escort Mr. Grenfall off the property.
I couldn’t feel bad. He deserved everything he got. It would do him some good to be dropped down a peg or two. I’d make sure to check on whether he was doing his job with respect to Frederick Pittser too. It was he that had shot at me. I was sure of it. If it wasn’t him pulling the trigger, I was in no doubt that he had something to do with it. I headed down to the cinema room to meet with Jenny and my advisors. I’d asked that they all meet me down there so we could all watch the day’s news and make plans together.
I was surprised to see Elise, Leo, Daniel, and Dean there too. Even my mother had shown up.
It took a few minutes for a member of the palace staff to hook up the projector to the TV. Someone squeezed my hand. I saw that it was Daniel and smiled. I’d not had the chance to speak to him since coming home, but I knew I needed to. I wanted to speak to Leo too. Leo might not know about Cynder and Daniel working for the Freedom of Magic, but he should. He was on our side, and the quicker everything was out in the open, the better. For now, though, it was nice to feel the support.
I found a place to sit as the cinema screen was brought to life. I almost wished I’d remembered to bring popcorn. As the footage filmed just half an hour before was shown, I felt better than I had all day. I was on every channel talking to the interviewer who it turns out was called Marybelle Foster. I watched as I told her about Pittser and then about how Cynder was a Mage.
The scene cut to the crowd outside the palace where they jeered and called me names I’d certainly not heard in the live version. I sighed. I didn’t think it was possible to make the monarchy less popular than it already was, but I’d somehow managed it in just one week.
The scene cut again to one of our borders. I couldn’t tell which one it was. It wasn’t the border between Thalia and Silverwood that was for sure, it was too flat. It was probably one of Silverwood’s southern borders. In any case, people were hiking back through. Hundreds of them. It was amazing to see. The reporter thrust his microphone into the face of one of them, a young man with hope on his face, and began to question him.
I sat up straight, desperate to hear what was going on.
“Why are you coming back to Silverwood?”
The young man grinned. “It’s my home. I was born here and grew up here. I left last year because I had to, but when we got the news of the queen dating a Mage, we knew it was safe to return.”
“The queen has been very open about wanting the Magi to come back. Long before her coronation, she invited you all back. Why are you only listening now?”
“We always listened, but it was never safe for us. Many of us were born and raised here. A lot of us lost our jobs last year under the king’s regime. Granted, they were only menial jobs, but it’s hard to feed your family when there is no support. We’ve wanted to come back right from the start, but words have never meant much to me. The queen has shown with actions that she wants us back. If she can date a Mage, then all Magi will have to be safe, won’t they?”
“You are aware that the queen has emphatically denied dating the Mage known as Cynder. She says she plans to marry Prince Luca.”
“Yeah, well, she says that, but she was pushed into it by her tyrant father, wasn’t she. She had to pick a husband and decide to marry him in only a few short months. Now, I believe in love at first sight, but I think the likelihood is that she picked someone that she was forced to. A lot of the Magi believe she was already in love with this Cynder guy. He worked in the palace, so there is no way she wouldn’t have known him. She might say she is marrying the prince, but I, like the other Magi, believe the wedding will never happen.”
“Interesting theory,” replied the reporter. “There is a rumor that bets are being taken on who she will end up with.”
“Too right! The polls have opened again, and this time there is a Mage involved. I, for one, will be putting my money on Cynder.”
“What happens if she goes ahead and marries Prince Luca?”
“Not gonna happen, mate.”
“Surely, that’s for her to decide?” asked the interviewer.
“Well, if she does marry the prince, I guess I’ll have to pack up and move back to Ramsden.”
Ramsden was our southernmost border. It was a small country, – even smaller than Silverwood, but it was more progressive than here.
I watched riveted as the reporter spoke to Mage after Mage. The theme was the same among all of them. One of hope and of happiness at finally being able to come home.
Yes, they’d all come home, with one caveat—that I marry Cynder.
When the reporter cut back to the studio, and they began to analyze the reports, a great cheer went up in the cinema. Many of the people there had not been interested in Magi rights this time last year, but they’d seen me work tirelessly to promote equality, and the fight had become their own. They all crushed around me, hugging me and cheering. I wasn’t sure whether to feel happy or nervous. The Magi expected me to marry Cynder, but it wasn’t going to happen. Would they all leave when they realized that nothing had really changed? It was going to take an awful lot of work to persuade them to stay. The lights went up. In the cinema doorway stood a lone man watching us with a sad expression on his face. It was Luca. He’d finally gotten here.
Luca
When everyone saw Luca standing in the doorway, they all became suddenly quiet. The jubilation of just a few seconds ago died down as they took in the expression on Luca’s face.
“Excuse me, everyone.” I disentangled myself from the group of people and walked over to him. His expression didn’t change, and it frightened me. I’d managed to mess up again and hurt someone I cared about. In all the drama of the day, I’d given little thought to Luca, but now that he was here, I knew that he should have been my main priority.
We walked along the corridor in silence, neither of us knowing what to say. Behind us, I could hear the other
s filing out of the cinema room. I needed to find somewhere quiet to speak with him. Somewhere where no one would interrupt us. Even though my father was no longer around to listen in to private conversations, I still felt his presence whenever I had something important to say, something that I wouldn’t want him to hear. Last year, I often retreated to the gardens to whisper secrets. It felt like as good a place as any.
Outside, the grass was slightly damp as if we’d just missed a light drizzle. The camera crews and the rest of the media had long since left, but there were still a number of workmen taking the stage down. I directed Luca around the side of the house and into the expansive back garden where we would finally be able to speak in peace.
“Is it true?” he asked.
“Did you see my interview today? I spoke the truth there. I told the world that I had picked you to marry, and in a few months, I would become your wife.”
“I didn’t see the interview. I was too busy rushing here, but that wasn’t the question I asked you. I asked if it was true. Are you having an affair with a member of my parents’ staff?”
My brain and my heart were at war with each other. While I could technically say no and be telling the truth, I knew it would not be fair. I had to either be completely honest with him or not at all. I couldn’t go into a marriage with lies of any kind, even lies of omission.
“Before the ball last year, before I even met you, I met Cynder. He was working in our kitchen. I found him dancing around the kitchen one night, so in my fear of having two left feet, I asked him to teach me to dance.”
I didn’t dare look at Luca’s face as I spoke. Nor could I look toward the apartment where Cynder and I once spent a night together. Instead, I concentrated on a bird that was pecking away on the lawn, playing tug of war with a worm that had come up for the rain.
“I came to have feelings for him. After the ball, he was accused of planting the bomb. He had to go on the run. I missed him terribly. I did everything I could to try to find him.”
“I see,” replied Luca, not seeing at all.
“At the time, I was still getting to know you. I’d barely spent any time with you at all. I was dating four men, one of which, I was being pressured into choosing as a husband. I’m not going to lie to you. I didn’t immediately fall for you. It took time. I had the kingdom to think about as well as myself.”
“So you picked me because I was right for the kingdom?” he spat.
The bird won the war and flew off, the worm dangling in its beak.
“At first, yes. You were the obvious choice. You were a similar age to me and held my ideals. Then as I got to know you, I realized you were a great person to be around. I began to think of you as more than someone that would be good for the country, but as someone who would be good for me too. When I asked you to marry me, it wasn’t just out of duty, although that did come into it partly, it was because I could see a future for us together. I can honestly tell you that before the other night, I’d not seen Cynder for over six months. I’d had no contact with him at all. I’d chosen you, and I was happy. What happened the other night was not a secret tryst or a romantic excursion. Cynder didn’t know I’d come to Thalia. He’d gotten a job there to put the past behind him, just as I had. The problem was, the past came back to haunt him. He was a member of a group of Mages that had spent years trying to bring about the downfall of my father. Unfortunately, when I arrived in Thalia, I managed to bring Frederick Pittser with me.”
“Who?”
“Frederick Pittser, the reporter that spoke to us at the TV studios in Thalia, remember? I thought he was nothing more than an outspoken anti-Mage, but Cynder found out that he was actually high up in an underground anti-Mage group who were plotting to kill me. He took me from your palace to save me. In doing that he saved a lot of other people too.”
“How so?”
“Pittser or one of his cronies tried to shoot me as I escaped with Cynder. If I’d still been at the ball, he would have come for me there, shooting anyone in his path until I was dead. It’s ironic that last year it was the Magi who were trying to bring down the monarchy, but this year it’s the anti-Magi.”
“So you and he...”
“Nothing happened. I promise. I’ve chosen to marry you, and I will. Cynder dropped me off in Silverwood and left. He’s on his way back to Thalia.”
I heard him sigh in relief as though I’d alleviated all his fears. Part of me still felt bad that I’d left out the most important part—that my heart still beat for Cynder, but there was no future with him. He was on his way back to Thalia, and the likelihood was I’d never see him again, or if I did, it would only be on the occasions he was either serving me dinner or maybe in a few years, cooking it at the Thalian palace.
“Hmm.”
“What?” I asked.
“These past few days, I’ve been wanting to kill him, but it seems I should be thanking him.”
“He’s gone back to Thalia. I think the best way to thank him would be to get word to your parents to tell them not to fire him. He’s a great chef. He’d be an asset to their kitchen team.”
“I’ll do that. If he’s there, that means he’s not here near you. I understand now why he took you, but that doesn’t stop me feeling jealous.”
I looked up at his gorgeous face. It was almost comical how someone could be so utterly beautiful could be jealous of someone like me, and yet, I could see the pain in his expression.
He was quiet for a moment, so for the first time since he’d been home, I touched him. I put my hand to his face which softened immediately. He looked so relieved and so handsome. When he leaned forward to kiss me, I moved forward to meet him in the middle. This time, there was no hesitancy on my part. I’d made the decision to be with Luca, and the flutters I thought I’d lost long ago came back. Luca was the most wonderful kisser. The way his lips moved against mine as we explored each other made the flutters turn into tingles then great earthquakes that shot up my spine. His tongue found mine as I pressed my whole body into his, matching his passion. I was ready for him and everything he had to give.
Somewhere a flash erupted. Luca pulled back, and we both looked to the high wall that encircled the palace grounds. A photographer dipped quickly below the top of the wall, and we heard him jump from his ladder and run away.
Luca and I laughed, which broke the tension that had been between us even more than the kiss had.
The very same thing had happened to us last year. It had been our very first kiss and had taken me by surprise. The photographer that had caught us then had left me in the worst position possible, and it was only because Jenny had woven her magic with the press, that we’d managed to stop the photo being published. Now, it didn’t matter. I’d picked Luca, and he’d picked me, and it didn’t matter if the whole world knew about it. After the nightmare of the day so far, having a photo of us kissing would only cement the words I had said earlier.
Luca took my hand, and we headed back into the palace.
The group we’d left behind had migrated to the parlor where they were all drinking champagne. My advisors had retired for the night, but my mother, Jenny, Elise, Leo, Daniel, and Dean were still there drinking.
When they saw us walk in hand in hand, they came bounding over and continued the group hug they’d started earlier. Someone passed me a glass of champagne and one to Luca. For the first time in a long time, I stopped worrying about the state of the kingdom and decided to celebrate my small victory. The Magi were coming back, Luca was by my side, and the people of Silverwood were finally beginning to believe me.
I took a swallow of champagne, feeling the bubbles tickling my throat.
I tried not to think of Cynder. He would be halfway home now on his horse. If Luca was true to his word, Cynder would have a job to go back to. I still had a very long way to go to pull Silverwood together, but hiring a Mage chief of police to work alongside Grenfall, was a stroke of genius. With any luck, Grenfall would quit his job, saving me from
having to fire him. Either that, or he’d become more tolerant. Either way, it was a win-win situation.
I sipped my champagne and felt at peace. Looking over at Luca, confidently chatting with Leo and Elise, I knew I’d made the right decision. Someone tapped me lightly on the arm, and I turned to find Daniel. I hugged him tightly.
“Hey, you’ll crease the shirt,” he quipped and then a moment later, “Can we talk?”
He led me to the quieter side of the room, and we sat on the long ornamental sofa.
“I guess you know about me, huh?”
“Cynder told me everything,” I admitted.
“I’m sorry to have deceived you. I hated myself for doing it. Right after our first date, I wanted to back out, but I saw that you needed me more than ever. I came in here with the intention of pulling your father down, but when I met you, I realized it would mean I’d end up pulling you down with him. You were so sweet and fearless that I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
I smiled at his words. “I was anything but fearless. I spent most of last year quivering under my clothes.”
“If that’s the case, you hid it well. I saw that you could become the leader we always imagined. The Magi wanted the royalty to be gone completely, but when I met you, I saw another path.”
“Oh yes?”
“I saw you as queen. I knew even then you’d do a much better job of it than your father or your grandfather or any of your ancestors before you. Instead of greed and prejudice, you looked around you and saw what needed to be done. It’s no surprise to me that Silverwood is a small country with little going for it. For years, its subjects have been so busy warring amongst each other that we’ve wasted energy we could have put into building it into a respected kingdom. A kingdom that prospers and is equal to those around it.”
It might have been the champagne talking, but I was feeling bold. “That doesn’t sound like much of an ambition. Why not make it a kingdom that has no equal?”
Lucky Charm : (A Cinderella Reverse Fairytale book 2) (Reverse Fairytales) Page 9