pressed a G-rated kiss to the corner of my mouth.
I w asn’t expecting white doves or the fairy tale, but I was admittedly let down. Will led me to the great hall; elaborate decoration adorned the space, with the floor cleared for celebratory dancing. The cheers that erupted from the people as we entered lifted my spirits some, but as the music began, I felt the depression weighing on my chest.
I wish my parents were here.
“Are you well?” Will leaned toward me, speaking into my ear to be heard over the music.
I stiffened, forcing a nod. “I’m fine.”
“Our first dance, very soon,” he promised with a reassuring smile, though I could tell the expression was half-hearted.
Will excused himself after dinner, and I waited patiently for five whole minutes before scraping my chair back and getting up from the table. As I walked through the hall, I noticed two guards flanking me on either side. I stopped, turning to one. “Are you my bodyguards?”
The soldier nodded once. “We protect and serve the queen.”
“Okay, then. You, please go find me a Glock 19. The Beretta is too heavy for my taste. Holster too. You,” I turned to the other guard, ignoring the first’s shaken expression, “Please go order a group to sweep every level of the castle hourly. I want every soldier armed.”
“My queen…,”
“Do it, I’ll be right here. Look, I’ll stay right here with Eric until you get back.”
Eric turned to me, offering me a surprised smile. “Your majesty?”
“I asked them to go organize an hourly sweep of the grounds. Tell them.”
Eric took a long, amused look at me, and then turned at the two helpless guards. “Do as your queen commands.”
“Yes, sir.”
I nodded imperially. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
“Where is Will?” I moved toward the stone arches that led out to the hall, but Eric hurried ahead of me.
“He’ll return momentarily. Do you need refreshment, your majesty?”
I watched a servant pass by with a golden tray of champagne flutes. Ignoring them, I caught movement from behind a pillar. “No thanks…,”
I saw her golden hair, freezing in midstride. Backing against the wall, I watched as Will held Gabrielle very close, speaking rapidly to her. She was sobbing, pressing her face to his chest.
“Your majesty-…,”
“Stop calling me that,” I growled, my throat burning. Eric moved in front of my vision, his brown eyes earnest.
“Eva, you will allow them a farewell.”
“I thought they already had a farewell,” I scorned, betrayal knotting in the pit of my stomach.
“Will has told me that your requirements have changed. You call for monogamy.”
“He told you that? And he’s telling her that?”
“He will respect your wishes.”
Guilt… resentment, anger… the torrent of emotions ran through me so quickly, I nearly screamed. Eric reached for my hand, forcefully pulling me out into the hall. I tried to yank my arm away, but he jerked me into the men’s restroom, slamming and locking the door. His touch instantly weakened me, and the vertigo caught me off guard. Wrenching away, I glared.
“Take your fucking hands off of me.”
“Eva.” His stern voice, combined with his emotionless tone, silenced me. “I won’t let you create a scene. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
“Shut your goddamn mouth!”
“What you lack in maturity , you can compensate for in control . I know you possess the ability to control yourself. Do it .”
I fumed, grinding my teeth. If I was ten years younger, I would have stomped my foot.
“He will not betray you.”
“You mean screw his ex-girlfriend on our wedding night?”
“That is exactly what I mean.” Eric continued to block the door, despite the incessant knocking. “He speaks of your sacrifice, and he feels he must carry the burden himself.”
“Oh, what an enormous burden, keeping his pants up,” I sneered, reaching for the door. He blocked it again, lifting one eyebrow.
“I hope that I haven’t
I w asn’t expecting white doves or the fairy tale, but I was admittedly let down. Will led me to the great hall; elaborate decoration adorned the space, with the floor cleared for celebratory dancing. The cheers that erupted from the people as we entered lifted my spirits some, but as the music began, I felt the depression weighing on my chest.
I wish my parents were here.
“Are you well?” Will leaned toward me, speaking into my ear to be heard over the music.
I stiffened, forcing a nod. “I’m fine.”
“Our first dance, very soon,” he promised with a reassuring smile, though I could tell the expression was half-hearted.
Will excused himself after dinner, and I waited patiently for five whole minutes before scraping my chair back and getting up from the table. As I walked through the hall, I noticed two guards flanking me on either side. I stopped, turning to one. “Are you my bodyguards?”
The soldier nodded once. “We protect and serve the queen.”
“Okay, then. You, please go find me a Glock 19. The Beretta is too heavy for my taste. Holster too. You,” I turned to the other guard, ignoring the first’s shaken expression, “Please go order a group to sweep every level of the castle hourly. I want every soldier armed.”
“My queen…,”
“Do it, I’ll be right here. Look, I’ll stay right here with Eric until you get back.”
Eric turned to me, offering me a surprised smile. “Your majesty?”
“I asked them to go organize an hourly sweep of the grounds. Tell them.”
Eric took a long, amused look at me, and then turned at the two helpless guards. “Do as your queen commands.”
“Yes, sir.”
I nodded imperially. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
“Where is Will?” I moved toward the stone arches that led out to the hall, but Eric hurried ahead of me.
“He’ll return momentarily. Do you need refreshment, your majesty?”
I watched a servant pass by with a golden tray of champagne flutes. Ignoring them, I caught movement from behind a pillar. “No thanks…,”
I saw her golden hair, freezing in midstride. Backing against the wall, I watched as Will held Gabrielle very close, speaking rapidly to her. She was sobbing, pressing her face to his chest.
“Your majesty-…,”
“Stop calling me that,” I growled, my throat burning. Eric moved in front of my vision, his brown eyes earnest.
“Eva, you will allow them a farewell.”
“I thought they already had a farewell,” I scorned, betrayal knotting in the pit of my stomach.
“Will has told me that your requirements have changed. You call for monogamy.”
“He told you that? And he’s telling her that?”
“He will respect your wishes.”
Guilt… resentment, anger… the torrent of emotions ran through me so quickly, I nearly screamed. Eric reached for my hand, forcefully pulling me out into the hall. I tried to yank my arm away, but he jerked me into the men’s restroom, slamming and locking the door. His touch instantly weakened me, and the vertigo caught me off guard. Wrenching away, I glared.
“Take your fucking hands off of me.”
“Eva.” His stern voice, combined with his emotionless tone, silenced me. “I won’t let you create a scene. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
“Shut your goddamn mouth!”
“What you lack in maturity , you can compensate for in control . I know you possess the ability to control yourself. Do it .”
I fumed, grinding my teeth. If I was ten years younger, I would have stomped my foot.
“He will not betray you.”
“You mean screw his ex-girlfriend on our wedding night?”
“That is exactly what I mean.” Eric continued to block the door, despite the incessant knocking. “He speaks of your sacrifice, and he feels he must carry the burden himself.”
“Oh, what an enormous burden, keeping his pants up,” I sneered, reaching for the door. He blocked it again, lifting one eyebrow.
“I hope that I haven’t
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