One eyebrow raised, he replied, “It is my choice, Daughter.” And yep, there was more than a little parental “do not test me” in his tone.
“It’s a slight to Christian.” She tapped at some medal on Christian’s heavily decked-out sash that must indicate his awesome specialness. Or that he won a spelling bee back in the day. Kelsey would have to ask Sir Evan for a key to understand all those things. “He’s your heir, he should be right behind you.”
Christian flicked away her finger. “I don’t think anyone will forget I’m the heir if Kelsey walks in front of me, Genny. Lighten up. It doesn’t matter.”
“It does,” she said. “Appearances matter now more than ever, with all this unrest over joining the European Union. Kelsey needs to be recognized not as an extra family member, but symbolically as third in line to the throne. Standing in her place, behind me. Proving that she’s one more bulwark in the steady constancy of this monarchy.”
Kelsey winced. A lot. “Geez, Genevieve. Please don’t call me a ‘bulwark.’ That word alone adds at least twenty pounds to my mental image of myself.”
“I appreciate your instinct to highlight the safer-than-ever line of succession. But my decision stands.” Aaaand the king walked away after giving his royal command. Pretty slick trick. All parents should have the ability to shut up squabbling kids that easily.
Genevieve, to her credit, did look more worried than snitty. Or maybe Kelsey hadn’t fully learned how to read her yet. Squinting as though she had a toothache, she headed to the ornately swagged table of drinks and snacks.
Christian stayed put, however, and his violet eyes met hers in reassurance. “Genny wasn’t trying to put you in your place. Or make you think you’re less important. The three of us, we’re all equal, all in this together.”
Sort of. For now. Kelsey wavered her hand back and forth. “Until the day you put on the crown.”
“Yes, well, then I’m going to turn into a holy terror of decrees and orders and making both of you do my bidding. Be warned.” He gave a fake-evil chuckle, deep and long.
“Luckily, that’s decades away from happening.” She’d already lost her mother without getting to know her at all. Kelsey did not intend to have the same thing happen with her father.
“God, I hope so. I’m not ready to be king.”
“Is there such a thing as ‘ready’?”
“Well, if I was king, there’d be an insistence on my getting married and popping out heirs immediately. Tying myself to someone for the rest of our lives just because our titles mesh up well isn’t the love story of the century.”
“Why not hold out for love?” Kelsey wasn’t at all glad about getting her heart broken, but she did recognize that it was better to have experienced the fullness and fun of being with Elias than never having had that depth of feeling.
Christian scratched the back of his neck while rolling his eyes. “There are seven first-tier choices for my bride-to-be. Twelve second-tier, and twenty-one third-tier. All ranked in order of optimal pairing regards to titles, lands, political usefulness, and bloodlines. The chances of my falling in love with someone appropriate? You’d probably have better luck cleaning up at the baccarat tables in Monaco.”
“I don’t know how to play baccarat.”
“Exactly my point.”
They laughed again. Christian was easy to talk to. Much easier than Genevieve. He did feel like a brother.
“I just wanted to tell you not to be nervous. The announcement about your return—and your lovely new name—was blasted out overnight, so everyone who shows up today already knows. They won’t have any expectations for speeches. All you have to do is stand next to Papa and look like a princess.”
“Fake it ’til you make it?”
“Exactly. And you, Princess Kelsey, look elegant and quite royal today.”
“Even without a tiara?” The stylist had tried to pin one on, encrusted with diamonds in fanciful tiers. Insisted that it would convey her status, as a picture was worth a thousand words. Kelsey had stood firm. She refused to officially meet her subjects dressed like a Disney princess.
Christian roared with laughter. “I heard about that. Genny stood up for you, you know. Slapped back at the stylist for suggesting a tiara could be worn before six p.m.”
“I didn’t realize she agreed with me. That’s nice to hear.”
He reached out to touch a pearl on her cameo. “I’m very proud of you for accepting all these changes we’ve thrown at you. And I’m so very pleased to have my sister back.”
“I’m liking having a big brother, too.”
With a wink, he walked away. Mallory was instantly at her elbow, brandishing the bottle of water. “Here you go.”
“Do you have a pep talk for me, too?”
“Do you need another one?”
Kelsey chugged back a few glugs of water to buy time before answering. She didn’t want to come off as too needy. Mallory must be sick of walking on eggshells around her for the last three days.
“I know there’s no turning back now. There’s a stench of inevitability about this presentation. Like when I was twelve and had my tonsils out. Once I was on that gurney, I knew the operation would happen no matter how much I objected. So…yeah, I’m nervous.”
“Forgive me, Your Highness, but what you are is brave.” Elias had snuck up on her, but now that he was next to her, Kelsey felt every bit of his presence. “And bravery is having the strength to move forward despite acknowledging your fear. I’m very proud of you.”
His words bolstered her. She soaked up the compliment like a sponge. Actually felt her torso lean his way for a moment.
But then Kelsey remembered.
Remembered that they were crazy about each other, and yet he’d still cut her out of his life. Remembered how raw and sore her heart was. The tears she’d cried the past three nights. The empty ache at not having him anymore. Remembered that it had been his choice to be of service to the Crown, and not to be her partner.
She sort of wished she was wearing a tiara to go full princess-zilla on him. Lacking that, she drew herself up straighter and lowered her lids snootily. “You don’t get to be proud of me. Employees…staff…do not get to opine on my emotional status. It isn’t appropriate.”
Beside her, Mallory gasped, and Elias physically jolted at her harsh words. His brows drew together, mouth downturned, and he swayed backward. Regret and hurt washed over his features before his face shuttered into bodyguard mode.
“My apologies, Your Highness.” He bowed and turned on his heel.