followed him down the stairs. Castlewick staff waited in two rows on either side as we exited the palace. We walked to a black carriage that gleamed purple under the sun. People had gathered just outside the gate to clap and cheer for us as we made our appearance.
He assisted me into the carriage. The seats were purple velvet and the drapes on either side were purple and black silk. He took my hand in his as the carriage joined the Royal Procession. Guards led the golden carriage that carried the queen, which was followed by a procession of other cars and Royal Guards on horseback, the shiny black coat of the Aldaynese horses gleaming under the sun. When we fell into place behind them, I followed his lead to wave at the crowd that had gathered on either side of the road to witness the processional. Their devotion was intense and stalwart.
I was surprised to find my affection for them was the same.
“I never expected a fairy tale to feel so terrifying,” I murmured.
“Welcome to my world,” was his reply.
My eyes met his. I squeezed his hand.
Throughout our journey to Shimmering Falls, I was given an Aldaynean rose by those we paused to greet, until there were twenty-five in total. “It is their gift to you,” he explained. “To show they accept you. Tonight, you will present the gift for the queen, so she will know that the country approves of my choice.”
“What if I barf in her face?” I said. “You know that can happen.”
He chuckled. “You haven’t been sick in months.”
I moaned inwardly, feeling downright queasy. “I’m sick now.”
He squeezed my hand. “You’re perfect, Pea. Go into that castle with your head held high.”
The closer we got to Shimmering Falls, the bigger the processional. A big stretch limo got in line behind us. “The Byrnes,” Auggie explained. “In line behind me for now.”
The way he said it made my heart skip a beat. He was wrestling with the decision every bit as much as I was.
Finally, we reached Shimmering Falls. The Queen’s coach stopped first. The crowd roared their approval as she exited the gleaming gold carriage that had been molded with the images of angels guiding the path. I noticed there were no protesters, despite the large crowd.
“What happened to the protesters?” I asked.
“I was wondering the same thing,” he said. He withdrew his phone to text Audra. She wrote back simply, “The Byrnes.” His mouth thinned into a frown. “They must have cleared them from the area.”
My heart fell a little bit. “Do they have that kind of power?”
“They’re the second-most powerful family in Aldayne. What do you think?”
I glanced out at the clamoring crowd. “I think they mustn’t like dissenting opinions.”
His eyes met mine. “Smart girl.”
We were the second coach to arrive. Auggie got out first, then held up a hand to me to assist me from the carriage. The crowd cheered for us, so we waved and smiled. I took him by the elbow, which was the expected protocol, and we walked up the steps towards the palace. Along either side of the steps were notables and guests, who bowed to us as we passed them.
When we got to the end of the line where Audra waited, she gestured for me to stand beside her on her side, while he took the other. We now greeted the guests as they arrived. This included the Byrne family, who spilled from the long black car.
“Duke Allan Byrne,” she leaned forward to introduce as a man around the Queen’s age stood from the car. He assisted a much younger blond beauty to follow. She was bedazzled with jewels damn near head to toe. “Wife Number Three,” Audra whispered. “Duchess Eloise.”
My eyes widened. “Eloise?” I repeated. She nodded and her lips pulled into a thin line.
“The one and only.”
I glanced back at the dazzling beauty. Auggie had once called her sweet. I saw no evidence that girl remained.
Also noticeably absent was the baby she had once tried to pass off as Auggie’s firstborn. But this certainly wasn’t the time to ask about it.
Audra announced the clan until the car almost emptied. Making his grand entrance was Cillian Byrne, the elegant, raven-haired man I recognized from TV. Depending on the choice I made this night, he might be the next one to live in this castle.
This thought weighed heavily on me as he approached the line. I thought about everything Auggie had told me about their history. Apparently,