Page 38 of Cursed

“Wait, what?” Vince stopped her. “The Crown Prince died?”

“Well, everyone thought he did. And anyway, Silas stopped badgering us for awhile. It was . . . quite lovely, really. He found someone else to marry, and then his wife turned up pregnant—which has occupied him quite completely.” Though Caroline was spilling what had to be the family’s most scandalous secrets she seemed unconcerned, her attention fixed on the far end of the house. Edeena would be out on the back porch, Vince suspected. It was her favorite place in the building. “Anyway, that reprieve ended when Ari returned, especially when he had the audacity to have fallen in love with an American.” She gave a rueful laugh. “We’ve had quite an uptick in our American betrothals of late.”

“And he turned his focus back on Edeena and the rest of you,” Vince finished for her. “According to Prudence, he can legitimately order you back.”

“He can, yes,” Caroline said. “Whether we accept his order is another thing entirely.”

She stepped out onto the back porch and Edeena turned, taking in Caro and then Vince. She started for him almost instinctively, it seemed, then caught herself and turned back toward the panoramic view of trees waving in the afternoon breeze.

“I’m glad you’re here, Caroline,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to have to say this again.”

“You shouldn’t have to say it at all,” snapped Marguerite, angrier than Vince had ever seen her. “This entire curse business is exactly what’s wrong with our country! Who lives by these kind of rules anymore? It’s ridiculous!”

“Father says he wants us all back, but he doesn’t, not really,” Edeena said, her words firm and measured. “He wants me, and the two of you only when there’s a wedding to attend.”

“Well there’s only going to be about a half dozen of those coming up,” Marguerite cut in again. “It’s been an American Invasion over the past several weeks. And good thing, too. Americans don’t believe in curses.”

“They don’t have to,” Caroline said mildly. “They have politics.”

“Enough,” Edeena said, lifting her hands. “The important thing is, once I’m there, he’ll not badger you. My birthday is in a few days, and after that there will be a host of planning, balls, paperwork—he’ll be too busy cackling over his plans coming to fruition to worry about you.”

“But what about you?” Marguerite demanded. “You can’t seriously believe you’ll be happy in some kind of . . . some kind of weird arranged marriage. It was bad enough when Aristotle was still in the picture. He, at least, was hot. But I’ve seen what Garronia has to offer, and it’s gross, Edeena! You know it’s gross.”

Despite the gravity of the discussion, Vince fought to keep from laughing. Edeena, however, stared at Marguerite, her face scrunching up until she gave up the attempt. Shaking her head, she allowed herself a wry grin. “It is kind of gross,” she said. “But I still have to go through with it, play the part that falls to me. I’ve been half-expecting it for years, so in a way it will be kind of a relief.”

The way she said the words grated against Vince’s nerves, even as her sisters seemed to be moving toward acceptance.

“But tomorrow, Edeena?” Prudence said, wringing her hands. “Truly? It’s so far to travel so quickly, all by yourself.”

“Prudence, I—”

Vince had had enough. He stepped forward, and his voice filled the room. “She’s not going alone,” he said crisply. “I’m going with her. As her security detail.”

---