Page 109 of Royal Rising

And I think it’s going to work. Unless, of course, I continue with this freakout, this spiral of fears, of doubts, of thinking that I’m only—

“Edie?”

I look over at Kalle, but I’m not focusing because I’m stuck on this image ofmein my pyjamas with the king and the rest of the family in beautiful clothes and jewelrylaughingat me.

“Edie. Stop.”

“Stop what?” I ask breathlessly. “I’m not doing anything.”

“Stop whatever is going on in your head. I can see it, because I know you pretty well, too.”

“I’m not… This is a bad—”

“It’s not a bad idea. It’s a great idea, and something I should have done years ago. You’re coming to dinner with my family, and you should have been doing that for a long time now. I’m trying to make up for lost time.”

“By throwing this at me at the last minute. We’re almost there…”

We go around the bend and I see the castle. Even though I was only here a few days ago, and I’ve driven this road countless times, today, my breath catches like the first time I saw it as a little girl.

Four stories of not-quite-white stone that shines like the moon in the dark and has a golden glow when the setting sun hits it. It’s a fairytale castle come to life with turrets and towers and even a portcullis, always raised in welcome. There are dungeons and secret passages, and behind, overlooking the ocean at the bottom of the cliff, are the gardens that my father took such good care of.

He first brought me here when I was five. Now all these years later, I’m arriving with Kalle. Not as a friend Kalle, butKalle. My Kalle.

“You done freaking out now?” Kalle asks as we round another curve and the castle disappears from sight.

“Maybe.”

“So, no.”

“You don’t understand, because this is where you live,” I protest.

“You’re right. I live in a castle and I’m pretty lucky about that. But this is where my family lives. You’re coming for dinner with my family, just like I ate lunch with your mom and dad.”

“She made grilled cheeses,” I mutter.

“They were pretty good. And now you’re going to have burgers with Dad and my brothers and Lyra. And sure, that might freak you out if you didn’talready know them.”

“Yeah,” I concede. “You might have a point.”

“I have many points,” he says as we round another bend and the castle reappears, closer than ever. “It’s all good.”

40

Kalle

It might be, ifIcan stop freaking out.

I managed to calm down Edie—because I could tell she was about to bolt—but I can’t expect her to do the same to me, because she has no idea that tonight is the first time I’ve ever brought a woman to dinner with my family.

Both Mom and Dad were open to us bringing significant others, but the unspoken consensus among my brothers and Lyra is that the person who comes has to be someone really special to be included in our inner circle. So much of our life has been shared with the public, and these family dinners are where the little pockets of normal take place.

Duncan and Spencer were always included because they are family and always have been.

Bo brought someone one time, but Camille and Stella were the first for Odin and Gunnar.

Lyra has never brought anyone, same as me. There’s never been anyone I ever considered bringing.

Edie was the first one to ever stay the night as well.

---