Page 80 of Royal Rising

“Finally,” Gunnar cheers.

“I second that.” Spencer is beside me and gives me a thump on the back.

Lyra frowns. “Just to make it clear, are you asking us or telling us?”

I shrug. “Just putting it out there.”

“But why?” Lyra demands, pushing back her red hair as she leans across the table. “Did something happen? I thought shewas hanging around Mathias? But you did crash at her place last night…” She trails off, blue eyes widening.

“No, that’s not it.” I’m quick to cut that off at the knees because Lyra is like a dog with a bone when she wants to know something. “Maybe I didn’t want her to hang around Mathias.”

Across the table, Stella snorts and Gunnar laughs. “I suggest not getting all territorial, big brother,” Lyra cautions, leaning back and reaching for her glass of wine. “It’s never a good look, and knowing Edie, I doubt she’ll appreciate it.”

“Mathias and Dante are still here,” Dad interrupts. “We had dinner last night.”

“Thank you for not inviting us,” Bo surprises me by saying. He’s the kindest of us all at this table, and for him not to want to be around Mathias—

Actually, it might not just be Mathias. Bo doesn’t like to be around many people.

“Mathias isn’t that bad,” Duncan corrects. “It’s Dante who makes things uncomfortable.”

“Mathias’s friends are horrible.” Lyra’s eyes flash in a way that suggests the big brother in me needs to get to the bottom of that statement.

“It’s not all his fault,” Dad cuts in. “But we’re not getting into that. Has anyone heard from Odin and Camille?”

“Are we supposed to?” Gunnar grins. “They are on their honeymoon.”

“Ten bucks says there’ll be a little Odin in less than a year,” Dad says.

If possible, Stella’s eyes widen even more. I don’t know why—she’s known us forever, and she definitely knows what Dad is like.

I guess being estranged from her father Duncan changes things.

“Are you betting on your son getting pregnant?” she squeaks.

“Technically, it’s not Odin who would be getting pregnant,” Gunnar explains.

“I know the logistics of getting pregnant,” Stella snaps, squeaky voice vanishing. Gunnar gives her a chagrined look and then smiles when she turns her head.

“It only took us ten months for Kalle,” Dad comments as casually as if we’re talking about the wedding rather than procreating.

“What are we supposed to say—good job, Dad?” Bo asks the question with a perfectly straight face, and the rest of us crack up.

This is why I like family dinners. For once, we stop being the royal family of Laandia and just be the Ericksons.

Even though the dining room—the small one we use for less formal meals—is still set up with candles and fine china with spoons so shiny I can check my hair. Gunnar did it once and Mom was horrified, so one of us would always make a point of checking whenever we sat down.

The table is big, but there are still empty seats. No one likes to look at where Mom used to sit. And no one would dare take her chair, even after years of her being gone.

“So what’s going on with Edie?” Bo asks as the others start to discuss where Gunnar should take Stella on their trip. “Last thing I saw, you looked a little besotted with Ms. Carrington.”

“Fenella is fun, but not really… She’s got some baggage.”

He strokes his beard. “Since when has baggage bothered you? Should I start naming names, dude?”

I choke on my wine, knowing instantly who Bo is referring to. And not wanting to be reminded of her ever again. “That was not baggage, bro. She had a full set of luggage, plus a Hogwarts trunk.”

Bo chuckles. “Seriously, though, why? I mean, why now? You and Edie have kept it platonic forever?” He narrows his eyes. “Or maybe you haven’t.”

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