Page 82 of Royal Rising

“I didn’t?” Her expression morphs into the familiar innocent waif. “I must have forgotten.”

“You pulled the same thing on Tyler last time you were in town,” I accuse.

Lyra, infuriating sister that she is, laughs. “Guess you better hire someone new before I come back again so I can try it with them.”

I shake my head but I have to laugh. If Lyra ever took over this country, she’d have lineups of people bringing cookies and kittens and free swag. She always gets her way.

“When are you coming home again?” Spencer asks from down the table.

“Why?” she teases. “Do you miss me?”

“Definitely not.”

Lyra points her wine glass at him. “You lie.” And then she proceeds to hold Spencer’s gaze just long enough for me to turn to Bo with a worried gaze.

Bo only shrugs.

He’s so laid back, always checked out of the family drama. And Lyra and Spencer together would be nothing but drama.

But that’s a discussion to have with Spencer when Lyra is far away.

Conversation moves to the storm that’s finally starting to abate, and whether Gunnar will need more security on his next trip. Odin comes up more than a few times, and I doubt I’m the only one missing him.

Only Lyra is brave enough to ask Stella about her stepsister, Daphne, who almost helped hijack Odin’s wedding by going to press with Camille’s secrets.

“Is that the reason O picked that moment to announce he was abdicating?” I demand.

“He thought it might overshadow whatever Daulton had come up with. Kate suggested it,” Dad says.

“Kate knew O was stepping down?” Lyra cries. “She never told me.”

“And she wouldn’t have. She’s your best friend, but Kate is the epitome of professionalism,” Duncan chides. “It’ll be interesting to see what she decides to do.”

“I don’t like professional Kate,” Lyra grumbles and Stella giggles.

“There!” Gunnar points his finger at her. “You do giggle.”

“You used to giggle as a little girl,” Duncan says with a fond smile on his face.

I think Stella blushes. “We don’t have to talk about that.”

“It’s nice to see you all getting along again,” Dad says. “When I think back to when—” He stops, an expression of surprise on his face. He presses a hand into his side. “When—”

“Dad?” Bo asks.

“Mag?” Duncan demands, fond smile replaced with an expression of concern and getting half up from his chair.

Dad seems shaky as he stands. “I think I need a Tums,” he mutters. “Be right back.”

He takes a step and then another. I’m on my feet, holding my breath.

Something is wrong.

Something is very wrong. “Why don’t I—?”

But I don’t finish, because suddenly Dad is on the floor.

27

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