Page 89 of Royal Rising

Except for me—my attention is caught by a picture of Dad, Dante, and my grandfather, Euan.

I’m older than my father was when he became king.

Did he feel this fear? This out-of-control-ness, like a roller coaster that’s about to fly off the rails? The complete certainty of knowing that I have no idea what to do now?

Euan had a heart attack; it was quick and painless. One moment he was alive, and the next my father was king.

I’ve been spared that—for now. But someday in the future… that’s going to be me.

Gunnar and Stella sink onto the leather couch, while Lyra perches on Dad’s big desk, swinging her legs, and Bo takes the chair behind the desk but pulls it around beside the couch.

Spencer hovers near Lyra and I start to pace again.

Once again, I’m having trouble breathing. But then Edie is there, sweeping into the room just as Mrs. Theissen brings a platter of sandwiches and cookies, the cook following with two pitchers of Dad’s honey mead that has Bo and Gunnar cheering.

I’m happier to see Edie.

And this time, she comes right to me.

Without a word, Edie puts her arms around my waist and I pull her in close. She fits nicely there under my chin.

“It’s okay now,” she whispers.

Because you’re here. But I don’t say it. Not yet.

No one asks why Edie is here. There’s no reaction save a quick intake of breath from Lyra. Stella came back with us, but Duncan is her father, Spencer her half-brother, so even without her new relationship with Gunnar, she has a reason to be there.

Since she’s been estranged from Duncan and Spencer for so long, I think it’s good that Stella is here.

Bur Edie doesn’t have any family connections with the castle, so she’s here for me.

She’s mine.

The sandwiches quickly vanish, as does the mead, and Bo disappears to get a refill. I finally stop pacing and take the second couch with Bo and Lyra, with Edie tucked in beside me.

I like her close.

“This changes things, you know,” Spencer finally says to me. “Legally.”

“What do you mean?” Stella asks and then draws back like she spoke out of turn.

“The king will be indisposed during his recovery,” Spencer continues. “We’ve given a statement—” He nods at Edie. “Thank you for that. But even so, appearances need to be maintained. With Odin stepping back—”

“The rest of us have to show we’re still in the picture,” I finish.

“We’ll postpone the trip,” Gunnar says to Stella, and to her credit, she doesn’t even look disappointed as she nods.

“You don’t have to,” I tell him, the weight settling on my shoulders not as heavy as I expected. “I’ll do it. I can step in for Dad. Whatever is needed.”

Edie’s fingers slip into mine.

Later, after Stella nods off and Lyra begins the non-stop chatter that always signals she’s tired, I do the big brother thing and order everyone to bed until it’s only Edie and me.

She stacks the dishes on Dad’s desk in neat piles. “They’re all to bed, so I’ll get going,” she says hesitantly, even as she gives a huge yawn.

“You’re not driving home.”

“How do you propose I get there then? Fly?”

---