I nodded, trying not to tense as Eloise came back to do her final touch-ups.
“He’s a nice one,” she remarked, spraying the last of the flyaways.
“He is.”
“Personally, I’d pick Kile,” she commented with a giggle.
“I know!” I shook my head at her. “I still haven’t forgotten how you let him sneak into my room.”
She shrugged. “He is my favorite. I have to do what I can!”
Finally everything was in place. I made my way downstairs, the tail of my cape draped over my arm. The foyer was a mass of people. General Leger on one side holding Miss Lucy’s hands to his lips, Josie and Neena in matching pale-blue gowns that would look lovely as they held my train down the aisle, and the five remaining Elite in a circle toward a corner, with Erik wearing a tie that was a shade of blue slightly brighter than the others.
But I only had eyes for one boy in the crowd. As I reached the middle of the staircase, I caught sight of Ahren. He was here.
I rushed through the herd, elbowing my way past advisers and friends, running not into Ahren’s arms, but Camille’s.
“Is he well?” I asked into her ear.
“Oui, very.”
“And are your people pleased? Do they accept him?”
“As if he was born one of our own.”
I held her tighter. “Thank you.”
I pulled away, turning to see my stupid brother.
“You clean up nice,” he teased.
I didn’t know if I should joke with him or punch him in the arm or scream or laugh or anything at all. So I crushed him in a hug.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t have left the way I did. I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
I shook my head. “You were right. I miss you so much it hurts, but you had to go.”
“As soon as I heard about Mom, I wanted to come back. But I didn’t know if it would make things worse or better, or if it was even fair for me to show up since it seemed I was the cause.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. All that matters is that you’re here now.”
He held me close for a minute as Lady Brice organized everyone into cars. The advisers went first and the Elite just after, all of them bowing deeply to me, Erik especially. He didn’t meet my eyes, and I was grateful. Who knew what my stupid heart might have done if he had?
It did melt a little when he walked away, pulling repeatedly at his sleeves, seeming painfully uncomfortable in his suit.
“Okay, next car,” Lady Brice announced. “Everyone whose last name is Schreave, even you, Monsieur French Prince.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ahren said, taking Camille’s hand.
“Eadlyn’s in first, followed by Neena and Josie. The rest of the family in after that, and I’ll be in a car right behind you.”
Dad paused. “Brice, you should be with us.”
“Absolutely,” Mom agreed. “There’s room in the limo, and you’re the one holding this whole thing together.”
“I’m not sure that’s appropriate,” she replied.
Neena tilted her head, trying to put doubt in Lady Brice’s mind. “It could easily fall apart on the ten-minute drive.”
“Also, the likelihood of someone thinking Neena and I are sisters is slim,” I added. “Stay with us.”
She pursed her lips as if she thought this was somehow a bad idea. “Fine. Let’s go.”
We piled into the limo, my dress taking up the space of three people. There was so much laughter and feet stepping over feet that the whole thing started to feel funny. I took a deep breath. All I had to do was say a few words, make a promise I’d already made in my heart. I looked across the car to Mom. She gave me a wink, and that was all I needed.
Josie and Neena followed me down the aisle of the church, holding my cape so it didn’t drag across the floor. As I walked, I looked at the signet ring on my finger, the Illéan crest gleaming in the center. Dad already trusted me in this role. He was already delighted with the way I was handling it. This was just making everything official.
I caught the eyes of as many people as I could, hoping to convey my gratitude. At the head of the church, I knelt on the little resting stool, feeling the weight of my dress fanned out behind me. The bishop took the ceremonial crown and held it above my head.
“Are you, Eadlyn Schreave, willing to take this oath?”
“I am willing.”
“Do you vow to uphold the laws and honor of Illéa all the days of your life, governing your people according to their traditions and customs?”
“I do.”
“And do you vow to protect the interests of Illéa, both at home and abroad?”
“I do.”
“And do you vow to use your power and placement to bring mercy and justice for all Illéa’s people?”
“I do.”
It felt appropriate that vows to a country required four affirmations, whereas vows to another person only required one. With my final words spoken, the bishop set the crown on my head. I rose and turned to face my people, my cape looking rather beautiful curled up around my feet like a cat. The bishop placed the scepter in my left hand and the orb in my right.
There was a loud knock of a staff on the floor, and the people around me shouted, “God save the queen.”
And I felt a thrill in my chest to know those words were meant for me.
CHAPTER 21
“OSTEN, FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE, STAND up,” Mom ordered.
“But it’s so hot,” he complained as we began what would be a marathon photo session.
Dad stepped around me. “You can pull it together for five minutes of pictures, son.”
Ahren laughed. “Oh, I’ve missed you all.”
I swatted him. “I’m so glad no one’s actually filming this.”
“Okay, okay. We’re all ready,” Dad called to the photographer. He and Mom posed behind me, their arms on the back of my chair. Osten and Ahren knelt on either side of me, while Kaden stood with one hand behind his back, almost challenging me for the most regal-looking family member of the day.
The photographer snapped shot after shot until he was satisfied. “And who’s next?”
We all stayed where we were, pulling Camille into the picture. Then, so we would have a picture of the whole family, each of the Elite boys was rotated through the portrait.
Then it was a picture of me with the Legers, then one with each member of the advisory board, including Lady Brice, who bypassed the traditionally stiff pose and hugged me tightly instead. “I’m so proud!” she kept saying. “Just so, so proud!” Then, of course, we had to get a shot with the entire Woodwork family.
Josie walked up as fast as she could, placing herself so she was practically front and center. I shook my head as Miss Marlee gave me a big hug.
“I’m so happy for you, honey. You’ve grown up so fast.”
I laughed. “Thank you, Miss Marlee. I’m glad you could all be here today.”
Mr. Woodwork smiled. “As if we’d miss it. Congratulations.”
Miss Marlee still held my hands. “These past few months, seeing you ascend, and watching you and Kile become so close, have been wonderful.”
I smiled. “Honestly, it’s hard to imagine us not being friends now. I can’t believe it took us this long to actually get to know each other.”
“It’s funny how that works,” Miss Marlee replied. “It seems like a shame you and Josie have hardly gotten to spend any time together.”
“What?” Josie said, able to hear her name if it was so much as tapped out in Morse code on a different continent.
“It might be good for you to do more together.” Miss Marlee looked between the two of us, glowing with joy.
“Yeah! We totally should!” Josie squealed.
“And I’d love to,” I lied. “But now that I’m queen, I’m afraid my free time will be very limited.”
Mom smiled knowingly behind her friend. I could tell she realized exactly what I was tr
ying to do.
Miss Marlee frowned. “True. Oh, I know! Why don’t you have Josie shadow you for a few days? She’s always had a deep interest in the life of a princess. Now she can study a queen!”
“That. Would be. Amazing!” Josie grabbed my hand, and to my credit, I didn’t jerk it away.
With everyone waiting for me to speak and my mother’s eyes warning me that, queen or not, I’d better not disappoint her closest friend, I didn’t have a choice.
“Sure. Josie can shadow me. That will be . . . great.”
Josie danced back to her spot, and I eyed Kile, who was doing his best not to laugh at my newest predicament. His amusement made me smile, and I felt confident that I’d at least look happy in the pictures.
Finally it was time for the individual portraits with the Elite. I stood in my coronation gown as they were each cycled onto the set.
Fox was first, and he looked sharp in his dark-gray suit. “Okay, so what do I do?” he asked. “In the family picture, I put my arms by my side; but I feel like I should, I don’t know, hold your hand or something.”
The photographer called out, “Yes, that’s good,” as Fox took my hand in his. He stepped a little closer, and we smiled as clicks flashed through in quick succession.