Page 9 of Wicked Queen

This earned me a laugh. “In case you haven’t noticed, your home is rather large. Palatial, some would say. Where are you in it?”

“Are you here?” I struggled to stand up, getting off the floor was proving trickier these days. Nodding to Penny to take over my spot at Elizabeth’s tea party, I mouthed to her that I would be right back.

“I’ve been summoned for an official meeting, which is never a good thing. I figured you would be there.”

Heading into the hall, I started toward the offices. “Not today. When is the meeting?”

“A few minutes. Although I’m told he’s with the Prime Minister, so who knows? You should come.”

“Shit, I just left the nursery. I might not make it before…” It occurred to me that I might not want to make it. Alexander had slept in his office again. If he’d returned to our bedroom, I hadn’t seen him.

“Language,” Edward said in mock horror. I could almost imagine the goofy grin on his handsome face. “It’s just downstairs.”

“The lift is acting up, and it takes me twice as long to get anywhere at the moment,” I grumbled. “I want to see you before your meeting.”

“David is here with me. Why don’t you just come?”

He suspected something was up. I couldn’t blame him. Things were usually up between me and Alexander. Still, life was about to get messy for my family. I knew why Alexander had summoned him here. With the press conference looming, he had to come clean to his brother. A strange mixture of annoyance and relief churned inside me as I realized that Alexander had left me out of this meeting. After last night we had been avoiding each other. I had no idea if my husband was hurt, but I was. He’d been smart to avoid me, given the number of violent fantasies I’d entertained in the intervening hours.

“I’m on my way.” I needed my best friend right now, even if it was just to see him for a few minutes.

“Well, waddle a little faster,” he said.

“Did you just accuse me of waddling?” Did all the men in my life have a death wish?

“If the crown fits.”

“Tell me. Why are Cambridge men such assholes?” I asked.

“Good genetics,” he said without missing a beat.

I was almost there, so I hung up on him as punishment. The difference between Edward’s behavior and Alexander’s was that my husband’s younger brother always had good intentions. How he had managed to maintain a sense of humor growing up in this twisted Royal cage, I would never know. But now he was about to face another secret his family had kept from him, and I wondered if this time his good nature would be irreparably damaged. He might hate Alexander. I wouldn’t blame him for that. But what if he hated me, too?

Edward and David were laughing as I rounded the corner. Edward’s hand brushed his husband’s shoulder and I felt a twinge in my chest. They were newlyweds and it showed in how they looked at each other—like the whole world had been laid before them. I missed that. Not that I’d ever really had it. There had been no honeymoon phase for us. My marriage had been born in violence and danger. It was really no wonder that things were so messed up now.

We would never have this. Our lives would never be simple. I had to remind myself that they had their own troubles to deal with, especially when it came to battling public opinion. But as far as I knew, they didn’t keep secrets from each other.

Edward turned and spotted me. “Happy anniversary!”

My heart plummeted at the reminder. I’d done my best to forget today was my wedding anniversary. Alexander obviously had.

His welcoming smile reminded me that being jealous of my best friend was ludicrous. The important thing was his presence in my life. My pace sped up and I threw myself into his arms. They folded around me, holding me closely.

“How are things, Your Majesty?” His tone was light, but I heard the edge to it.

“We’ll talk later,” I promised. I didn’t trust myself not to spill too much now. It wasn’t my place to tell him the truth. Alexander could take responsibility for his choices. He could face his brother. I chose to ignore what was coming and the implications of it. I had shut Alexander out, but he hadn’t volunteered much information. I didn’t know if he would talk about it. I’d made it clear I wasn’t interested in his explanations, not while I was preparing to deal with the fall-out.

If he wanted to be a united front, he shouldn’t have divided us.

Edward’s voice dropped lower so that only we could hear. No one appeared to be around, but with over a thousand people working here, prying eyes were never far. “How’s the baby?”

“Fine,” I said, clinging to him. It felt good to be held. It wasn’t the same as being with Alexander, but it was a far healthier substitute.

“You’re taking it easy?” he pressed.

I pulled away slightly and studied him. Guilt was written across his face. A slight sheen of sweat had broken over his forehead. He knew.

Closing my eyes, I searched for some inner peace and came up empty-handed. The only person in my life capable of keeping a secret was my husband, it seemed. “Belle tattled.”