Page 49 of Royal Resistance

“There are probably a lot of things you haven’t done, my queen. Let’s fix that tonight.”

19

Magnus

The sun has already disappeared behind the castle as we drive through Battle Harbour on the way home from the airpoirt.

There’s a new sense of pride when I see it up on the cliff. And the streets of the town.

My town.

My country.

I admire the view out the window.

“So what’s the plan for Selene?” Duncan demands.

His question is like a singer massacring the top notes of a song, and the smile of contentment is wiped clean off my face. “What?”

“You said when we come back from England you were going to - ”

I point out the window at the castle on top of the cliff. “We’re not back yet.”

The way Duncan stares suggests he sees right through me. “We’re almost there, and you said you wanted a grand gesture. What did you come up with?”

I shrug.

20

Selene

At the bar in Battle Harbour, I try something called Screech, and it burns my throat.

I have my first beer straight from the bottle.

I get to dance.

Diandra talks to the bartender, who seems to be in charge of the music, and the clunky country twang quickly becomes a mix of ’80s and ’90s pop hits. We take over the small square of space in front of the pinball machine, and a few of the men push back the tables for us.

We’re also joined by a few of the men.

“Your name is Coy?” I demand, and catch myself too late. “I’m sorry, that was rude.”

“You can be rude.”

“I really can’t be.”

Benny drove us down, but Diandra refused to let him come to the bar with us. “Go see Margie,” she told him. “You know you want to.”

“Who’s Margie?” I ask from the back seat.

“The woman he would like to be his girlfriend if he had more time to spend with her,” Diandra threw over the seat. “We’re giving you time, so take it.”

“Mag won’t like it…”

“Mag won’t know anything and he won’t be back until tomorrow. No one will know who we are,” she assured him. “It’s better this way. More fun. They’ll recognize you straight away.”

“They’ll recognize Her Majesty.”