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Before I even open my mouth, I felt Odette curtsy beside me to both Eliza and my mother, who stood at the double glass doors, guards standing at each end, preparing for us to step out into the garden.
“Just as I thought. You look very nice like this,” my mother said, putting on her gloves and nodding only once as she took in all of Odette.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Odette replied with little to no emotion at all.
Does anyone else feel as though all oxygen is being sucked from around us?
“Where is Grandmother?” Eliza asked as she moved to stand on my left. “Did she not arrive already?”
“The queen mother’s flight was canceled due to poor weather, and thus, she is unable to attend this morning,” Ambrose answered as he stood like a statue on the side of the corridor.
“Really? Will she be coming tomorrow, then?” Eliza questioned, now looking at our mother, who clearly did not care in the least.
“Let us worry about today before we think of tomorrow. Odette.” At the mention of Odette’s name, my attention returned to the woman at my side, even though she looked at my mother. “Your ring—center it.”
She had to be joking. She found the slightest thing to nitpick. But she was not, and Odette quickly adjusted the engagement ring on her hand without argument or so much as a second thought. The queen spoke, and she reacted quickly.
“We are ready, Ambrose,” my mother replied, stepping in front of us all.
When the doors opened, they announced all of our titles. The Victory Garden was littered with people, for as far and I could see. They stood upon the green lawns, around the swan ponds, all waiting. I had wanted Odette and me to eat lunch here at least once before today. Sure, she could see how beautiful the white cherry blossom trees were in the distance, and to the left and the right, purple orchid trees were everywhere. The Victory Garden was like a magical oasis when no one was there.
“Her Majesty, Queen Elspeth,” they announced as my mother stepped out into the direct sunlight.
When it was our turn to step out, I felt her grip on my arm. Her feet stilled, her eyes transfixed by the massive crowd waiting.
“Cinderella,” I whispered, and her head whipped back to me.
She stared for a brief moment until the corner of her lips turned upward. Good, she was still in there.
“Everything will be fine. You have me.”
“I—”
“His Royal Highness, Prince Galahad, and Miss Odette Wyntor.”
I squeezed her hand before we were forced out into the sunlight as we walked down the stairs behind my mother, and she squeezed my arm tightly. I wanted to know what her expression was; however, I could not look at her. Instead, I was forced to see the many faces watching us in return. Most notably, the prime minister. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, along with other ministers and members of the government, to pay their respects first.
Like always, the smug-faced fool who was Ivan S. Hermenegild lifted my mother’s hand to kiss it. His blond hair was slicked back as if he had just returned from the 1920s with more archaic world views to force down our throats. When we stopped in front of him as my mother made her way to the next man, I tried to contain my disgust for him, but that was impossible as his disgust was so damn evident.
“Adelaar.” He nodded to me, then cast a downward glance at Odette as if she were beneath him and not the other way around. He did not touch, bow, or truly speak to her, merely said hello before shifting his gaze to Eliza and placing a fake smile as he once again returned to kissing hands.
The son of a whore.
My mother had all but demanded I stay within my bounds. I was not doing anything different from what had always been done or making a scene of any kind. I knew I should not, it was too early in the day for me to send everything to hell, but I could not let it stand.
“Prim—”
“Let it go,” Odette whispered, already pulling me to the next person.
I bit the inside of my jaw.
This was all shit!
All fucking shit!
I could not stand it, and had I not been the Adelaar, had Arthur been alive and still here, I would not have.
I had sensed it before, but I never had sincerely faced it. The truth of the matter was, Odette was not the only one the crown chipped away at—it had gotten to me, too.
