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“Oh, dear God, help me,” our mother cried, putting her hands to her head. “You both really are out to kill me and on today of all days.”
“Mother.” Eliza let go of me and went to her, hugging her tightly. “You know I love you.”
“I don’t know that at all.” She frowned and glared at me. “The only comfort I have in this is knowing your daughter is one day going to cause you all this stress, too, and then you will understand me.”
“Never. My daughter is a perfect angel. I don’t know how you ended up with a trouble-making rebel.” I nodded to Eliza.
“Why you—”
Knock.
Knock.
“Enter!” I said with a grin as Eliza balled her fist as if she could really fight at all.
“Sir, I came to inform you that Layland is finally slated to make a full recovery…”
“Oh, that’s such great news.” My mother smiled. “He’s had such a rough time these past few weeks.”
“Tell Odette we’ll visit their family whenever Layland has a chance,” I said to him, arranging the files on my desk.
“Yes, sir, and there is another bit of news.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“The prime minister is slated to win his re-election.”
I froze, glancing up at him, breathing through my nose. He stared back, and I did my best not to react. I knew it. I bloody knew it, but hearing it was still a very big slap to the face anyway.
“Thank you, Balduin,” my mother said to dismiss him as my mouth was wired shut. When he left, she looked at Eliza, who also took the time to make her escape.
“I knew his actions and milking of the tragedy last month would save him! But still, a small part of me hoped he’d fail. Instead, it is me who took the loss again,” I snapped when it was just the two of us. “What is he made of that he just barely skates by each and every time? It is like he has nine lives.”
“The same could be said of you,” she said.
“What do you mean?” I frowned, not liking that the prime minister and I would ever be one and the same in anything.
“It has been a very long year of ups and downs, scandal after scandal, event after event. You yourself have admitted to mistakes. But still, here we are. A year to your coronation, despite everything. You’re beloved, Gale. This kingdom loves you and your family. They stand by you. After the attack, the prime minister went on giving speech after speech on how he would save this country. He ignored you, and tried to make you look weak, tried to say you were hiding in the palace. And yet, no matter how long he spoke, or to whom, all anyone could talk about was how kind the king was when he called them. Or how much they appreciated the queen’s letters.”
“That was all Odette’s idea,” I admitted with pride. It worked beautifully too.
“Her ideas are the monarchy’s ideas, and you are the monarchy, Gale,” she reminded me. “And you did not have to say a word in public to shut the prime minister’s narrative down. Instead, the people spoke for you. They fought for you to the point where the prime minister even had to explain why he did not come to the palace on time to inform you. He may have won again. But that does not mean he is a match for you…not ever when you have the people on your side. Let them fight him. You are above it.”
I inhaled, relaxing my shoulders. “Thank you, Mother. I’ll remember.”
“Good. Now excuse me while I go chase your sister down and knock some sense into her too.”
“Mother—”
“No,” she cut me off sharply, her finger in my face. “Go worry about your own and leave me to mine.”
“Have either of you seen Eliza’s hair?” Odette asked as she entered the room, eyes wide, dressed in white.
My mother groaned, her shoulders dropping, and without a word, she marched out of the room.
Odette glanced back at her and then back at me. “Was it something I said?”
“A mother-daughter war just might be upon us. Where is Serenity so we can go duck for cover?” I asked as she came around to me.
