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“Is she not at the palace?” she asked.
“I don’t believe so, Ma’am. But I can have someone check if you’d like.”
“Yes, please,” she said. “It’s rather urgent.”
“If there’s something you need, Ma’am, I’d be–”
“No, I’m okay, Markus. If you wouldn’t mind,” she said.
“Of course,” he said and nodded. “Shall we, Your Majesty?” he asked, motioning toward the door.
She nodded back, and off they went. After an hour at the party, Elin had been introduced or had approached and talked to nearly every guest. She was exhausted, and she hated these shoes. They were pinching at the back, and she wanted desperately to take them off but knew it wasn’t an option.
“Your Majesty,” Markus said.
“Yes?”
“I wanted to let you know that Ingrid is not at the palace tonight. Katrin informed me that she had the day off. I left your note on Ingrid’s desk, though.”
“Thank you,” she replied.
After another hour, a few of the guests had started leaving, which was a good sign because Elin was no less exhausted and still wanted to kick off her shoes. After the third hour, many of the guests had departed, along with her parents since her father needed to take his medicine and get some rest. Mari and Lillian seemed fine and were enjoying themselves; especially Mari, who’d spent much of the night with Prince Erik.
Elin was able to make a break for it with the help of her sisters and quickly moved past the kitchen and toward Ingrid’s new office. No guards or staff were around, so she just opened the door and walked in, closing it behind her. There were two desks in the small, somewhat dark space, and she was instantly angry at the idea of Ingrid being stuck in this office. Katrin had moved into Ingrid’s old one, and now Ingrid would be down here with some new staffer. The note she’d written her was on Ingrid’s desk, but it no longer mattered, so she picked it up and tossed it into the trash can. She’d hoped she and Ingrid could sneak off during the party and have a coffee and tea together in the kitchen, but Ingrid had taken the day off – which she was obviously entitled to do. It just meant that Elin felt even more alone than she’d thought she could.
“Markus,” she said when she left the office and found him in the hall.
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Who will be sharing Ingrid’s office now that Katrin’s moved?”
“I don’t know, Ma’am,” he replied.
“Can you see to it that no one does and have that extra desk removed?”
“If you’d like, Ma’am.”
“I would. And maybe get some new lighting in there; it’s very dark. And I’m thinking a small sofa or comfortable chair; whatever Ingrid wants, of course.”
“Ma’am?” he asked, looking confused.
“Markus, she was demoted because my father retired, not because she deserved a demotion. She can at least have a nice office.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he said, bowing his head.
CHAPTER 15
Ingrid had taken the day off work for the first time in a while. Of course, she was only supposed to work five days a week, but she could usually be found in her office on one of her days off or working from home. There was always just so much to do, and that had been especially true prior to Elin taking the throne. Leading up to Christian’s announcement had been busy, but once the King had decided on his official date of abdication, Elin and, as a result, Ingrid had gotten even busier.
Ingrid had needed the rest, but she’d also chosen the day specifically because it was harder than she thought it would be to officially hand Elin over to Markus. He was a great secretary, and she respected him immensely, but Elin washerPrincess. Well, at least, shehadbeen her Princess. Now, she was Markus’s Queen.
Instead of working, she’d taken the day off to enjoy time with her sister. They’d visited their parents and spent the day in the backyard of their house, watching her stepdad play with their puppy and her mother cook alongside Sarah Anne, who had always been a mama’s girl. Ingrid had, oddly enough, found a pretty amazing relationship with her stepfather after a few years of not wanting him around as a young child.
She’d needed the break and had even asked that they not watch the broadcast, which was likely on every television, computer, and phone screen in the country. Her parents had agreed, and they’d eaten dinner together. After that, Sarah Anne drove them home.
It was only then that Ingrid pulled out her own computer in bed and pulled up one of many stories about the events of the day. She watched the now-former King give his speech. Then, she watched Elin stand beside him as he signed over the nation to her.
“You did well,” she said out loud.
