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I climb into the limo, which is decked out with all the usual fixings. I help myself to a pastry.
“Do you want one? Bella? Lily?” I hold up the tray.
Bella shakes her head, but Lily’s face lights up. “Oh, I remember these. Try one, Bella.”
“No, thanks,” she says, sulking.
You’re going to have to eat while we are here,I think. Or maybe Bella is planning on starving herself until she goes back to the States.
“Oh, try one, Bella. It won’t kill you,” Lily says, taking another bite.
“I said I’m good, Aunt Lily.”
The car is silent as the limo turns left into the large circular driveway. The car stops, and the driver opens the door closest to the house. “Villa Silvae, sir.”
Bella looks at me, eyebrows raised.
“We’re not going to the palace?” Lily says.
I shake my head.
“What’s… Villa Silvae?” Bella asks.
“It’s just one of our residences –
“One? How many do you need?”
“We have a few. It means cottage of the forest.”
“Some cottage.”
I don’t tell her about Villa Amabilia, in the mountains, the one we call ‘the cabin.’ As we exit the car, the staff bows in greeting. I sneak a look at Bella, and she’s obviously impressed at the sprawling, towering mansion.
My phone buzzes, and I see a text from my mother.Where are you?it says.
“You two get settled here, Lily and Bella. I have to attend to something at the palace. Take good care of them, Vittoria and Arturo.”
The head housekeeper and butler nod. In the limo, I help myself to more pastry. I’d like to show her around. I think she’d like it here if she let herself forget for a moment how much she wants to hate it.
Nicolai got here quickly enough to be waiting for me at the Palace. “Your mother is in the sitting room in the East Wing, outside of her apartments.”
“How is the King?”
“He’s in bed. Weak. He wants to see you as soon as possible as well.”
He turns left, but I stop. The East Wing is in the opposite direction from the King’s private quarters. “Sir, I highly recommend you see your mother first. Sir.”
I nod and follow him. On the way, he brings me up to speed on some projects I was working on before the King’s first attack.
“You’ve done an excellent job while I was away, Nicolai.” I mean it.
“Thank you, sir.” Nicolai leaves me with a slight bow.
I take a deep breath before I enter the room. “Mother.”
“Alex. Sit.” She raises her cheek for me. I kiss it, and then I sit across from her.
“Well, it seems your trip to America was very exciting. You’ve brought back a fiancée?”
