I pulled the cover back over the keys as he placed his guitar in its case. “You should take that to the others,” I said. “I bet they’d get a kick out of trying to play.”
“What, my guitar? No, no, no. This is my baby!” I watched as he gently petted the shabby case. “If someone broke this, I’d be devastated. My dad got it for me, and it was hard earned. I try to take good care of it.”
“I’m like that with my tiaras.”
“Pffff!” Baden laughed outright at me.
“What?”
He took his time, covering his eyes and shaking his head. “Tiaras!” he finally said. “You really are a princess, huh?”
“Did you think the last eighteen years were a clever trick?”
“I like that, you know? That you protect your tiaras like I do my guitar. I like that that’s your thing.”
I pushed the door open, leading us into the hallway. “Good. Because they’re beautiful.”
He smiled. “Thanks for spending some time with me.”
“Thank you. It was a pleasure.”
There was a pause. “So do we shake or hug or what?”
“You may kiss my hand,” I replied, extending an arm.
He took it. “Until next time.”
Baden kissed me quickly, bowed, and headed toward his room. I walked away thinking of how Aunt May would say she told me so as soon as I saw her again.
I knew I’d be the focal point of the Report. Typically, I didn’t mind giving speeches or updates. But tonight was going to be different. One, this would be the first time I faced the public since the parade, and two, I knew they’d want to hear about Kile.
I wore red. I felt strong in red. And I pulled my hair up, hoping I’d come across as mature.
Aunt May hovered in the background, winking at me, while Mom helped Dad with his tie. I heard one of the boys yelp and turned to see Alex holding something sharp in his hand. He was rubbing his backside like he’d sat on it. I hunted, finding Osten in a corner trying desperately not to laugh aloud.
With all the company, the room felt crowded, adding to my discomfort, which was why I jumped when someone called my name, even though it was hardly above a whisper.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Erik said.
“No, I’m just a little on edge. How can I help you?”
“I hate to bother you, but I wasn’t sure who to ask. Where is it most convenient for me to sit so I can translate for Henri?”
I shook my head. “How rude, I didn’t even think about that. Um, here, follow me.”
I escorted Erik to the stage manager, and we placed Henri in the back row of the stadium-style chairs. Erik was given a seat behind him that was low enough so he wouldn’t be seen but close enough that Henri would be able to hear him.
I stayed by them until they were settled. Henri gave a thumbs-up, and Erik turned to thank me.
“I’ll make sure to go to the stage manager next time so I won’t bother you. I apologize.”
“It’s fine, really. I want you to be comfortable, the both of you.”
Erik bowed his head and smiled shyly. “You don’t need to worry about my comfort, Your Highness. I’m no suitor.”
“Eadlyn! Eadlyn, where are you?” Mom called.
I turned from Erik, running around to the front. “Here, Mom.”
She placed a hand on her heart like it had been racing. “I couldn’t find you. I thought maybe you were backing out on us,” she said quietly as I approached.
“Calm down, Mom,” I replied, grabbing her hand. “I’m not perfect, but I’m no coward.”
Tonight’s Report centered around the women. Mom gave an update on province-run aid systems, encouraging others to follow the example set by three northern provinces that were helping the homeless by donating food as well as free classes on topics like managing finances and interviewing skills. Lady Brice spoke about a drilling proposal that would affect a large chunk of central Illéa. It would benefit the country as a whole, but those six provinces would have to approve it by a vote first. And then, of course, all eyes went to the boys.
Gavril stepped onto the stage, looking as dashing as ever, and I could see a bit of a spring in his step. This was the fifth Selection Illéa had witnessed, and he had overseen three of them. We all knew he’d find a replacement once this was over, but he seemed so pleased that this would be his final role for the royal family.
“Of course, ladies and gentlemen, we will be dedicating a lot of airtime to the charming young men of the Selection. For now, how about we say hello to a few of them?”
Gavril strode across the floor, looking for someone in particular. I wondered if he was having as hard a time memorizing their names as I was.
“Sir Harrison,” he began, stopping in front of a sweet-faced boy with dirty-blond hair and dimples.
“A pleasure,” Harrison greeted.
“How are you enjoying the palace?”
He beamed. “It’s beautiful here. I’ve always wanted to come up to Angeles, so that alone has been a real treat.”
“Any challenges so far?” Gavril prodded.
Harrison shrugged. “I was worried that it would be all-out fistfights from dawn till dusk with the princess on the line,” he said, gesturing over to me. I instantly arranged a smile on my face, knowing a camera would zoom in on me at any second. “But the other guys have been great.”
Gavril slid the microphone to the boy next to him. “What about you? And can you remind us of your name?”
“It’s Fox. Fox Wesley,” he answered. Fox had a bit of a tan, but, unlike me, I could see that he wasn’t born with it. He must spend a lot of time outside. “Honestly, and I hope I’m not alone here, so far the biggest challenge is mealtimes. They set out at least a dozen forks for each of us.”
A few people chuckled, and Gavril nodded. “You have to wonder where we could possibly store so much cutlery.”
“It’s crazy,” mumbled the boy behind Fox.
“Oh, Sir Ivan, yes?” Gavril stretched to put the mic in front of him.
“Yes, sir. Happy to meet you.”
“And you as well. How are you managing at mealtimes?”
Ivan held both hands in front of him as if this was very serious. “My current approach is using one fork for each bite and then making a pile of them in the middle of the table. It’s working so far.”
The room laughed even more at Ivan’s ridiculous answer, and Gavril stepped away from the group, turning to the cameras.
“Clearly, we have an extremely entertaining pool of candidates here. So why don’t we take a moment to speak with the young lady who somehow has to narrow it down to only one? Ladies and gentlemen, Her Royal Highness, Princess Eadlyn Schreave.”
“Go get ’em,” Ahren whispered as I pushed myself out of my seat and crossed the floor, embracing dear Gavril.
“Always nice to see you, Your Highness,” he said as I sat in the chair opposite him center stage.
“And you, Gavril.”
“So here we are, one week into the first-ever female-led Selection. How would you say it’s going?”
I gave an award-winning smile. “I think it’s going well. Of course, I still have work to do each day, so we’re off to a fairly slow start.”
Gavril glanced back over his shoulder. “Judging by the thinning crowd, I wouldn’t say it’s that slow.”
Batting my eyes, I giggled. “Yes, about a third of the gentlemen invited to the palace have been eliminated. I have to trust my gut, and between our initial meetings and the information I’ve been given, I feel very confident about my choices.”
Gavril inclined his head. “It sounds like you’re using more of your head than your heart at the moment.”
I fought the blush. I couldn’t tell how well I’d done, but I refused to touch my face to check.
“Would you suggest that I fall in love with thirty-five young men at once?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Well, when you put it that way . . .”
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“Exactly. I only have one heart, and I’m saving it.”
I heard sighs around the room, and I felt I’d gotten away with something. How many more lines could I dream up over the following months to keep everyone entertained and at bay? Then I realized, I hadn’t planned those words. I really felt them, and they escaped under pressure.
“It seems you may have let your heart lead the way at least once,” he said knowingly. “I have a picture to prove it.”
I watched as a huge picture of me and Kile was displayed, and the room erupted with hoots and claps.
“Could we get him down here for a moment? Where’s Sir Kile?”
He hopped up from his place and sat on a chair next to me.
“Now, this is a very unique position for me,” Gavril began, “because I’ve known both of you your entire lives.”
Kile laughed. “I was thinking about this the other day. My mom said I crawled on set once as a baby, and you held me for the closing of the Report.”
Gavril’s eyes widened. “That’s true! I’d forgotten all about that!”
I looked at Kile, giggling at this new story. That must have happened before I was born.
“So, from the pictures, it looks like perhaps a childhood friendship is growing into something more?”
Kile stared at me, and I shook my head. No way was I going first on this.
He finally caved. “Honestly, I don’t think either of us ever thought about the other as a possibility until we were forced to.”
Our families laughed boisterously.
“Although, if he had gotten a haircut years ago, I might have considered it,” I teased.
Gavril shook his head at us. “Everyone’s dying to know: how was this infamous kiss?”
I knew it was coming, but I was mortified. This was much worse than I imagined it would be, having my private life on display.
Mercifully, Kile addressed it. “I think I can speak for both of us when I say it was a surprise. And while it was special, I don’t think we’re going to put too much stock in it. I mean, I’ve been spending time with these other guys, and so many of them would make a wonderful prince.”
“Really? And would you agree with that, Princess? Have you had one-on-one time with anyone else this week?”
It felt like Gavril’s words were on a delay. I didn’t hear them until I’d processed everything Kile had just said. Did he mean that? Did he not feel anything at all? Or was he only saying that to maintain some level of privacy?
I snapped back into the moment and nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, a few.”
Gavril eyed me. “And?”
“And they were very nice.” I wasn’t really in the mood for this in the first place, and Kile had made me doubt sharing anything at all.
“Hmm,” Gavril said, turning to the group of the Selected. “Maybe we’ll get some more information out of the gentlemen in question. Sir Kile, you may head back to your seat. Now, who were the lucky men?”
Baden raised his hand, followed by Hale.
“Come on down, gentlemen.”
Gavril started applauding and the room joined in as Hale and Baden approached and yet another chair was brought in. I considered myself pretty intelligent, but I could not think of a way to beg them to keep their mouths shut without actually using words.
Only then did I realize how easily Kile managed to do just that. I supposed there was something to be said for knowing each other forever.
“Now, what’s your name again, sir?” Gavril asked.
“Hale Garner.” He pressed down his tie, though it was already in place.
“Oh, yes. So, what can you tell us about your date with the princess?”
Hale gave me a shy smile, then turned back to Gavril. “Well, I can tell you that our princess is as smart and gracious as I always believed she was. Umm, and that we do have a few things in common. We’re both the oldest children in our families, and it was fun to talk about my work as a tailor with such a well-dressed young lady. I mean, she looks like a million bucks.”
I ducked my head, trying to take the compliment playfully while staying on my toes.
“But beyond that, I hope you’ll forgive me if I keep most of the details to myself,” Hale added.
Gavril made a face. “You’re not going to tell us anything?”
“Well, dating and falling in love are typically private things. It’s kind of weird to talk about at this stage.”
“Perhaps we’ll get more out of the next gentleman,” Gavril said impishly to the cameras. “Remind us of your name again?”
“Baden Trains.”
“And what did you and the princess do?”
“We played music. Princess Eadlyn is as talented as her mother.”
I heard Mom’s “aww” in the background.
“And?”
“And she’s a lovely dancer, even when she’s sitting down. Just so everyone knows, the princess is very up-to-date on current music.” Baden laughed and a few people joined in.
“And?” Gavril pressed.
“And I kissed her hand . . . and I’m hoping for more kisses in the future.”
I wanted to die. For some reason Baden’s request for a kiss was much more embarrassing than talking about one that had already happened with Kile.
The room made encouraging noises again, and I could see Gavril was trying to milk this. Unfortunately for him, there really weren’t any more juicy details. Kile was the only one with anything remotely shocking to share, and that had already been soaked up.
“You look so disappointed, Gavril,” I remarked quickly.
He made a little pout. “I’m simply excited for you, Your Highness, and want to know everything that’s happening. And if we could ask our millions of viewers, I’m sure they’d agree.”
“Well, don’t worry. You, and all of Illéa, will be happy to know that tomorrow I will be hosting a small party for the Selected and members of the palace household. Cameras will be there for the entire event, so everyone will get to peek inside the Selection process.”
The room burst into applause again. I could see Josie practically floating out of her chair, she was so excited.
Gavril sent Hale and Baden back to their seats with the others before launching into questions again.
“What kind of party can we expect tomorrow, Your Highness?”
“We’ll be out in the gardens, enjoying the sun and spending time getting to know one another.”
“That sounds like a wonderful plan. Very relaxing.”
“Well, it will be, except for one tiny detail,” I added, pinching my fingers in the air.
“And what is that?”
“After the party there will be an elimination.”
Murmurs filled the room, and I knew, regardless of how the public felt about me, meeting the boys tonight would make them curious about who stayed and who left.
I continued, hushing the crowd with my words. “It could be one person, it could be three. . . . I don’t know. So, gentlemen,” I said, turning back to the Selected, “come prepared.”
“I can’t wait to see how this all turns out, and I’m positive it will be a wonderful event. Now, one final question before we call it a night.”
I sat up taller. “Go for it.”
“What are you looking for in a husband?”
What was I looking for? My independence. Peace, freedom . . . a happiness I thought I had until Ahren questioned it.
I shrugged. “I’m not sure anyone knows what they’re looking for until they find it.”
CHAPTER 17
HOW DID JOSIE GET HER hands on another one of my tiaras? I’d just about had it with her. She was going to parade around in front of the cameras in her best dress and my tiara pretending she was royal for the millionth time in her life.
I made eye contact and smiled at people as I passed, but I didn’t stop to talk to anyone until I found Kile. He was standing with Henri again, sipping iced tea and watching a game of badminto
n. Henri bowed right away.
“Hello today, Your Highness,” he said, his accent making the words sound brighter.
“Hello, Henri. Kile.”
“Hi, Eadlyn.”
I might have been imagining there was something different about Kile’s voice, but for maybe the first time ever, I wanted to hear him speak. I shook my head, focusing.
“Kile, could you please go talk to your sister?”
The contentment in his eyes quickly turned to frustration. “Why? What’d she do this time?”
“She’s taken yet another one of my tiaras.”
“Don’t you have, like, a thousand of those?”
I huffed. “That’s hardly the point. It’s mine, and she shouldn’t be wearing it. When she walks around like that, she gives the impression that she’s royal when she’s not. It’s inappropriate. Could you please talk to her about her behavior?”
“When did I become the person who did all these favors for you?”
My eyes darted over to Henri and Erik, who didn’t know about the arrangement behind our kiss. They didn’t seem to catch on.
“Please?” I asked in a hushed voice.
His eyes softened, and I saw a little of the person he showed me in his room, someone sweet and engaging. “Fine. But Josie just likes attention. I don’t think she’s doing it to be mean.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m going. Be right back.”
He stomped off as Erik conveyed what was happening to Henri.
Henri cleared his throat before speaking, his words ending on strange pitches. “How are you today, Your Highness?”
I wasn’t completely sure if I should try to go through Erik or not. . . . I went with Henri. “Very good. You?”
“Good, good,” he replied cheerfully. “I to enjoy . . . umm.” He turned and conveyed the rest of his comment to Erik.
“He thinks the party is great, and he likes the company.”
I wasn’t sure if he meant Kile or me, but either way, it was nice of him to say.
“So when did you move over from Swendway?”
Henri was nodding his head as if to confirm he was from Swendway but not actually answering the question. Erik whispered over to him quickly, and Henri gave him a lengthy reply that was translated for me.