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"Where will you and Prince Edward be honey, Your Majesty?" Matilda, my uncle Warwitch’s wife, asks

Edward received his new title last week--Prince of Wessco--in a ceremony he would’ve missed if he’d had his way But he attended because it was expected

He attended for ustine’s A small, privately owned island off the Dutch coast"

There’s a sparking flash of white in the sky outside the large archedLightning

"And do you have all your unmentionables packed for your new husband to enjoy?" my cousin Calliope--the one who told a "fictional" story about a young queen’s death by poisoned wedding cake earlier--asks ," is my non-answer reply--a trick I learned from my father

Because the answer is yes I wanted delicate and beautiful lingerie, but I also wanted things that were meant to be torn, shredded Articles that would shatter Edward’s self-control--that would make him feel wild, like he s, I was sure just who her arms around me and exclaimed, "I knew you were my sister!"

But I’ to tell any of these women that Because they aren’t my friends--most I barely know and those that I do, I don’t like at’all

A burst of thunder rattles the , turning ain

And I realize there’s soht now

I pop up froo"

From across the room, my sister desperately mouths the words, Takedrinks from the table

"Go where?" asks Lady Dorchester--the ossip in the Wessco aristocracy

"Iah--"

"Urgent governot the call Very urgent The Queenblue eyes "You ht away, Your Majesty"

"Yes" I take Cora’s hand, squeezing "Thank you, Cora"

The thunder crashes outside theagain

"Until tomorrow, Ladies"

They each dip their head to me as I make for the door In the outer hall, I kick off h the halls of the palace and I don’t stop running until I get to the other side To the library

I don’t knock--I don’t have to There’s a guard outside, and I’m the bloody Queen, so he opens the door forvoices and thick ashy smoke It’s so thick, Edward spots s the attention of the ht toAutohtens and my face slides into neutral

"Pardon the interruption There is a matter I must speak with Prince Edward about"

Edward follows uard