"Unfortunate for international stability.Unfortunate for the security of smaller European nations.And unfortunately, potentially quite dangerous for Bob and Linda Montclair."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees."Are you threatening my parents?"
"I'm explaining the legal reality of your situation."She pulled out another folder and opened it to reveal official-looking documents."International law is very clear about kidnapping cases.The people who harbored a kidnapped royal heir could face serious charges, regardless of whether they knew about the child's true identity."
My stomach dropped."They had no idea I was kidnapped."
"Intent isn't always relevant in international law.They harbored a kidnapped princess for twenty years.That's a crime in most countries, including this one."
"But you just said the investigation found no trace of me anywhere.How could they be held responsible for something that was completely untraceable?"
"New evidence has a way of emerging when it becomes politically necessary."
She was blackmailing me.My newfound grandmother was threatening the two people I loved most in the world.And here I'd been starting to feel sorry for her.
"You were six months old when Catherine and Philippe died.You barely over a year when you disappeared.What do you really know about the people who raised you?"
"I know they're good people who love me.I know they make terrible casseroles but pretend to enjoy each other's cooking.I know they've never missed a single one of my birthdays, even the one where I insisted on a unicorn-themed party at age nineteen."
"Love doesn't erase the legal reality of their situation."
I stared at her, trying to process what she was suggesting.Mom and Dad involved in something sinister?It was impossible.Ridiculous.But the Grand Duchess looked deadly serious, and she had the resources to make their lives miserable even if the charges were completely fabricated.
"You're threatening my family."
"I'm explaining the consequences of your choices."
The room fell silent except for the ticking of an antique clock on the mantelpiece.Through the tall windows, I could see gardens where I'd apparently played as a toddler, before my world had been turned upside down the first time.
Now it was happening again.Except this time, I was old enough to be annoyed about it.
"Six months," I said finally.“And the marriage is in name only?”
"Excuse me?"
"If I do this, if I marry this prince and play the part of the happy political bride, it's for six months.After that, I get a divorce and go home."
She was silent for a moment, and then quickly agreed.“Very well.”
I wasn’t expecting total capitulation without a fight. Maybe that was long enough to distract Putin to another country. Or maybe once NATO got her, they would stay.
"And will my parents be safe?"
"Completely safe."
"And at the end of six months, will I be free to leave and return to my real life?"
"Of course, but I hope you’ll decide to stay and help rule your country."
“I don’t know the first thing about that.”
“You’ll learn.”
“Will I?”
“You have six months to experience how royalty lives.”
I didn’t like this, but I thought about Putin, about Ukraine, about smaller countries being swallowed up by larger ones with more guns and fewer scruples.I thought about my Mom and Dad.I didn't really have a choice.
