Delphine shows me everything from the grand ballroom with its frescoed ceiling to the library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The leather chairs are worn soft from centuries of use. I know because I rub my hand across one. She tells me stories as we walk, pointing out different portraits of her relatives, along with some of her and her brother.
She mentions Louis casually with a smile, and I keep my expression neutral even though my pulse races at the mention of his name.
Delphine walks me through a gallery filled with different landscapes with flowers in colorful shades. I think about the conversation Louis and I had about art, and I wonder which one in here is his favorite. I want to ask where her brother is, but I keep the question to myself.
By the time we reach the artists’ quarters, my head is spinning with history and the overwhelming realization that I’m actually here, competing for a position that painters have dreamed about for centuries.
“The other artists arrived six days ago,” Delphine says as we stroll down a path lined with lavender and buzzing with bees. “You’re a bitbehind, but I’m not worried. You’ll have to prepare something by the end of the month to be judged.”
“How many other artists are there?”
“Nine men and you. So, ten.” She glances at me sideways. “The art world still has a lot of catching up to do, I’m afraid.”
“I’m used to it,” I tell her. “That’s why I paint with a chip on my shoulder.”
She grins as she stops in front of a small cottage with a blue door and window boxes overflowing with red flowers. “This is your home for three weeks. Hopefully longer. I do hope you win. It would help me prove a point to my parents.”
I almost ask what point she’s making, but decide against it. The less I get involved with the royal family, the better.
The cottage looks like it dropped out of a fairy tale with its stone walls. Flower bushes frame the doorway, and it seems too perfect to be real.
“This is so cozy and cute. I’m so excited!”
Delphine beams and hands me an old-fashioned key with a decorative iron handle. “There’s a butterfly garden right down this path that’s gorgeous at sunrise. Get settled and freshen up because a car will come for you at five so you can officially meet my parents.”
“The king and queen,” I say.
“Don’t be nervous. They’relovely.” She squeezes my arm. “I have a good feeling about this, Addison Cross.”
She disappears down the lavender path with a smile that confirms she’s up to something.
The cottage has an open floor plan with one main room, featuring a bed tucked into a corner beneath a window. The kitchen is the perfect size, with copper pots hanging above the stove. In the sitting area, there’s a purple velvet armchair positioned to catch the afternoon light. The walls are whitewashed, and the floors are honey-colored wood.
This all strangely feels like a dream.
I unpack my suitcases and arrange my brushes, paints, sketchbooks, and pencils on the kitchen table. My canvases are already stacked against the wall, along with the things I packed.
When I finally sit down and pull my phone from my pocket, I see three missed calls from Kendall. As I unpack, I call her back.
She answers on the first ring. “Finally! I’ve been worried. You weresupposed to have landed nearly three hours ago. I was ready to call the authorities.”
“Sorry. I just got to my cottage, and it looks like it came straight out of a Disney cartoon. The palace is insane, Keke. I don’t even know how to articulate how beautiful this place is. It’s a true paradise.”
“Great. Have you seen him?”
“Not yet,” I tell her. “I’m going to ignore him and focus on my work. It’s more important.”
“Sure,” she says, and I can hear her smirking through the phone like she doesn’t believe me. “Patterson called me this morning and made me promise that I’d remind you to leave Louis alone.”
“Of course he did.”
“He’s being protective. It’s a big-brother personality trait.”
“He’s beingannoying.” I pull out the pale green silk dress I bought specifically for meeting royalty and shake out the wrinkles. “And counterproductive because now I want to see Louis more than I did before.”
“Your oppositional defiance is showing.”
“It’s one of mybestqualities.” I check the time and realize I only have an hour and a half before the car arrives. “I’m meeting the king and queen at five.”
