“Together, we will ensure that Bravonne remains not only strong — butjust.Thank you, and may the realm prosper.”
As soon as the queen stops speaking, she’s moving, thumping off the stage and away from the podium. Lizzie and I exchange a look and then we’re hot on her heels, leaving the press secretary to deal with the fallout, the questions that this announcement will undoubtedly raise.
As we hurry after our grandmother, I pull my mobile from my pocket. A moment later I have the new law pulled up, scanning it as quickly as I can.
She made it all seem so reasonable and people will believe that it really is for the good of Bravonnian omegas. Most citizens will take her at face value and not dig any deeper. But the truth of the Omega Welfare and Community Stability Act is that it greatly limits an omega’s freedom and increases the monitoringof packs. It forces everyone to report bonds to the government and gives them oversight in almost every aspect of a pack’s life as it pertains to bonds and children.
And most importantly, it gives the crown the right to dictate inheritance. As in which child of a pack can inherit a title… or a crown.
“Why wasn’t I aware of this?” my sister asks as we easily keep pace with our grandmother’s stumping gait.
“My dear, you are not the queen. I am. You are not informed of every decision I make.”
Bullshit. The word is right there on the tip of my tongue.
Elizabeth has been informed of every change, of every new law, every ratified one, since she was fifteen years old. Even while at school she would stay up until the early hours, pouring over historical laws and amendments, learning about our country’s past to better understand our future. She’s obsessive about knowing what is happening in our country, in taking care of our people. She always has been.
And until recently, our grandmother has always supported her passion for governance. But that seems to no longer be the case. Not since… Bree, Lizzie’s omega.
“How long have you been working on this?” I ask. The look my grandmother gives me tells me she expects better than that. “Months? Years?”
She shrugs, a wholly human move that is very at odds with the persona she portrays. “Yes.”
“And the show, that was a distraction wasn’t it? We thought it was because of that stupid poll where Bravonnians agreed the crown is out of touch, but it was for this. So you could pass this law without raising too many protests or questions.”
“And it worked beautifully, did it not? People were outraged over your treatment of that little chit, up in arms over it. No one even noticed this quietly slipping through.” Shereaches out and pats first my hand and then Elizabeth’s. “Don’t be too upset, dears, this is for the best. You’ll see in time.”
Lizzie glowers at her not bothering to hide her displeasure at being treated like a faithful hound. I can’t say my expression is much better. Mr. Kerry hurries up to our grandmother before either of us can refute her claim, murmuring something too low in her ear for me to hear. Her expression sharpens. And she gives a tight nod before turning back to us.
“Duty calls.” She turns away from us, calling over her shoulder. “Let’s have dinner together soon, yes? Bring Isadora. Delightful girl. It's been too long since I’ve seen her.” What she means is it’s been too long since I’ve beenseenwith her.
I make a non-committal sound. The idea of spending any amount of time with my betrothed makes my skin crawl. Which definitely doesn’t bode well for our future, but what’s done is done.
Elizabeth blows out a breath as the queen disappears from view. “I can’t bloody believe she did this. Passing a whole law under my nose.”
“Indeed. How did she manage? I understand why I wasn’t aware of it, but you?”
She turns her glower on me. “I’ve been… distracted recently. Not just by watching the car wreck that is your romantic life but with… my own things.”
I want to ask about what her own ‘things’ might be, but I know from experience that Lizzie will only share when she’s ready. And she doesn’t give me the chance anyway. “How is your pack holding up?”
I’m not sure how to answer that. The truth is, we’re falling apart. We might have been cracking beforeRoyaLove Getaway, but now we’re just crumbling, melting, like a sandcastle meeting a wave. The pieces are still there, but I’m not sure we’ll ever be in the shape we once were.
“That well, huh?” she snorts when I’ve gone too long without a response.
I slump under the weight of it, of what I’ve done. I can’t fool myself into thinking this isn’t my fault. If I hadn’t picked up my mobile that morning, if I hadn’t caved to my grandmother’s wishes, if I’d believed that we could protect Ren and her family, then I have no doubt that my pack would have picked Florence and damn the consequences.
And we might be happy now.
What a novel idea that is.
“I don’t know what to do,” I admit, here in the quiet of the hallway, with no one to witness it but my sister. “I don’t bloody know how to fix it, Liz. I just… God, I miss her so much. And they do too. But I made a promise, a commitment on national television and I don’t know how to go back on that without seeming like an unfeeling arsehole. I have a duty to the country, to the Ashbourne line, to follow through with it.”
Lizzie grips my arms and gives me a little shake. “You have a duty to your pack, too, Sythe. They matter too. Ren matters.” She gives me a long considering look. “Do you honestly think you can spend the rest of your life with Isadora? Really?”
I lick my lips, considering the question. In the past, it would have been easy to say yes. I’ve never particularly liked her, but I’ve known what my duty to my family is for years, and it’s always been what drove me. My purpose is to serve the crown and the Ashbourne line. Marrying and bonding Isadora is part of that purpose.
But that was before Florence Karlin with her honey blond hair and kaleidoscope eyes and sweet, sunshiny personality. She’s just so goddamn understanding, so sweet, so forgiving, it makes it hard to resist her.
