“Yes. As soon as you sign your name.”
Four signatures had already been inked at the bottom of the parchment.
King Alexander Ducasse
Lord Nicolas Auclair
Lord Robert Barbeau
Lord Grégory Lafleur
“The lords signed it?”
“That’s where I’ve been all night,” Leo explained. “I needed the approval of at least three courts to make the change official. I skipped Lord Stuart, but I traveled to the others.”
“They all agreed to it?”
“Lord Nicolas didn’t hesitate. Lord Robert berated me for waking him up, but he liked the idea once I got him to listen. Lord Grégory had some questions, but I convinced him in the end. I just got back to the palace.”
“You did all of this in one night? But… why?”
A bit of light left Leo’s eyes. “Because I love you, Evelyn.”
“I set you on fire!”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I thought you would send me home to Carrowmore.”
“This is your home. But I made you feel like a prisoner because I was scared. This”—Leo pointed to the parchment—“means I can’t make that mistake again. You are not under my command. I’m sorry I got that so wrong yesterday.”
Tears stung her eyes.
He does care! He does want me at his side! But this… Is this too much?
Queens in Gryon have never been allowed to rule on their own. Their power and influence only last as long as the king is alive. That’s one of the biggest differences between the two kingdoms. Gryon requires a king, while Carrowmore’s throne is given to the eldest heir of the royal bloodline, regardless of gender. But even in Carrowmore, a spouse would never rule after the reigning monarch’s death. When my brother is king, the throne will pass on to his firstborn, if he has children, or to Hannah.
What Leo is offering me is unheard of on the continent.
“Will you sign it?” he asked.
“You’re handing me a kingdom! We can’t predict what will happen tomorrow or the day after that! The Kennedy family, and your brother, and your father?—”
“I know. If something happens to me, I want to know the kingdom is safe in your hands.”
“I don’t know how to run a kingdom!”
“I don’t either. We’ll figure it out together, or you will. Please sign it.”
Evelyn read the words again, as if they might have reformed into something new.
I screamed at him this morning. I said horrible, awful things to him. And he’s still willing to give me this. If Leo is trusting me, I can trust him, too.
“Okay.”
Leo let out a breath, then grabbed a pen from the desk. Evelyn’s hands were shaking when she set the parchment on the nightstand and added her name.
Queen Evelyn Ducasse
