50. DANTE

“All right, you have to be fucking with me,” I say. At least I don’t yell it this time. “There’s no other explanation.”

“If only that were the case, sir,” Carlo says. “It would make more sense.”

“I don’t understand how this could happen,” Amanda says. “How can they possibly have a referendum in three weeks?”

“It’s actually fairly easy,” says Maria. “Since the population is so small and centrally located – Morova is essentially just a city, after all – it’s easy to have everyone come out to vote. Our elections are incredibly smooth.”

“I thought they would argue about the question for months,” I say. “They’re proposing a historic, fundamental change in the country’s government.”

“That’s just it, sir,” says Carlo. “It’s not that significant a change.”

“Dismantling the monarchy and stealing my fortune isn’t a significant change?”

“They will be asking the people to leave the monarchy in place,” he says. “I’ve had a chance to look at the question they’ve agreed upon.”

Amanda and I look at each other.

“That doesn’t make sense,” she says. “What’s the point of the referendum if not to abolish the monarchy?”

“The question is not about whether to have a monarch,” Carlo says. “But rather who that monarch should be.”

Wait a minute. I think I’m starting to see where this is going. And if I’m right, I may be sick to my stomach.

“They’re trying to replace me with someone else,” I say. “Someone they can control.”

Carlo nods. “So it would seem, sir.”

“But who would that be?” Amanda asks.

Maria’s eyes widen. “You’re not talking about…”

“Of course he is,” says a familiar voice from the doorway. “Emilio’s name will be the one on the referendum.”

We turn to see Isabella standing there, hands on her hips.

“I’ve had a discussion with the chancellor,” she says. “Neither of us wants to see the monarchy fall as a result of your mistakes, Dante. So he suggested that the people be allowed to choose their leader based on merit – so much more civilized than having to put up with someone who simply inherited the title.”

She’s had a discussion with Huber? She’s making suggestions about how to word a referendum designed to take my title and my family fortune away from me?

“Who the hell do you think you are?” I roar. “The monarchy is mine by right, Isabella. Not Emilio’s. Certainly not yours. I haven’t even seen Emilio in over a week!”

“He left to distance himself from your scandal,” she says with a cold glare. “He told me about the virgin decree, Dante. I know your marriage is nothing more than an arrangement so you can hold onto power.”

That bastard. I thought I could trust Emilio! He’s been like a brother to me!

“Although I really should have figured it out myself,” Isabella says. “Falling overnight for an American farm girl. I mean, really. The signs were all there. She was obviously the first virgin you could find.”

Amanda looks totally flummoxed. She opens her mouth to speak, but I cut her off.

“You’re insane,” I say. “There’s no such thing as a virgin decree. And leave Amanda out of this. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

Isabella shakes her head. “The Americans do have one wise saying, Dante: don’t bullshit a bullshitter. Now that I know about the virgin decree, I realize It’s the reason your father married my sister. It explains so much about their relationship.”

So my parents did know about the decree. But – that means they were an arranged marriage? I never knew. God, does any royal ever marry for love?

“It’s all just so sordid,” she says. “And ridiculous. It’s time the people of this principality took control over their destiny, instead of leaving it to the whims of spoiled people who don’t understand the burden of power.”

I open my mouth to speak, but this time it’s Amanda who cuts me off.

“About time they took control of the Trentini money, you mean. That’s what this is about – it has nothing to do with what Dante has or hasn’t done.”

“Darling, please don’t talk,” Isabella sighs. “We don’t need to hear the opinions of some ignorant American. This is Morovan business.”

That’s it. No more of this.

“You will not speak to the princess that way,” I growl. “And I want you out of the palace in twenty minutes, or I’ll have Marco and his staff arrest you for trespassing.”

Her eyes flash with cold fury.

“You wouldn’t dare,” she hisses.

I lean forward and grin. “Try me, bitch.”

That’s enough to send her storming out of the room.

The adrenaline ebbs out of me now that the confrontation is over, but the anger remains.

“I can’t believe she’s done this,” I say. “It’s an outrage.”

“Yes,” says Carlo, who, along with Maria, has remained silent. “But it’s also a brilliant play. It takes full advantage of the Morovan people’s reluctance to abolish the monarchy, while allowing her to gain a foothold on power.”

Amanda folds her arms over her chest, frowning. “Not that long ago, they would have called this a coup. And Isabella’s head would have been in a guillotine.”

“Unfortunately,” Maria says, “we don’t have that option. The referendum is going to happen. All we can do is pray that the people believe in Dante enough to keep him. If not, we’re all going to have a lot of change to deal with. Carlo and I will be looking for jobs –”

“And Dante and I will be looking for new lives,” Amanda finishes.

We all stand silent for several moments as it sinks in. This could be a turning point in all our lives. What if they vote against me? What would it mean for me? For Amanda?

For the children?

Carlo says: “On the bright side, we have three weeks to try and win the popular vote. All is not lost.”

“Right,” says Maria. “You can count on us to pull out every trick we know, call in every favor to make this work.”

“Thank you,” I say. “I know that if there’s anyone who can pull it off, it’s you two. Don’t let it go to your heads, but you’re the smartest people I know.”

They say their goodbyes and head back to their respective offices.

“I guess I should go, too,” Amanda says.

“Wait, please,” I say, taking her hand. “Can we talk first?”

“What’s left to talk about?” she asks. “Seems like things are pretty much out of our hands now. Our future is in the hands of the voters.”

“No,” I say. “The future of the monarchy is in the hands of the voters. Our fate is entirely up to us.”

She looks me in the eye but says nothing.

“I miss being with you,” I say. “I know we still live in the same quarters, but things haven’t been the same since the photos surfaced.”

“I’ll stay with you as long as I need to if it means protecting the children,” she says.

“I know that, and I can’t thank you enough for it. But I want to get back to where we were before all this happened. Where we were in Rome.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Do you believe that I was set up with those photos?”

She sighs. “I do. I don’t know what happened, but I know that you wouldn’t have deliberately hurt me.”

“Then there’s hope for us,” I say, squeezing her hand.

“You heard Isabella,” she says, shaking her head. “Is there hope for any royal couple? Your parents got together the same way we did. Even if everything works out with the referendum, is Vito going to be doomed to marry a woman the same way?

“And what about Oriana? She’s going to be second fiddle to him for the rest of her life, just because the male is automatically the heir. Is that the kind of life you want for her?”

“What are you saying?”

“I don’t know,” she says. “Maybe I’m saying the best thing that could happen would be to have Emilio win and take your place. At least then, we might have a shot at a normal life.”

Is she right? I don’t know any other kind of life than this. Could I leave it all behind?

More importantly, could I leave this nation – my nation – in the hands of Isabella?

“I don’t think I can do that,” I say. “I’m sorry.”

She walks to the door and turns back to face me.

“I’m sorry, too, Dante. I really am.”

As I watch her walk out the door, I feel an emptiness in my core that threatens to swallow me whole.