William and I sit in silence, holding hands on the stone bench just outside the library. He hasn’t responded to my suggestion—that we return to Rosvalia to try and stop my father.

We watch the students passing by on the courtyard. After what seems like forever, he finally speaks. “I’m not so sure going to Rosvalia is the best plan.”

I turn to look at him, lifting a brow. “Do you have a better one?”

“We could…we could go to Montovia.” He nods, mostly to himself it seems. “It would be safer for you there. Safer for all three of you.”

I’d forgotten for a moment what he’s talking about—the two children I’m carrying. This pregnancy still doesn’t seem quite real. And William isn’t wrong—after what my family did to me the last time I was pregnant, I can’t be sure they wouldn’t try to do the same thing.

Part of me knows they almost certainly will try to do the same thing. Especially when they find out I’m carrying two children this time.

“I don’t disagree that it would be safer there.” I press my lips together, trying to hold back the flood of emotions I can already feel building inside me. “But if we’re to have a real chance at ending this feud between our countries once and for all, the only place we can do that is in Rosvalia.”

He slides an arm around my waist, edging as close to me as he’s able. “I can’t let us do that.”

I’m all too aware of how he’s phrased his last sentence—how careful he’s being to use the word us instead of ordering me around. And as frustrating as he can be, I do appreciate that he’s at least making an effort not only to protect me, but to allow me to make decisions, too.

“William.” I turn to him, trying to clear my voice of any of the feelings swirling inside me. “We need to do this. You thought for most of your stay that something was happening in the east wing of the palace—”

“Something was happening in the east wing of the palace.” I’m not able to read the emotions I can see in his eyes, but there’s definitely something troubled there. “But even if we could somehow sneak in—”

“I wouldn’t need to sneak anywhere. As far as I know—”

“As far as you know, your name is on the same blacklist that mine is on.” He tilts his head. “I’m not opposed to going to Rosvalia, Justine. But if that’s the case, I’m going to be going alone.”

“Because—”

“Because it’s far too dangerous for you there. For all of you.” He glances down at my belly. “We have to think of them, Justine. We both do. We have to protect them—”

“I am protecting them, William.” I frown at him. “Just because I’m pregnant, it doesn’t mean I’m frail. I thought you might have understood that after last night.”

His cheeks turn instantly pink. “It isn’t that I think you’re frail—”

“I grew up in the palace. I know it better than almost anyone. I know the shortcuts, the secret passages—”

“Wait.” His expression brightens, and he grins. “There are secret passages?”

I’m sure my expression conveys my confusion at his question. “Of course there are. The palace is old—older than the one you grew up in. You’re honestly telling me the palace in Montovia doesn’t have secret corridors? Tunnels that connect the wings?”

“I…” His grin widens. “My brothers and I had infinite amounts of fun in those passages. Well, except for Andrew.” He chuckles. “I can’t believe I’d forgotten.”

Something is heavy in my heart. There was a time that I had fun playing with my brother, too. We’d hide in the closets, see who could get to different places in the palace the fastest. It all changed when we were eight or nine years old. I never really understood what happened then—but I suppose it was because he was a male, and I was not. My father began to spend much more time with Reginald then, and I was left alone. I found my comfort in reading, of course, but I always missed having the company of the only family I’d ever really had. My brother was taken away from me, turned against me, only because I was female.

“I suppose I’ve forgotten much of my childhood, too.” I let out a heavy sigh. “When we get through this, let’s remind ourselves not to let our children forget theirs.”

He pulls my hand into his, squeezing it tightly. “I promise.”

I nod. “Then we should return to Rosvalia. I can get us in the east wing. We may not find anything there, but if you’re certain—”

“I’m not certain at all.” He frowns again. “Maybe…maybe you should just tell me how to get there. You…you could stay here and finish your class. Didn’t you tell me it only lasts a few more weeks?”

“I thought you said I would be safer with you—”

“I can post a guard.” He nods again to himself. “I’ll hire a bodyguard for you.”

“Ah. And that won’t call any attention to me, will it?” I shake my head. “I’d rather drop out of school than walk around campus with some strange man following at my back.” I squeeze his hand. “Besides, whether you like it or not, you’re going to need me there.”

“I know…I know you don’t want to be alone right now. And I don’t blame you—I don’t want to leave you. But I need to see what they’re doing. If they’re going to use some sort of weapon on my country…” He shakes his head. “I stand by my earlier statement. It’s far too dangerous for you.”

“Then I’ll stay in our suite while you go and save the world.” Even as I say the words, I know they’re lies. I have no intention of allowing him to be the only one who stops my family from whatever sinister plan they’re working on now.

“If you’ll promise…” He stares at me for a moment, his lips finally turning up into another smile. “You’re not going to promise, though, are you?”

“No.” I smile back at him. “Why should you have all the fun?”

“Justine—”

“I know. You want to protect me. Us.” I clutch my abdomen with my free hand. “But I can protect us, too. Can you trust me?”

He seems to ponder my words for a few moments. “I can. But…”

“But?”

“What about your class? You’ve wanted to return to school for so long. I really think that—”

“I’ll come back. Later. When the timing is better. Or perhaps I won’t.” I don’t want to say it out loud, but I’m not sure this is the place for me after all. It isn’t that I haven’t liked my class, but something isn’t right about my being here. I’m having difficulty writing anything with much depth. At first I thought it was merely that I was heartbroken and afraid the pain of acknowledging that ache would ruin me. But it’s something more than that. And whatever that something is, it’s telling me that this isn’t the place for me to be, at least for the moment.

“I don’t…I don’t want you to give up writing for me, Justine. I don’t think I could live with myself.”

I smile at my almost-husband. “I’m not going to give up writing. Not ever. I just… I suppose I don’t need the validation of a class. I don’t need my writing graded or critiqued. And I probably don’t need to publish what I write, at least at the moment. I just…I need to start a new chapter. Let go of the past and all the baggage it holds. I think…I think I can do that now. I think I’m finally ready.”

He gives me an impossibly wide grin, squeezing my hand again. “Then we should go get your things. We’ll take a quick trip to Las Vegas—get ourselves officially married—before we return to Rosvalia.”