There are so many reasons for me to leave Montovia, not the least of which is the threat of war from King Maximilian. I wish I could make him—and everyone—understand that I never meant for any of this to happen. If I had a magic wand, I’d go back in time and make Andrew see the error of his ways before he even had the idea of a pageant in the first place.

But I have no wand. And no magic. What I do have is the ring on my finger—the one I haven’t been able to take off, even though I know I should—and the strength that comes with knowing that Andrew loves me. I’m still not sure how we’re going to figure this out, but we have to somehow.

As nice as it was to catch up with Elle, seeing her so incredibly happy with her prince—so unbelievably blissful with her pregnancy—made my stomach twist with a very uncomfortable feeling. It’s never been easy for me to be around pregnant women since I lost my twins. When I had a celebrity pregnancy story to cover, it was pretty easy to pawn them off on other reporters—people love those stories and they get huge ratings. I’ve been able to avoid being around pregnant women for the most part. Oh, who am I kidding? I’ve willfully avoided pregnant women like the plague for the past seven years.

It isn’t helping me with finding a reason to stay in Montovia. And it definitely isn’t helping me with the ugly jealousy bubbling inside me.

I go to my room to change into workout clothes. If there’s been one great thing about being in Montovia, it’s been finding out that my fencing abilities haven’t left me at all. In fact, if I ever do return home, signing up for a fencing club is the first thing I’m going to do. I’d forgotten how much I love the sport.

I walk to the gym and see by the lights that as usual, I’ll not be alone. My heart races a little, thinking maybe Andrew will be here. As I enter, I can see by his build it’s William practicing.

He drops his weapon and lifts his face mask when I enter, giving me one of his dashing smiles. He’s so much like Andrew—and Leopold, for that matter—with the way he’s able to smile and charm anyone into doing anything he asks.

“Victoria.” His grin grows even wider. “I’m so pleased you’ve arrived. It’s so boring practicing alone.”

“I thought I might work off some of this…energy.” Jealousy. I need to work off this jealousy.

He nods, almost as though he can read my mind. “I can’t imagine it’s easy for you, being around Elle right now.”

I shrug, but I’m sure he can see right through me. I walk over to the wall where the practice gear is located and pull on a chest guard before I choose my epée. After I put on my face mask, I walk back over to where William is waiting for me.

He flips his mask down and raises his weapon. “We don’t have to spar, you know. If you’d rather talk—”

“En garde.” I don’t even let him finish, engaging him before he has the chance to finish his thought. I have no desire to talk about the mix of emotions I have about this whole situation. I sure as hell don’t want to complain to him about how damn unfair everything is. I don’t whine. I don’t bitch about the cruelty of a universe that would give someone else a dream meant for me. But maybe it isn’t meant for me. Maybe it’s the sign I’m being sent by a universe that seems determined to keep me from having the man I love and from giving him the future he deserves. The future we both deserve.

But that seems an awful lot like whining to me. And that is one thing I do not do. One thing I will never do.

William and I spar for over an hour before he finally raises his hand to withdraw. I’m not sure who even won—we stopped counting after a while, both of us seeming to find solace in the physical activity.

He pulls off his face mask—beads of sweat line his forehead and his hair is drenched.

I take off my face mask, too, and I’m sure I look almost as sticky as he does. I’m also a little more out of breath than I realized.

William smiles, but not the same charming smile as when I first entered. “You and I, Victoria… We are a lot alike.”

My body hunches forward, trying to find my breath. But I nod. He’s right—we are a lot alike. But he seems more like a brother to me than a lover—we’re almost too much alike.

“We both use physical activity to cover up our emotional state. We both—”

“I am not using anything to cover up anything.” I straighten, walking over to the equipment rack to hang up my epée and my face mask.

He walks over and does the same. “Ah, but I think you are. You may not want to talk about it, but—”

“You’re right. I don’t want to talk about it.”

He nods, staring at me for a moment before he pulls off his chest guard. “I’m having some difficulty talking about my own feelings about things, Victoria. I find I’m very distraught about everything that is going on in the palace these days. And I’m not sure of my place here any longer.” He turns to face me. “I thought perhaps you would understand that.”

My heart twists in my chest as I realize how selfish I’m being. It’s hard to realize it sometimes, but I suppose not everything happening now is only my problem. William is obviously going through many of the same things I am—and I didn’t even realize it.

“I’m sorry.” I reach out and touch the top of his arm. “I do understand not knowing your place. I’m so sorry I—”

He raises a hand to interrupt, shaking his head. “There’s no need for apology, Victoria. Being forced to court Lady Clarissa is simply a nightmare.” He chuckles, but it doesn’t seem as though he honestly thinks it’s a very funny joke. “I simply hoped that—”

“You need a friend.” I nod to myself, frowning. “We both do. I’m…I’m so sorry. I’ve been so wrapped up in what’s going on with me and my relationship, I never even considered…” My voice trails off and I look into his eyes. “I’m really sorry.”

“I’m sorry to even ask for your ear, Victoria. But things…things are difficult now.”

“I know.” I almost wince at my own words. “I mean, I know they are for me. You…you probably already know why they are for me. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on with you? I mean, if I can help with anything—”

“Shall we walk?” He motions toward the door. “It’s a bit chilly outside, but I find I’m quite warm at the moment.”

“Of course.”

He extends his elbow to me and I take it before he leads me outside and into one of the nearby gardens.

We stop when we reach a bench near the middle of the garden. He motions for me to take a seat, and he sits next to me as soon as I do. “My mother loves this garden. She fashioned it after one of the gardens at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna she saw when she was a girl. Apparently, she’s been quite taken with gardens since she was very young.”

I smile, admiring the space. Even though there is a definite chill in the air and there are no flowers to speak of, it’s still a beautiful place. “She’s done a wonderful job designing the grounds. Everything is gorgeous.”

He nods, pressing his lips together before he turns to me. “Perhaps I should learn to tend to her gardens. It seems I have little else to do these days.”

I frown, but I’m not able to get a word in before he speaks again. “I don’t seem to have any other way to help my family. Much as I suppose Princess Justine feels. I’ve been thinking quite a lot about what she’s going through. It must be equally as difficult for her, not knowing her place. She seems too kind to be going through this

“Yes, she seems nice. Caught in the same quagmire we all are, I suppose.”

He lifts a brow. “Precisely. Her father…” He shakes his head, turning back to look at a nearby hedge. “He is not a good man. It’s nearly abusive what he’s done to her. And I fear…I fear he may take his rage out upon her should he get the chance.”

My brow furrows. “Has she…?” I almost wince at my thought. “Has she said he’s abusing her?”

“Not in so many words. And not physically, I don’t believe. But emotionally—it’s difficult to say how much damage he’s inflicted. He seems to believe she is a pawn to be used for his own political advantage. And I find I want to help her.”

“Do you have a plan? I’m happy to help if I can.”

He shakes his head. “No, I have no plan as yet. I’d hoped I might be able to speak with Andrew about it, but he’s quite busy these days. And Justine…” He shakes his head again before turning his gaze back to mine. “She’s still quite angry with him, as you might imagine.”

“I can imagine. Unfortunately.”

“Yes, I suspect you and she might be good friends someday, once everything…everyone has calmed down a bit.” He sighs, turning back to the foliage again. “I’m considering doing something rash. Something to prove a point.”

“William, I’m not sure I’m the best person—”

“But you’re the only person I can speak with about this, Victoria. At least, the only person somewhat removed from the situation. Were I to speak with Andrew, he would tell me to do what is best for my family. For my country. Were I to speak with Leopold, he would laugh me out of Montovia for even considering involving myself in a political situation. And Nicholas and Sophia are so much younger and less experienced in life, let alone anything else…” His frown deepens. “As you can imagine, it’s difficult to have friendships of any depth when you are part of a royal family. I can’t say I can name three people outside my family I would trust with anything. In fact, I can only name one. And hopefully she will be my sister soon enough.”

It takes me a second to realize he’s talking about me. “You can talk to me anytime, William. I might not have an answer to your problem, but I’ll always be here to listen.”

He nods and is silent again for a few moments. “I…I’m not sure what is happening to me. I don’t know that I can live a political life like this. I don’t know that I want to spend the rest of my life in the middle of battles that make no sense. Battles that are being fought over the whims of despicable men.”

“So…are you planning to run off?”

“No, nothing so rash. Father would suffer another coronary if I did something like that. But I am considering leaving the palace. Perhaps finding a suitable career somewhere. Doing something meaningful with my life.”

“I can see why you can’t talk to your brothers about this.” I can imagine how Leo would give him nothing but grief about actually wanting to work for a living. And I honestly can’t imagine what Andrew would say to him. Probably something along the lines of what he’s already told me he expected—that he needs to think of his country first and his own needs second. He certainly wouldn’t give him a blessing to follow his heart. Andrew has only been able to scratch the surface of putting his own needs before that of his country. He certainly wouldn’t support one of his brothers being able to do it—not to the degree William seems to be suggesting, anyway.

“I’m going to think on it a bit more.” He pauses. “Thank you for sparring with me this afternoon. I needed to clear my head a bit. I have much to think about now.”

I nod again. “I’m happy to. Anytime.”

“Good. Does that mean you won’t be leaving Montovia?” He turns to me, his eyes hopeful. “At least not until I do?” He gives me the smallest of smiles.

“Yes, I think I’ll be staying, at least for the time being. At least until the Festival. Andrew keeps going on and on about it.”

He nods. “Yes, you’ll love it. It is one of the only things Montovia is famous for, after all. Well, that and Leopold.”

I laugh. “Yes, well, you’ll have to tell me what to expect. I’m not much of a party girl.”

“Oh, it’s not the type of party you’re thinking of at all. In fact, you’ll probably be much more suited to the jousting tournaments than to the masquerade ball, though I’m certain Andrew will try to drag you to a dance as some sort of show of affection.”

“That does sound like Andrew.” I smile.

“You know, you are a fine fencer, Victoria.” A slow smile begins to spread over his face.

“Thank you. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it before I came here. At least Montovia has given me that—”

“No, no. I don’t think you understand what I’m saying at all.” His smile grows impossibly wide. “Prince Reginald believes he is a fine fencer. He’s won a few of our Salt Festival tournaments over the five years or so. He beat me in the final joust just last year.”

“Well…” I grin, not wanting to say out loud that William could stand to improve many parts of his technique.

He shakes his head, grinning widely. “I think I have an idea of how we can win back the scepter, Victoria.”