Page 2

“Martin was there as well,” Elizabeth realized.

“So was Alex,” Victoria added, sounding as if she was about to cry.

“Your Majesty,” Rebecca began this time. “I am so very sorry to have to report to you that both of your brothers were lost as well today.”

“What?” Victoria’s sobs began in earnest.

“The kids?” Elizabeth asked then. “Edwina would be Queen. She’s–”

“Both of the children were by their mother’s side,” Rebecca replied, wiping her cheek. “Her Royal Highness Princess Lyla was also killed. Edwina and Anthony were taken to the hospital while we were in flight. His Highness Prince Anthony died in the ambulance from his wounds. Her Royal Highness Princess Edwina made it to the hospital but passed away shortly after. I am so sorry.”

“Oh, my God,” Victoria let out, clasping Elizabeth’s hand tightly.

Elizabeth glanced over at her. Then, she remembered: Alexander, her brother, was married, too. Rebecca hadn’t said anything about his wife, but she’d been there, too.

“Teagan?” she asked, referring to her brother’s wife.

“The Duchess is…” Rebecca lowered her head.

“She’s gone?” Elizabeth asked. “Teagan is gone, too?”

“Anyone else, Rebecca? You’ve just told us our entire family is dead. Is there anyone else you’re forgetting? Did our third cousin, twice removed, also get murdered today? Do you have a list you have to check off or–”

“Vicky, stop,” Elizabeth interrupted.

“I am sorry,” Rebecca offered, adding, “Majesty, we are twenty minutes away from home. I’m afraid you’ll need to change your clothes.”

“What are you talking about?” Victoria lashed out at Rebecca again. “Her clothes? Our whole family is dead, and you’re talking about clothing?”

“The black,” Elizabeth answered. “The Queen wears black when the monarch dies. I have to wear black.”

CHAPTER 1

Ladies in the royal family should sit with their knees and ankles together and only cross their legs at the ankle if needed. The tiara must be at a forty-five-degree angle when viewed from the side and must be worn during the bride’s wedding day. They fold the napkin in half and use the inside partof the napkin when they need it to wipe their mouth. What else was there? The Queen should be the first one to start a conversation and, typically, with the person to her right. For the second course of the meal, the Queen will begin a conversation with the person seated on her left. Royal women were required to have their chins aligned to the ground, with hands on the side while walking. Was her chin aligned to the ground right now? Surely, that didn’t matter on a day like today. She would be allowed this day, of all days, to look toward the ground.

Elizabeth hadn’t been trained like the others. She’d had the lessons, of course – they’d all gotten those – but no one had expected her or required her to remember them because she’d only needsomeof them. She never should have needed lessons on being Queen of a country. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. The bomb that had taken out her entire family, with the exception of herself and her sister, had been the first part of a two-part planned attack. The anti-monarchists had also planned to put a bomb on her plane in order to murder both Elizabeth and Victoria, rendering the country without a surviving heir that could actually sit on the throne. The second part of their plan had been foiled by a security guard at the small, private airport that hadn’t let them get through.

There would be one funeral for all of them. It would be watched live by millions of people around the world. The people of St.Rais, a small island nation between Norway and Greenland, would line the streets of the capital city to mourn with her and her sister, now the heir to the throne should something happen to Elizabeth before she had children of her own.Children; she laughed internally as her dresser laid the pearl necklace against her skin. She hadn’t planned on having any before. She was twenty-five years old, and she wanted to finish graduate school and earn her Ph.D. That was as far as she’d been able to plan her life because of hercircumstances.

“Your Majesty, they’re ready,” Rebecca said, entering her bedroom.

“I’m not,” Elizabeth replied.

“It’s a private moment, Ma’am. It’s yours alone.”

“The only one I get before I have to share my grief with the entire world. Where’s Victoria?”

“She’s in the chapel, Ma’am,” Rebecca replied. “She’ll be along after you.”

“Are we ever going to be allowed in the same room again?” Elizabeth asked as she stood and smoothed her dress down her legs.

“Of course, Ma’am.”

“I’ve hardly been able to grieve with my sister since the plane landed.”

“It’s precautionary, Ma’am.” Rebecca nodded.

“Stop this ‘Ma’am’ and ‘Your Majesty’ stuff, Rebecca.”