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I grip hold of him and hug him hard. “Dad, you died. Paramedics came to the golf course and took you to the hospital. You called me and left a message. Then a friend of yours left another message, telling me you didn’t make it.”

I lean back so that I can witness that reality land on my father’s less-lined face.

His brow furrows. “Then how am I here with you? And where ishere? And who are these newfriendsof yours?” His gaze roams toward Pennie, who’s still in the pool with us, and then up to Bastien, Archie, and Remy, all watching us with unmistakable tension.

“I will answer all your questions on the road to wherever the queen lives.”

“My Lady,” Pennie murmurs in a tone of utter defeat, “please, don’t misunderstand my intention or what’s in my heart. I want Nico back. I would trade with him in a second, but…”

His words fall away and are picked up by Archie. “My Lady, the likelihood of ever getting him back… it’s just not done.”

Bastien trembles, while Remy states forcefully, “It isn’t done. Itwon’tbe done. I do not doubt your dedication and care, but the queen is a being defined by grief. She can’t be reached and those who’ve tried have lived to regret it.”

I worry my lip while simultaneously pouting and squinting angrily at nothing. That outward display conceals my inner process of scheming, bargaining, assessing, and finally plotting. Then my fact-finding glare takes the lead. “Is there a risk that the queen will hurt you guys? Because if so, I’ll need to go alone, in which case I’ll needveryspecific directions. I could seriously get lost in a room with fluorescent arrows painted on the walls and the floor, so the great unknown of Monster Land is going to be an issue.”

“You willnotgo alone, my Lady,” they proclaim as one, while Bastien smirks because he already knows we’ll never be separated.

“Gentlemen,” I say, reaching for Pennie’s hand to steady me as I move up the steps in my super soggy dress, “I need an answer. Am I risking your lives if you accompany me on my quest to meet your queen?”

Pennie and Archie send judgy and inquisitive looks toward Remy, our visiting representative of the queen, who purses his lips like a disgruntled orangutan.

I join them in pointing my snippy attitude at Remy. “You are the First Knight,Captainof the Guard, wearer of the shiniest of pants, so share already.”

“He’s a warrior andnota freaky exotic dancer,” my father mumbles while I struggle to suppress some well-earned chuckles. “I’m definitely relieved, but with that getup, who really knew?”

I bump him with my shoulder, as we now stand beside the pool, both of us dripping profusely on Pennie’s jeweled floor. “It’s something, isn’t it?” I say under my breath. “But, Dad, one thing… Remy’s notwithme, but the othersare. I know it’s a lot, but are youokay-ishwith this?”

“Honey, I prepared myself all these years to embrace whatever adventures you chose. You could have become a skydiving instructor, cruise ship ballroom dancer, or even…gasp, life as a politician. I always resolved to support you no matter what you wanted to do or who you were meant to become.”

He smiles, his eyes a little misty. “You have my support in whatever makes you happy. AndyourNico traded his life so that we could be together—so that I could see you become the princess you were always meant to be. Nico’s sacrifice proves his worthiness, and I’m sure the same is true for these other fine monsters—is that the culturally appropriate term?”

I laugh and so do my monsters. “I’ve been calling them monsters and no one has kicked me to the curb, though they don’t appear to have curbs here.”

“Wearemonsters and proud of it,” Remy says, standing more erect, while still eyeing me warily.

Okay, back to business. “Answer now, Remy—will your queen hurtmymonsters?”

Remy suddenly reminds me of my least favorite substitute teacher; his petulance is identical. “The queen follows the laws and if your monsters do the same, they are not at risk. She won’t harm you and she can’t evict you from the realm because of your connection to Bastien, so that isn’t a concern where it normally would be.”

“Okay, what’s the worst thing that can happen, other than not getting Nico back, which we aretotallygetting Nico back.”

For an annoyingly long, heavy moment, they all stare at me as though no one has the heart to tell me the truth.

I unleash a truly imperious expression, complete with raised eyebrows, and wordlessly demand the answer from my Bastien, who can’t refuse me.

“Mistress,” he says in his lulling, dear voice, “she could takeallof this. This land, Archie’s title, these jewels, all the fine things, even the castle—everythingwe wanted to share with you, to give you a life worthy of the princess you are.”

My heart beats in time with my inner power ballad. “Love is worth more than any of this. Nico is worth more than this. I don’t care if we live in Archie’s rutting shack for the rest of our lives as long as we’re together.” Then I blush because my dad is staring at me and I realize I just saidrutting shackaloud. Instead of confronting that unfortunate TMI, I just mow it down by looking intensely at Pennie, Archie, and Bastien. “Are you with me? Our family over everything else?”

Their awe fills me with a kind of pride I’ve never allowed myself to feel.

“Do you mean it, my Lady?” Archie asks, his eyes so full of emotion I’m afraid he’s going to get teary and I’ll completely lose it again.

“I mean it, more than I’ve ever meant anything. We aren’t whole without him and we’re going to get him back.” I feel a shudder working through me and Bastien crowds into me, attempting to warm what wasn’t inspired by the temperature in the cavern. “Ifeelhim. It’s like I can sense him, the way he touched me, the way his fur knew me.”

I sigh as the truth clears the adrenalin- and grief-inspired hurdles. “I’m unfinished without him and I don’t want to live that way. I’m just beginning to understand what true connection means and I’m not willing to let that go. I don’t know whether I can convince the queen to see reason, but I know I have to try. And if she doesn’t hear me, then she better hold onto her crown because I’ll snatch that thing right off her head and take over this place if that’s what it takes to get my Nico back.”

Remy appears decidedly uncomfortable with my casual talk of insurrection, but there’s something else in his eyes. Surprise maybe, but I think it leans closer to envy. Maybe he wishes someone would fight for him or maybe he’s wishing he had his own lady to love and protect. Either way, he and his shiny pants will have to find their own connection because I’ve already got four monsters to love, honor, and cherish for as long as I live.