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She glances at me. “You should call Damek. I’m sure he will want to be here.”

“Are you sure?” I ask. “I don’t want to intrude on family time.”

Eden puts one hand on her hip. “Damek may not be married into the family yet, but heisfamily.”

Julien snickers. “She told you.”

Eden waves her hand. “Now, off to bed. Both of you. I will see you both early tonight.”

Julien slips his arm around me and says, “Good morning,” to Eden and Dad, then he leads me out of the room.

I take a deep breath as he shuts the door behind us. “How am I supposed to sleep tonight? I’m way too anxious.”

“Me too.” Julien rubs his hands down his face and then smiles at me. “You have no idea how happy I am, Maddie. And not just because I don’t want to be heir. I just want my older brother to come home.”

“I’m excited to meet him,” I say as we walk toward the staircase. “It always felt so weird to have an older brother that I didn’t know.”

“Lucien is going to love you,” he says echoing the words Dad told me. “He always told me that he wished for a younger sister instead of a brother.”

I grin. “I’m sure he was just messing with you.”

“Maybe.”

We head up the stairs toward our rooms. I rub my sweaty palms against my oversized sweatshirt. “I’m so nervous.”

“Don’t be.” Julien slips his arm around me. “Come on. Let’s go to bed so you can call your prince. But don’t stay up half the night.”

“I won’t.”

We pause at our doors and Julien turns to face me. “Things will be different when Lucien gets back, but I promise that it will be a good change.”

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Thank you, Julien.”

He grins. “As long as I’m still your favorite brother.”

I press my lips together not making any promises.

Julien’s mouth falls open in mock surprise. “Maddie! I’m the one who gave you your nickname. We’re besties.”

“We’ll always be besties,” I say. “You’ll always be my favoriteyoungerbrother.”

“He hasn’t even arrived and you already love him more than me. I see how it is.” He grumbles.

I grin. “Good morning, Julien.”

“Good morning, Maddie.” He opens his door and turns to me one last time. “By the way, you should warn your prince that Lucien will be interrogating him.”

I groan as Julien shuts his door behind him.

So Dad wasn’t joking about that.

18

HOMECOMING

Iwake up long before my alarm and get ready for the night. I’m too amped up to sleep. Judging by the fact that Julien, Dad, and Eden are all downstairs when I get there, I’m not the only one who woke early.

Mom left during the day. She sent me a text, telling me she was going to visit my grandpa. I think she just wanted to give the rest of us time alone.