Page 100 of A Royal Mistake

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded, raising her own voice to be heard over the rapid-fire crackling from the sky above.

“I was—”

Boom!

Henry’s words were drowned out by the thunder of the fireworks and theoohingandahhingof the crowd, who stared up at the sky, for once, not paying a bit of attention to the royals in their midst and giving them a brief moment of anonymity.

“What?” Pippa yelled, shaking her head and pointing to her ear. She couldn’t hear a blasted thing he was saying, although she kind of wanted to. Curiosity was a fickle mistress. “I can’t hear you!”

“Afraid!” he yelled, leaning in closer.

He was afraid? Of what? The Henry she knew was bold and fearless, going after the things he wanted most out of life. VDRI was a testament to his fearless nature and his drive for success.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

“What did you have to be afraid of?”

“I was afraid you’d shut me out like all the others. That you wouldn’t give me a chance if you knew the truth.” Henry flattened his lips, but determination shone in his eyes as he forged ahead, shouting to be heard over the percussive blasts that made conversation damn near impossible. “You know exactly who—”

He paused as another explosion lit up the sky.

“I am.”

Did she? It didn’t feel like it.

“I may have been born Prince Sebastian, but I’m Henry. Just Henry.” He paused as another flurry of rockets arced overhead. “Names, titles. None of it—”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

“Matters!”

Tell it to the press, because as far as they were concerned, being born royal was a headline.

“The only thing that matters—”

A rocket shrieked across the sky, its shrill whistle piercing her eardrums before it exploded with a resounding boom.

“Is that I love you!” Henry shouted, his eyes reflecting the colorful lights that shimmered overhead.

“What?” Pippa held her hand up to her ear again. She’d heard him just fine, but she wanted to hear the words again, because against all odds, they gave her a warm squishy feeling in her chest, and she wanted to grab that marshmallow goodness and hold on with both hands. She was tired of hurting and tired of missing Henry, but most of all, she was tired of doing what was expected instead of what felt right.

Maybe Henry was right. Would she have cast him aside if she’d known of his royal lineage? She didn’t want to believe it, but the truth was impossible to ignore. She’d have written him off just as easily as she had the others in her quest to prove herself.

Another series of explosions rent the air and Henry glanced up, as if waiting his turn to speak again as the sparks fizzled out.

“I said—”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

“I love you, Philippa Stanley!” The words echoed across the lawn as silence descended and thousands of eyes turned their direction.

So much for anonymity.

* * *

Bloody fucking hell.Henry could think of nothing worse than spilling his damn guts in front of hundreds—if not thousands—of strangers. No, that wasn’t true. It had been at one time, but now he knew better. Life without Pippa would be far worse than baring his soul before the Valerian court and risking the humiliation of rejection.

A rejection that would surely be printed in every tabloid the world over come morning.