Chapter 39

Callum

Uther’s men recover the kidnappers from the treasure room, and on the day that Flora is crowned queen in a ceremony with triple the security, a judge sentences them to forty years in prison.

Flora has promised to ask for a pardon after ten, but we’ll have that discussion later.

As for our wedding, we first approach the queen to ask for her blessing.

Over breakfast with the three of us, the queen comments, “I can hardly deny my blessing to a sitting monarch, can I?” She taps on her hard-boiled egg, her face blank.

Flora looks at me, and I encourage her to keep going.

“Thank you. So much, Mother. This means the world to us.”

“I know,” is the Dowager Queen’s bland reply.

“And we hope you’ll be at the wedding. We’ll be lighting a candle and leaving space for … those who have passed.”

“How sweet,” says the queen. “I suppose it’s a good thing my husband is dead, or you’d be fired rather than marrying our daughter.”

This is not going as well as we’d hoped.

Perhaps now is not the best time to bring up what Flora and I have been discussing regarding the future of the palace and the monarchy in general.

However, Flora finds this a good time to be brave.

“I’ve been thinking, Mother.”

“That’s a start,” says my future mother-in-law, sipping her tea.

Gods, what an awful woman.

I open my mouth, but Flora gives me the subtlest shake of her head. She doesn’t need me to defend her right this second.

I fight back the urge to correct the Dowager Queen. I have to remember that I’m a grown man now, and she’s family. I’m to take care of her now that her husband is gone, and it would be best if I stayed on her good side.

“Anyway,” Flora continues. “We’ve been doing some research, and we’ve made some discoveries when it comes to the treasure we found.”

“Treasure Flora found,” I correct.

At the word “treasure,” the queen finally seems interested.

She aims her icy gaze at me. “I hope you don’t think all of that gold and the gems go into your pocket. Just because it has the Black name attached doesn’t give you the right. Those are historical artifacts.”

My heart pounds in anger, but I bite my tongue for the sake of my future wife.

“You’re right that those are historical artifacts, and we think it would be a good idea to start some sort of museum to display them for the public,” Flora says. “Along with an exhibit that explains the real history of Gravenland. Before we were colonized. Educating the public about the ancient times, when the island was divided into several independent states run by different families. We never had one ruling family until after we gained independence.”

The Dowager Queen sniffs. “Pity you didn’t have such a zeal for history while in school. You could have gone to university and been married to a noble by now.”

Flora reaches for my hand. I take it, offering her my silent support.

“I am marrying an honorary noble. And if that wasn’t the case, he’s the most honorable man I’ve ever met. I wish you could see that.”

The queen is silent. Flora’s throat bobs.

“And there’s still more to discuss,” she goes on.

The queen sighs. “There always is.”

Her eyes blinking with emotion, Flora says, “Mother, we’ve always been handed everything we’ve ever needed. You and I have never struggled for anything. Meanwhile, many of the kingdom’s citizens do struggle, yet they’ve never wavered in their support for the monarchy, with as little actual power as we have. I think the least we could do is tell them the truth. First, about Callum’s ancestors. They weren’t pirates at all, not in the way we were taught as children. Bird Eye Black was trying to reclaim what belonged to our ancestors—the riches being taken from us.

“And finally, Mother, after the wedding, Callum and I will reside at his cottage, not at the palace.”

The Dowager Queen frowns at this. “But don’t you like living in the palace?”

Flora winces. “I love you, Mother. But this palace has been my prison long enough. This place belongs to the people and to history, and not to one family.”

The Dowager Queen waits for one of the kitchen maids to finish pouring more tea. She picks up her cup and says stiffly, “The commoners have stolen everything from me. Soon, they’ll be coming for the crown from my very head.”

“Mother, don’t be so dramatic.”

My heart softens toward the Dowager Queen. I know she’s hurting. I know this is not how she hoped her life would turn out.

She’s a harsh woman, but I sympathize with her grief.

“Your Majesty,” I tell her, covering her hand with mine. “I know it doesn’t mean much right now. But I’ll be taking care of you as well as your daughter. We may make some changes to the palace and the palace grounds. But your lifestyle, as you know, won’t change. You have my word.”

She looks up at me with sad eyes. “It’s already changed. Too much.”

Flora rises from her chair and comes around the table, kneeling at her mother’s side. “You can choose something better. Get to know your daughters and son-in-law. Be a grandmother. Talk to Torben. Take to Etienne?—”

The queen waves her off.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to change out of my mourning clothes and take a vacation.”

She makes her way toward the door.

“Where are you going on vacation, Mother?” Flora asks.

“I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll take a long-overdue lover. I’m owed one.”

Worry clouds my queen’s face. “You will be fine, and so will she. You ensured my father was well cared for up until the end. Your family has been my family for as long as I can remember. Until I die, I’ll look after your mother and the Haart legacy. You can count on it.”

Flora blows out a slow breath. “What would I do without you?”

“Have a lot fewer complications, I reckon, Your Majesty.”

My Queen shakes her head, then wheezes a laugh.

“We Haarts always do the opposite of what everyone expects of us, don’t we?”

But all of that is behind us.

Now, we have a wedding to plan.