Nolan kisses her cheek first and I embrace her after. She sighs and motions for her entourage to back off a little bit. They step away, giving us relative privacy.
Queen Magritte sighs and looks at her son. “You shouldn’t have approached your father like that.”
“I’m finished with him,” Nolan says.
“I can’t blame you. He was raging for hours after you left. He thinks you’re going to usurp him.”
Nolan doesn’t blink. “I am.”
His mother sighs and shakes her head. “I didn’t want it to come to this.”
Suddenly, I have a bad feeling. I glance at the stewards and the armed guard, and I suddenly don’t know why they’re there. Talk of taking over the kingship like this is dangerous, and I don’t know where the queen stands. I don’t know if she supports her son more than she supports her husband, but I suspect we’re about to find out.
“I gave him a chance,” Nolan says. “And he spat in my face.”
“He needs time.”
“He needs to understand that the old way is gone.” Nolan isn’t backing down, and I’m proud of that.
“I know,” she says slowly, making me feel slightly more at ease. “The old ways are dying, as they should. But Nolan, your father made his career in the old way. He sees Julian as an extension of his legacy.”
“I’m that extension,” Nolan says. “I’m his son.”
“No, you’re the man that might undo everything he’s done. You must see that.”
“I’m going to fix this country,” Nolan says simply.
“I know you are.” His mother smiles sadly. “But your father can’t see that.”
I glance at the guards one more time. “We’re on our way to see Julian right now,” I say to the queen.
“Good.” She nods at the guards. “Bring them with you.”
I let out a breath. So she’s here to support him, not to stop him.
“I don’t need guards,” he says.
“Yes, you do. Julian is a snake, fangs and all. Take the men.”
Nolan hesitates before finally nodding. “Very well. They can come.”
The queen gestures and the guards step forward. There are four men in full combat gear holding assault rifles.
“Follow the prince, obey his orders into death,” the queen says.
“Yes, my queen,” the men say in unison.
It’s like something from a movie and I can’t help but smile a little as nervous jitters roll through me. Nolan glances at me and smiles reassuringly.
“We’ll be back,” he says to my mother before we start off again. The soldiers follow us but the queen stays behind with her stewards, a sad look on her face, almost like she’s seeing her son finally becoming a man.
I have to hurry to keep up with Nolan. He’s walking with a grim look on his face, and he’s not slowing down. I glance back at the guards, and for the first time since we decided to confront Julian, I start to feel a little afraid.
“Are you sure this is smart?” I ask Nolan. “He might know we’re coming.”
“He knows,” Nolan says simply. “And I want him to know.”
“Nolan,” I say. “Wait a second. We should talk about this.”
“We’re done talking,” he says. “If I tell you to stay behind, will you?”
“No,” I say. “Of course not.”
“Then let’s do this together, Hazel. You and me, let’s finish this.”
I look at him for a second before grabbing his hand. “Let’s do it together.”
He grins and pulls me up against him. We walk side by side, the soldiers following up behind us, and I’m scared as hell. My heart is beating fast in my chest, but I have to trust Nolan. I have to believe that he knows what he’s doing.
We reach Julian’s office door and Nolan knocks. Nothing happens. Nolan knocks again, and again, and finally, the door swings out.
A steward gazes at us. “Lord Eder is busy,” he says.
“The prince is here and he will see us,” Nolan says.
“The lord is—“
Nolan doesn’t let the guy finish. He pushes him aside and storms into Julian’s office. I hurry after him as the surprised stewards yells for us to stop, but he doesn’t get very far, because one of the guards pushes him aside, knocking him back against a wall.
We rush into the place like we’re storming a beach. It looks like any other office building in America with a reception waiting room up front and offices in the back. We head straight toward the end of the hall, and people are poking their heads out of doors, looking confused as we walk past.