He swallowed. “Here’s the thing, though. Illegitimate children of a royal family member are not allowed to live.”
“What? Why?”
“I think because they might cause a threat to the royal line. Civil war or political unrest does no one any good. Even now, look at the trouble Marid has made. So in the past we eliminated those threats as soon as they were discovered.” He said all this coldly, disconnected in a way.
“So did you kill her?”
He smiled to himself. “No. I was enchanted with her the moment I laid eyes her. She was just a child, and she had no idea who her father was. It wasn’t her fault she’d been born half royal. So I took her away from her mother, kept her near me, and have been protecting her ever since.”
He finally risked meeting my eyes.
“Lady Brice?” I asked.
“Lady Brice.”
I didn’t know what to say. I had another aunt. And she’d done as much for me as anyone else in my family recently. More than some, really. I was indebted to her.
“I feel bad keeping her in the shadows,” he admitted.
“I know. If she has royal blood, I feel like she deserves more.”
“It’s not possible. And she understands that. She’s thankful enough to be here,” he answered. And though we both knew the truth of it, I could see we didn’t agree that it was satisfactory. “So you see, I have committed treason every single day for the last twenty years. Your mother has, your brother has. I dare say Kaden might be the only one who makes it out without ever breaking a rule.”
I smiled at the truth to that, dreading just how many Osten would destroy.
“Break the stupid rule, Eadlyn. Marry the man you love. If he’s good enough for you to approve of, then I certainly do. And if the people don’t, that can be their problem. Because who are you?”
“I’m Eadlyn Schreave, and no one in the world is as powerful as me,” I blurted without thought.
He nodded. “Damn right you are.”
The producer burst through the door. “Thank goodness! You have ten seconds. Run!”
CHAPTER 34
I BOLTED INTO THE ROOM, searching for Eikko. I couldn’t see him through the throng of people who’d been scurrying around hunting for me.
I tripped onto the stage as the light on the camera turned red, and I brushed my hair out of my face as I began speaking with absolutely no idea where my words would take me.
“Good evening, Illéa.” I broke all the rules I’d learned about public speaking. My posture was atrocious, my tone was uneven, and I didn’t bother looking into the camera because I was too busy searching for Eikko. “We have a bit of a surprise for you tonight. On this special edition of the Report, I have an important announcement.”
Finally I spotted him, half tucked behind Henri.
“Please join me in welcoming Mr. Eikko Koskinen to the stage.”
The room applauded, and I stood there hoping he’d brave the cameras for me. Eikko swallowed and straightened his tie as Henri patted his back, urging him to move.
I took his hand and invited him to stand beside me, feeling a little light-headed and worried that he may be feeling the same way.
“Some of you might remember this gentleman from a Report a few weeks ago. He is Sir Henri’s translator, and since his arrival at the palace, he has proven himself intelligent, kind, honorable, funny, and a dozen other things I didn’t realize I wanted until I saw them in him.” I looked over, and something about his expression, the hopefulness in his eyes, calmed me. I forgot about the cameras. “As such, I’ve fallen hopelessly in love with him.”
“And I with you,” he answered so quietly, no one may have even noticed.
“Eikko Petteri Koskinen, would you do me the extraordinary honor of becoming my husband?”
He let out one beautiful, disbelieving laugh, and the world stood still. There was no falling to knees or scrambling for rings. It was just him and me.
And millions of people watching.
He turned, and I followed his eyes, knowing he was looking for Henri. His friend stood there waving his hands and mouthing yes exaggeratedly, wild-eyed.
“Yes,” Eikko finally said, laughing as he answered.
I flew at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. I was vaguely aware of applause and whistles, but the joyful pounding of my heart drowned out most of it.
A corner of my mind told me I should be worried about how the country might react, how things would unfold after tonight. But the rest of me silenced that worry, and I knew, with pure and perfect certainty, that I’d found my soul mate.
I pulled back to look at him, indescribably happy.