Chapter Fifteen

Daniel

Tremblay rolls his shoulders and tries to straighten his arms. “Who would have thought being among royalty would be so…constricting?”

We stand in the corner of the giant ballroom, filled with bustling staff, meandering dignitaries, and even a string quartet playing airy music.

This is my nightmare.

“Hey,” I snarl, “at least you’re not dressed up like a Prince Ken Doll.”

He raises a brow. “How do you even know what a Prince Ken Doll looks like?”

“Eva played with dolls a lot as a kid,” I murmur, purposely leaving out that most of the time I was playing with her.

As the Prince’s official companion, Captain Tremblay is dressed to the nines in a sleek tuxedo. It’s even fancier than the suits his older brother Kevin wears for NHL press conferences. I have to admit, Tremblay cleans up nicely. He looks sleek, polished.

But I don’t even want to look at myself.

I wasn’t exaggerating to Tremblay. I look ridiculous. I’m wearing a cream shirt with a swirly pattern on it that makes it look like a silk napkin. There’s a fluffy white cravat-looking thing fastened around my neck with a diamond probably worth more than the Chicago Falcons themselves. My jacket is royal blue but lined with intricate white embroidery.

I mimic Tremblay and roll my shoulders. I guess we should come out of the corner and socialize a little. The ballroom has been transformed with table runners, candles, flowers, and lanterns, all in the Eldonian colors of royal blue and white. In fact, if I squint, I can pretend they’re the Falcons’ colors, and maybe this party is just to celebrate us winning the league championship.

Some lord taps me on the shoulder and I muddle my way through a twenty-minute conversation on funding for Eldonian farmers. He leaves, and I know hockey will never be the centre of my world ever again. It’ll be this—night after night, event after event—jumbling my way through conversations until they turn me into exactly what they need me to be.

But who I need to be just happens to be the last person I want to be.

I can’t start thinking this way. Not tonight. Tonight is the night I accept my fate. I was born to be a king.

My stomach turns and I swallow deeply, worried that I’m going to be sick. I scan the ballroom searching for wherever Tremblay slipped off to. It’s way busier in here than when we had the cocktail party, or is it just that the ladies’ giant ball gowns are taking up half the room? Lyle and his cronies are here, but mercifully he hasn’t come over to talk to me. Maybe he didn’t think I’d make it this far, but more likely, he’s hoping he’ll get to see me fail tonight. Occasionally, I’m comforted by seeing one of my teammates among the crowd, laughing and smiling with each other. Eva issued them all invitations to the ball. At least this will give them an interesting story to tell next season.

And Ma seems to be enjoying herself, way more than I thought she would. The Queen Dowager lent her a dress out of her private collection, which apparently is a huge deal. I’ve hardly even had a moment to talk to Ma—she and Coach Zabinski haven’t left the dance floor all night. Normally I would be pretty stressed out, seeing Coach Z twirling my mom around, but with all this prince stuff, I’ll have to worry about that later.

Finally, I spot Tremblay over by the refreshment table. No surprise. I wade through the sea of ballgowns and tuxes to get to him.

He gives me a sympathetic smile. “How you doing?”

“I’m alright.” Geez, by the way he’s looking at me, you’d think this was my funeral instead of a party. But I guess to someone like Tremblay, it is more like a funeral. Not being able to play hockey ever again…at least not in the same way. But I know there’s one thing my captain loves more than hockey, and that’s his family. If he was in my place, he wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice hockey for his brother or even Bell, if it came down to it.

He’s just a lucky bastard who has an NHL-playing brother instead of a princess sister.

I peer through the sea of dresses again. I know Madison and Bell are getting ready, but the party’s been going on for a while, and soon I’ll have to give my speech. And I don’t think I’ll be able to do it without Madison in the audience to ground me.

Tremblay’s hand drops from my arm, and nimble, quick, agile Captain Tremblay literally stumbles forward. I follow his gaze. Bell stands at the top of the staircase—at least I think it’s Bell. Her short dark hair is pulled back with a sparkling headband and she wears a long silver dress that resembles melted starlight.

She descends the staircase, the train of her gown trailing behind her like a shadow of moonlight. Each step is graceful, and I’m reminded of that figure skating side of her. She gives me a little smirk as she walks toward Tremblay.

“You look…I mean…” Tremblay runs a hand through his hair, completely ruining the style. “Wow.”

“Not so bad yourself, Captain,” Bell says, then looks to me. “You too, Sacs. That’s a nice color on you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter. “Where’s Madison?”

Bell nods back toward the staircase. All the air leaves me.

Madison stands at the top of the stairs, her bright eyes overlooking the crowd…which is pointedly looking at her. Because she’s impossible to ignore. She’s a vibrant light and we’re all hopeless fireflies. A flashing siren down a quiet street. A moon among stars.

She’s sparkling from head-to-toe in a champagne dress. The bust is encrusted in jewels, which trail down to her waist and then scatter like stars on a huge ruffled skirt, which nearly takes up the width of the stairs.

Before I even realize it, I’m moving toward her. I wait at the bottom of the stairs, counting my quickening heartbeats.

Wow.

Then I bow right at the waist, my hand drawn at my stomach. I’m sure Eva would tell me I’m doing it all wrong, but when I hold out my hand for Madison, the blush across her cheeks tells me it’s good enough for her.

My voice is only a whisper. “You are a vision.”

“Thank you,” she says, almost shyly.

I give her my elbow and we turn around to the ballroom. Everyone is staring at us. The lights have dimmed, but there’s one illuminated area—the dance floor.

Standing just in the light, I see Eva. She gestures vigorously with her chin to the dance floor.

The dance floor has cleared. They’re all waiting for us. Me and Madison.

No one else makes a move. It’s just going to be the two of us. Me and Madison.

“Chin up, Sacachelli,” Madison whispers to me. “Just pretend we’re on the ice.”

I follow her lead, and we walk onto the dance floor. Somehow, my hands find their way to the proper position, one on her waist, the other holding her hand. I cast a glance around us. Every set of eyes is waiting, judging.

“Hey,” Madison says, “don’t look at them. Look at me.”

She’s glimmering in all this light. Like a beacon.

I remember the first time I played in a big arena when I was a kid. I was so nervous—my whole body shook for the entire national anthem. But Ma had told me no matter what, I wasn’t to look into the crowd. I had to focus on the puck. On my team.

Focus on what matters.

I gaze at Madison. “Shall we dance?”

The music starts as soon as we fall into step. For the first few moments, I count every beat, but then muscle memory takes over. Instead of focusing on how awkward I must look, I take in the lights dazzling off the chandelier, how Madison’s dress flutters as we move, her thousand-watt smile. If only she could see herself now, more radiant than anyone in all those movies she loves so much.

The song ends and slowly, other couples meander onto the dance floor. A slower song starts and I pull her as close to me as her dress will allow. Time slips away as one song blends into another. If I get to hold her this close every time, maybe I’ll be able to endure these balls after all.

The music fades away and everyone starts leaving the dance floor. Madison drifts away, but I pull her back toward me. It’s instinctual.

Because I know she won’t be here with me. After this summer, I’ll be alone. And I want to savor every minute with her.

Her palm presses against my chest. “See, that wasn’t so bad. You’ve got some moves.”

I give her a cocky grin. “They don’t call me the ‘Eldonian Elvis’ for nothing.”

Suddenly, the lights blast to full attention and an amplified voice echoes across the ballroom.

“Welcome! Welcome!” Eva says. She stands beside the string quartet, holding a microphone. “I hope you are all having a lovely time. On behalf of myself and my family, we’d like to thank you all for coming to celebrate this special night.”

And just like that, Eva has captivated the attention of the entire ballroom. She’s dressed simply in an elegant navy dress and a long crystal necklace. I wish I could pinpoint what it is about her that makes her so darn charismatic and elegant and…royal. I guess, if I could figure that out, I wouldn’t have so much trouble myself.

The Queen Dowager stands off to the side of the quartet, clutching a crystal champagne glass so hard it might crack. She might have liked the community bash, but it’ll take a flawless speech from me tonight to seal the deal with her.

“As you know,” Eva continues, “tomorrow is the anniversary of King Harwell’s death. He was my father, and I loved him very much. But he was also the father to another—my brother, Daniel.”

A murmur hisses through the crowd and I can feel all their eyes searching for me. Eva ignores them. “The Prince has a special message for you tonight.” And then Eva gestures for me to join her on stage.

She might as well have asked me to jump off a bridge.

I take a shaky step toward my sister but feel a squeeze on my hand. I turn to Madison’s warm smile. “Good luck,” she whispers.

I squeeze her hand back and then walk to the microphone. As soon as I’m there, Eva drifts off to the side to stand with the stone-faced Queen. I’m left alone.

And now it’s impossible not to look at everyone. And I can’t see the faces of those kind people in Eldonia, or the kids playing hockey at the community bash, my own teammates, or even Ma. All I see is everyone looking up at me with Lyle Worthington’s face.

“Hello,” I mutter. I know I’m not loud enough and one old man puts a hand to his ear. “Uh, HELLO. I’m…I’m Daniel Saca—Harwell. Daniel Harwell. Well, I soon will be. That is, my father was a Harwell…the King.” My voice trails off in a pitch I haven’t heard since before puberty. I panic and turn to Eva. I’ve fucked this up already.

Eva just gestures with her hand and mouths, “KEEP GOING.”

Eva and I practiced this speech a thousand times. I can say it once to these people.

“I come before you today to make a promise,” I say. Wait, was the first line promise or pledge? It doesn’t matter—I’ve got to keep going. “A p-promise and a pledge. Both, really. To sincerely serve you — this country. That is Eldonia.”

The breath catches in my throat. This is impossible. Just breathe. That’s what Coach tells us. Just breathe. But when I open my eyes, I see all their faces gaping at me. I know what they’re thinking: Bastard prince. Imposter. What’s he doing up there?

But I have to keep going.

“So. Birthright. Which is me. Mine. I-I have a task. Which is…” I turn to my sister.

“To accept the throne. Just say: I ACCEPT THE THRONE,” she growls.

I swallow. Four little words. I can say that. I can get through this. Who cares if it’s embarrassing? I just have to say those four words.

“To…it’s to accept t-t-the—”

I can’t say it. I can’t make my mouth form those words and seal my fate. I can’t pretend that I can be a king, that these people want me as their ruler. My heart hammers and I spy the door. I should bolt—

Then I see her in the crowd. Madison.

Our eyes meet, and she holds me still. She smiles, nodding encouragingly. But I see so much more than that. She’s always been there to cheer me on, even now, after everything I’ve done. I should do this for her, to make her proud—

But then something flashes in my mind—what life would be like if I didn’t have to be a king. If I could just deserve her the way I am. I could take her to the best places to eat in Chicago, go on real dates, introduce her to Ma as my girlfriend.

Then some duke steps in front of her, and in a flash, it’s gone. My whole life. My whole future. Swallowed up by this.

My body betrays me, and I’m overwhelmed with nausea. “I—I—can’t!”

I shut my eyes and feel like I’m underwater. The other side of the world is far away. I can hear the confused voices of the crowd, Eva hissing something. It doesn’t matter.

But…something has to matter here, doesn’t it? Something has to root me to this place, to compel me to say these words. I picture Eldonia, the tomato fields, the cobblestone streets, the kind people, the kids playing hockey. Make it matter.

Suddenly, Eva’s hand is on my arm.

I open my eyes. Eva steps forward, reaching out to take the microphone from me.

“The truth is—” I bring the microphone to my face. The audience falls silent. Eva freezes. I clear my throat. “The truth is…I don’t feel like a prince. I’m just a kid from Chicago who loves to play hockey…and cook spaghetti.” There’s a couple happy murmurs through the crowd about the mention of spaghetti and it gives me the courage to carry on.

“But there’s this other part of me that I’m just beginning to understand. The part my father gave me. The royal Harwell blood that lets me stand up here in front of you all today. I’m still figuring it out, and one thing I’ve learned from playing with the Falcons—” A whoop goes up from one of my guys in the crowd. “—is that you can tackle anything if you have a great coach, a good team, and a loving family. I have all those things in Eldonia. The Queen Dowager’s knowledge and wisdom will be crucial to the future of our country. The castle staff, as well as all you lords and ladies here today, are the heart of Eldonia, and vital members of my team. And finally, your intelligent, brave, and kind princess is my baby sister. As I see Eldonia through her eyes, I feel my love for this country grow.”

The world holds its breath. I suck in a gulp of air. “And with that, I would like to declare my intent to claim my birthright—the Eldonian throne.”

It’s like that moment where the puck swishes into the net, that one single instant before the buzzer goes off and the roar of the crowd follows. That moment of blissful, victorious silence.

But instead of the roar of the crowd, my ears are filled with a steady clap. I turn to Eva. There are tears falling from her face—but she’s smiling.

I exhale.

I did it.

…

Madison

Daniel.

One second, he was stumbling through his speech. The next, he was someone else, someone with charm, charisma, grace, and honesty. He was Prince Daniel, exactly what we made him to be.

Tears spring to my eyes. He did it. He said he’d accept the throne…my job is done.

And now I’ve lost him for good.

Daniel walks away from the microphone. I have to tell him how incredible—and handsome—he looked up there. But suddenly, I’m swept away in a flurry of nobility.

“Prince Daniel, might I have a word about the tax reduction—?”

“Prince, what’s your opinion on Eldonia’s contribution to growth in the environmental—?”

“Ah, it’s the heir! You must hear about Princess Evangeline’s contributions to raising the national literacy rate—”

The smile on Daniel’s face falls clean off. A particularly burly man charges past me, knocking me clear off my feet. I fall back, but two arms grab me around the waist.

“Princess!” I gasp as Eva hoists me up. “Thanks. Wow, for once, you’re not the center of attention.”

She smirks. “A welcome surprise, I suppose.”

“It looks like Daniel could use your help, though.” He’s currently stuttering some bizarre opinions on weather patterns affecting tomato growth.

Eva wrinkles her nose. “Yes, I suppose I really should get in there.”

“Why couldn’t you have just been born a boy? That would solve everything.”

She grunts in a very unprincess-like manner. “Tell me about it. If I was king, the things I could do to grow Eldonia’s economy…”

An elderly gentleman is looking quite riled up about something, and Daniel’s face blanches.

“Please excuse me. That is the prime minister,” Eva says, and hurries over to his side. Within a moment, the prime minister has calmed and she has him laughing his head off. Damn, she’s good at this.

I spend the rest of the party giving the prince and princess of Eldonia some space. I suppose I could worm my way up there and stand beside Daniel, playing the part of the dutiful girlfriend. But as I look at him, smiling to all the nobility, I know my role is over. He doesn’t need me anymore.

I end up mingling with the Falcons, particularly Alice, whenever she gets a moment away from Hayden. Seriously, that boy hasn’t taken his eyes off her all night. Eva glides over, an icon in her slim dress. “Have you seen Dan-Dan?” she asks. “The duchess wants to talk to him about pay equality in Eldonia before she departs.”

“Before she departs?” I say slowly, and look around. Through the giant windows, I can see the sun falling below the fields. I feel like I’ve lost the last couple hours in a haze of my own mind. What’s wrong with me? I should be happy Daniel nailed his speech, shouldn’t I?

“Are you looking for Danny?” I turn to see Daniel’s mom, looking fabulous with her hair swept up and wearing a long black dress. She’s holding onto Coach Zabinski’s arm. Wow. Coach Zabinski shoots and scores.

“I saw him head out with some of the Falcons,” Coach says. “I think they were going to the courtyard to get some air.”

“Come on,” Eva says, grabbing my arm. “Let’s go find him.”

I nod, but turn back to Daniel’s mom as we leave. “Maria, you look amazing.”

She offers me a soft smile, and I feel a little better. Daniel’s mother doesn’t blame me for making Daniel throne-worthy. So why do I blame myself?

Eva and I slip from the ballroom and bolt down the hallway before she’s stopped by anyone else. Strands of hair slip from her tight bun, and I have to hoist my dress up to my knees to keep up with her.

I smile. If my life were a TV show, this would be a great shot for the title sequence.

The great mahogany door lies before us. Eldredge leans on one of the polished tables by the entranceway, almost looking like he’s about to nod off. As soon as he sees us—or rather, Eva—approach, he leaps up. “Princess!” Then he opens the palace doors wide.

Twilight in Eldonia may be the most beautiful time of day. The sky dusts the grounds with lavender. It’s almost like walking in a dream.

And making it even dreamier is the sight that greets us—there’s a group of hunky dudes in tuxes playing pick-up hockey in the courtyard.

“Really?” Eva groans. “This is where he is? What if the duchess sees this?”

I sling an arm through Eva’s. “Then you’d have to offer her a stick.”

A pile of suit jackets is tossed off to the side, and the boys all have their shirt sleeves rolled up, and their ties slung around their necks. Even Alice is here, her beautiful dress hiked up to her knees. Oh God, she’s going to completely destroy her hair, I just know it.

But I can’t spend too much time worrying about that. My eyes fall on Daniel Sacachelli, stickhandling like the total show-off he is, lacing the ball through one leg, then the other, and darting around Alice, who is completely hampered by her giant dress.

His hair falls free around his face, and he doesn’t even care. He’s got a smile so big, it could break his face in half.

“He…he really loves this, doesn’t he?” Eva says softly.

“Yeah,” I say. “Hockey is a part of what makes Daniel… Daniel.”

“Not just hockey,” she says, her voice quiet. “But his friends. His…life in Chicago.”

I look at Eva, and swear her eyes are watering. “He loves his family most of all.”

A moment passes and the lavender light shifts to indigo. “I was afraid you were going to say that,” Eva says finally. “Wait here.”

She walks back into the castle. I keep my eyes on the game, on Daniel’s face.

This is his stage. He is the star.

“Here.” Eva is back. She grabs my hand and slips a piece of paper into my fingertips. “It’s done. I just called Paula Elliot, the casting director of ‘100 Years Fallen’. She’s expecting you at the audition in September. All the information is written down on this slip of paper.” She smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “You’ve earned it.”

“Eva—” I try to say, but I can’t find the words. I suddenly feel like I’ve gone off script. “I don’t—”

“You’ve helped me more than you know,” she says. She reaches down and pulls off her high heels. Her smile is so sad. She turns away from me. “Hey, Dan-Dan! Put me in the game!”

I stand there, watching as the Princess of Eldonia runs to her big brother. He embraces her with a twirl.

Somehow, I cannot find joy in my success. The paper burns hot in my hand, and I know it will keep burning me until I tell Daniel about it.

Daniel will be the King of Eldonia, and he’ll be gone from my life without ever knowing the depth of my heart.

Xander’s words come back to me: What have you got to lose?

With a sad laugh, I realize I’ve already lost the one thing that matters most to me.

So why shouldn’t I, for once in my life, speak my mind?

I look at Daniel, his face a beacon of joy, and for once, I feel brave.

But for now, for this moment…

I snatch off my high heels and run down the stairs after Eva. “I can be goalie!”

…

Daniel

After my hockey game, I feel reborn.

I’m sure the Queen Dowager would kill us if she saw us playing street hockey in these fancy suits. And she’d probably have a mass beheading, once she saw Eva getting in on the action.

But I don’t care. I needed this. Evans had asked me if I wanted to get some air, and when we’d walked out to the courtyard, the entire team was waiting for us. The sticks, a ball, and even the nets used during the community bash were all set up.

But I’d just stared at the little “rink” we’d made. I wanted to play, but I felt guilty. I should go back in, mingle more, form opinions on Eldonia’s labor laws.

Tremblay stood beside me, watching everyone. He didn’t have to say it, but I knew what he’d say. You don’t play. I don’t play.

“I did exactly what they wanted me to,” I had said to him. “And I hated it. Every moment of it.”

“Y’know,” Tremblay said, “one bad period doesn’t equal a bad game.”

“Turning into your big brother?”

Tremblay stuck a stick in my hand. “What you gonna do about it?”

And I had played with my team.

Maybe Tremblay’s right. It might be bad now, but it could get better. I could get better.

And I have to do it for my team. For Eva.

“That was quite a game, Dan-Dan,” Eva comes up to me and says after the game. Her cheeks are rosy and her hair has actually fallen loose for once.

I can’t believe she just played hockey with me.

“You weren’t terrible,” I laugh. “Once I start the National Eldonian Hockey League, you’ll have lots of time to practice.”

Eva gives a snort. “I’ll pass, thanks.”

“Tomorrow’s the big day,” I say. The words feel heavy. “My coronation.”

Eva stops at the top of the stairs overlooking the courtyard and Eldonia beyond. The town twinkles with yellow lights, and the long fields look like a deep blue ocean.

“Why are you doing this, Daniel?” she asks. “Is it really because you want to be a king or because you love Eldonia?”

I step closer to my sister. “Neither,” I say, never surer of anything in my life. “It’s because I love you.”

Eva looks down, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say it was because she was crying. But Eva doesn’t get sentimental about this sort of stuff. She wraps her arms around my waist. “I love you more.”