A/N: Just for you, my faithful readers, I've added a fun extra scene to the beginning of this chapter. This scene has been playing in my head for AGES, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

"How long is this flight, anyway?" I asked as we settled into the private jet's cushy leather seats.

"Uggh," Maxwell groaned, flopping into the seat next to me, "Too long!"

Justin gave a small smile as he pulled out his phone. After a few swipes, he gave me a proper answer. "Should be under eleven hours, if weather conditions are favorable."

"Eleven HOURS?" I whined. "Dang, that's a long flight!"

"We'll have to find some way to pass the time," Maxwell said. "Like...a DANCE PAAARRRRTY!" He jumped out of his seat and hit a button on his phone, and instantly, poppy dance music started blasting. He started moving to the music, and pulled me out of my seat to join him. I laughed, and started dancing, jumping up and down and pumping my arm as I sang the chorus.

After a few songs, I was beat, and the plane had just taken off. I sank into a seat and Maxwell grabbed me a water bottle, dancing to the wet bar and back. "Thanks," I shouted, and he turned the music down to a more reasonable volume.

"You're welcome," he grinned. He sat in the seat next to me, and his grin faded. "How are you, Riley? We haven't had a chance to talk much lately."

I nodded as I sipped my water. "I know, things have been so busy. I assume you're caught up on the latest, though?"

"Constantine and Bastien? Yeah. I still can't believe it."

"Me either. I feel terrible for Liam and Drake, though. They're gutted."

Maxwell smiled a little, but didn't say anything until I prompted him. "It's just...it's sweet that you're so concerned about your friends. If I were in your position, I'd be thinking of nothing but my own feelings."

"I highly doubt that, Maxwell." We were silent for a while, listening to the soft sounds of dance music still playing from Maxwell's phone. Then, Taylor Swift's Shake It Off came on, and I grinned widely.

"Turn it up, Maxwell! This is my jam!"

He did, and I started lip-syncing the lyrics. Maxwell mirrored my smile, and pulled me up so we could dance along as I continued my performance.

"Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
Shake it off, shake it off!"

I used my water bottle as a microphone, and danced over to Justin, who looked up with an amused grin from whatever he had been working on. I shook my free hand at him like I was dusting off the haters. Then I went back and danced near Maxwell, who was in the middle of some rather impressive breakdancing despite the mild turbulence of the plane.

When we got to the part of the song where Taylor "raps," I turned back to Justin as my audience of one. "Hey, hey, hey," I mouthed along, pointing a finger dramatically at him. "Just think, while you've been getting down about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world, you could have been getting down to this. Sick. Beat." I threw my water bottle away from me with a dramatic flourish and held my arms wide, gesturing with my hands as I gave it my all. "My ex man brought his new girlfriend, she's like-" and here, I pointed at Maxwell, who dutifully lip-synced Oh my god. I continued, "But I'm just gonna shake it. To the fella over there," I pointed at Justin with a smile, "With the hella good hair. Won't you come on over baby," I gave him the come here finger gesture, "And we can shake...shake...shake." I shook my hips to the last words, and Justin actually put down his phone and stood up, placing his hand on my hips and moving with me for a couple of beats until I pushed him away to do the long "Ooooohhhhhh-ohhhh-ohhhhhhhhhh" scream-y part. We all danced like crazy people for the last part of the song, and at the end, I did a silly low curtsy like Taylor did in the music video, while Justin and Maxwell both collapsed into their chairs, laughing.

"Okay," Justin said, taking off his glasses to wipe his eyes. "That was the most fun I've had in a long time."

Maxwell turned the music back down, and agreed. "That was amazing, Riley."

I pulled myself off the floor and sank into my seat again. "That was so fun, thanks guys."

Justin glanced at his phone again and said wryly, "And there's only...ten hours and twenty minutes til Shanghai."

"Are we there yet?"

I rolled my eyes. "Maxwell, you've been asking that for the last ten hours."

"I'm excited! Hana's parents are pulling out all the stops for this visit!"

"They must take hosting the Cordonian court pretty seriously."

"I can't wait to meet them. If they're anything like Hana, we'll be best friends in no time!"

I scowled a little. "Actually, from Hana's told me, they sound...pretty intense."

"Yeah," Maxwell frowned. "I guess that makes sense. I mean, everyone who comes to court has been through their share of tutors, but her parents really take being over-prepared to the next level."

"I know you've heard a lot about Hana's parents as, well, parents," Justin joined in, ever the voice of reason. "But there's more to them than that. It's time to think of them as potential allies. If you want to be queen someday, you'll need connections and allies far and wide. Hana's mother belongs to a minor Cordonian noble house, and her father's an obscenely wealthy businessman. Though," he paused thoughtfully. "Word around court is that her mother will be out of town for the festivities, so we'll focus on Hana's dad."

"I'm not sure I've made the best first impression on either of her parents so far," I said with a frown. The only exposure they've had to me directly was when I was egging Hana on from the sidelines during a phone conversation, where I encouraged her to tell them off for being too intense and controlling. But, I had to do something to turn things around on this trip. And not just for my sake, either. Hana loved her parents, in spite of their flaws, and I didn't want to cause tension in her family. I thought for a minute. "But I bet I can convince her dad I'm a good investment."

Justin smiled approvingly. "I might have to steal that metaphor." Just as quickly, his face grew serious and he leaned in towards me. "He's likely well-aware of the story the press has spun about you, so he may have concerns about your influence on Hana. Furthermore, given his business ties to Cordonia, I'm sure he's planning to suss out various nobles for future business deals. If you can win him over on those two fronts, you'll be golden. And, as far as introductions go, it can't hurt to greet him in Chinese."

"Okay," I said with a nod. "And to do that...I say..."

"Ni hao, Mr. Lee."

I repeated the words a few times to make sure they stuck in my head. "Did you learn that just for this part of the engagement tour?" I asked Justin.

"Oh, I can say hello in about twenty different languages. All part of the job."

I nodded appreciatively. "Alright, so I just have to impress Hana's dad, and confront Constantine about setting me up...if I ever get the chance."

"There's supposed to be a big stately dinner tonight," Maxwell informed me. "And the former King and Queen are scheduled to go."

Just then, the overhead lights turned on. We felt the plane's trajectory slowly beginning to shift. Maxwell peered out the window, his eyes wide. "Is that...Land hooooooooo!" He shouted excitedly.

As we disembarked, Maxwell dropped to his knees and put his hands out on the tarmac. "Oh, ground, how I've missed you," he said, and I was surprised he didn't kiss the pavement for good measure.

After a short cab ride, we arrived at a fancy hotel in the center of Shanghai. A beaming, familiar face was waiting for us in the lobby. "Welcome to Shanghai!" Hana said proudly. She rushed up to me and wrapped me in a bear hug. "I'm sorry I couldn't fly over with you both, but I promised I'd get here early to help my father with the preparations."

"How's that going?" I asked.

"The preparations couldn't be going more smoothly. Things with my father..." she frowned. "Well, not much has changed."

"Aww, Hana. No matter what happens, just remember, I'm right here with you the whole time. Just stick close to me and I'll back you up."

"And I'll be behind Riley backing her up. And you by proxy!" Maxwell added.

"Thanks, guys. I hope it's enough. My parents are really counting on me to make things work at court."

"Hey, don't worry," Maxwell assured her. "This is going to be awesome!" He jumped in the air, kicking and punching at the same time.

"Is he a little more hyper than usual?" Hana asked me quietly.

"I barely slept on the flight but somehow I'm super awake!" Maxwell answered, his eyes scarily wide.

"Someone's going to crash hard later," I said.

"That may be so," Maxwell said, "But right now I feel alive! Come on, Hana, take a page from the Maxwell Beaumont lifestyle book."

"An upcoming best seller," I told Hana as Maxwell attempted parkour on a coffee table in the lobby sitting area.

Just then, Justin walked up. "Hey team, I'm back! Our accommodations are all set."

"Time for a pillow fort!" Maxwell decided, running towards the elevators, and then having to run back to find out what room he was in.

Hana and I laughed and followed slowly behind. She accompanied me to my room where I unpacked a few things from my suitcase, then stood at the balcony doors, admiring Shanghai's coastline. "Wow," I said, "So this is where you grew up?"

"Yes!" Hana said, stepping up next to me. "Well, not right here. Closer to the big financial district. But my parents have lived in Shanghai since I was born. My dad loves it here."

"Any advice on how to win him over?" I asked, stepping back into the room and sitting on my bed.

"Are you worried about meeting him?"

"Well, you're my best friend, I want your parents to like me. And, I know I'm not his favorite person in the world right now."

She frowned. "Honestly, he's had some...mixed feelings about me being around you." I nodded as she continued. "I really hope that meeting you in person will change his mind."

"So, what do you think? Should I play the polite noblewoman?" I sat up straight on the bed, my legs dangling off the edge, and crossed my legs at the ankles. I folded my hands in my lap and set a tight smile on my lips, channeling my inner Madeleine.

Hana giggled and pushed my shoulder until I relaxed my posture. "I just want him to get to know my best friend. He's met plenty of noblewomen, but I don't think he's ever met anyone as kind and thoughtful and funny as you."

"High praise," I smiled. "I hope he agrees with you. Will your dad be meeting us later?"

"Yes. He's really excited to show the royal family our local nature reserve. We should head over there soon."

"I guess I should find something nice to wear..."

After getting ready, we made our way to the lobby. Maxwell was waiting, a coffee in hand. "I drank a whole pot of coffee to help with the jet lag," he explained.

I laughed. "Let's get out of here and give Maxwell a chance to run around."

We took a taxi to a nature reserve outside of the city. The entrance to the reserve was a towering grove of bamboo. We walked down the narrow path in between stalks, and met Drake at the back of the crowd of noblemen and women. "I thought you'd never make it," he said as he saw us.

"Looks like we're just in time," I said, noticing Liam and Madeleine step out at the front of the crowd. We all turned our attention to them.

"It's a great honor to be granted a tour of this sanctuary," Liam said. "I hope this visit will help inspire Cordonia's own conservation efforts. Now if you'll all follow our hosts..." he turned, nodding respectfully to a group of staff members in matching slacks and polo shirts. A man in a suit, standing in front of them, bowed to Liam. Slowly, the group moved forwards into the forest of bamboo.

"I swear, none of the bamboo looked this tall from the outside," Drake said, craning his neck up to glimpse the top of the tall stalks.

"This place would make even Bertrand feel chill," Maxwell said, looking around with a serene expression.

"Where is Bertrand, anyway?" Hana asked. "I thought he'd be on the plane with you."

"The last time I saw him was at Liam's bachelor party," Maxwell said with a frown. "He texted me to say he was going to talk to Savannah, but since then...radio silence."

"What if Savannah didn't want to see him?" I asked.

Drake chimed in, frowning. "I called her to warn her. After I exploded on Bertrand at the party."

"What did she say?"

"She wasn't mad. She just...got quiet. And said that she shouldv'e told Bertrand a long time ago, so in a way she was glad I'd done it. I hope I didn't make things worse."

"I bet it'll all work out just fine!" Maxwell said, clapping Drake on the shoulder.

Drake shrugged away from Maxwell's grip. "Right, because you're such a great judge of-"

"Dad!" Hana cut Drake off, seeing her father approaching our group. I followed her gaze to see the man in the suit from earlier.

"Ah," he said, "There you are."

"Everyone, this is my father, Xinghai Lee," Hana said, taking her father's arm as she introduced him.

"Ni hao, Mr. Lee," I said with a curtsy.

He smiled and replied, "Ni hao." He looked at each of my friends in turn. "You must be Drake...Lord Maxwell, and...Lady Riley." His smile disappeared as he looked to me again. "You know, Lady Riley, I've heard a great deal about you from my daughter...and from the tabloids. Hardly ideal to have one's name in such publications."

"Honestly, paying attention to them just adds fuel to the fire," I said.

"An interesting strategy. You devalue the rumors by refusing to grant them a response." He nodded, carefully considering my words. "I've used similar tactics on occasion when false claims were pressed against my business. I didn't expect you to have such a mind for public relations."

"It's more like basic fire safety," I said with a smile.

"However," Xinghai continued, "It's clear you have enemies. I worry that my daughter's association with you puts her at risk. The scandal may affect her reputation just as much as yours."

I nodded. I had worried about this myself, though Hana never seemed concerned. "Mr. Lee, if Hana asks me to give her space, I will. I'd never do anything to hurt her, or her reputation."

"Oh, Riley, I'd never ask you to do that!" Hana gasped. Her father, however, seemed happy with my response.

"That's very considerate of you," he said. "I'm glad to hear that you have my daughter's best interests at heart. Perhaps she should follow your example."

As we continued walking, we heard delighted laughter up ahead. When we reached the spot where it was coming from, we saw two adorable baby pandas inside a small enclosure. Eyes alight, Maxwell darted ahead of us to watch as Liam cuddled one of the fluffy cubs. The other one pawed at Liam's shoe, pulling his shoestring with its teeth.

"Riley," Maxwell said, reaching a hand out towards me, not taking his eyes from the pandas. "I think I'm dead. Our plane must've crashed on the way here. I am in heaven. Panda heaven."

Xinghai stepped up beside us. "Remarkable, aren't they?"

"They're adorable!" Hana said with a squeal. "Can we go inside, too, father? Please?"

He considered this for a moment. "Hmm. Ordinarily the staff doesn't allow many visitors. They made an exception for King Liam, but...I might be able to convince them to make another exception."

Hana beamed and turned to me. My eyes were wide. "That would be amazing!"

"Uh, they are panda bears, right? Couldn't that be dangerous?" Drake asked with a wary look at the pandas.

We all watched as one of the babies swiped at Liam's pant leg, missed, and rolled into a somersault across the ground.

"Oh, yeah," I drawled, "They're fierce, Drake." The cub came to a stop next to a sprig of bamboo and immediately started chewing on it, undisturbed by its surprise tumble.

"Come on," Maxwell said, dragging me towards the enclosure with Hana and Drake close behind.

Xinghai stepped away to confer with a pair of khaki-clad staff members. A minute later, he returned, smiling. "You can all join King Liam and the cubs," he said.

"Thank you, father!" Hana said, wrapping her arms around her father and planting a kiss on his cheek.

One of the staff members unlocked the enclosure gate and handed blue gloves and smocks to each of us. As we all put on our protective gear, Liam waved us over.

"Everyone," he said with a smile, "I'd like you to meet Yue Yue and her brother, Yang Yang."

"Heh," I chuckled, reaching down to pet the little boy cub. "My sister had a stuffed panda named Yang Yang when she was little."

"Aww," Hana said, "You should take a picture for her!"

I pursed my lips. "I don't want to startle him," I said, though the real reason I was dubious was that I hadn't talked to my sister in months. Her and my family weren't the most supportive of my time in Cordonia, especially after the news started smearing my name (the family name, my father was always quick to say).

"I've never seen anything cuter in my entire life," Maxwell said, saving me from further questioning. "This is the Best. Day. EVER." He scooped up Yue Yue and held her close, scratching her belly as she made soft cooing noises.

As Maxwell snuggled Yue Yue, I looked back to Yang Yang, who seemed a little sad. His ears were down, and he was sitting forlornly by himself to the side of the enclosure. "Poor little guy," I said, "What's wrong?"

Liam stepped up next to me. "He's probably hungry. One of the tour guides was saying that they eat for hours every day."

"Living the dream," Maxwell said, setting Yue Yue down and joining us.

I snapped off a few small stalks of bamboo and carefully approached Yang Yang. Crouching low to the ground, I held out the bamboo. Instantly, he perked up, taking the bamboo in his paws and munching away happily.

"Here, Yue Yue," Hana said, "Some bamboo for you, too." She had fastened a crown out of woven bamboo strips, which she placed gently on the girl cub's head. I gave an aww as Yue Yue sat still for a second, looking like Queen of the Bamboo Forests. Then, she batted the crown off her head and started eating it. We laughed.

"It was cute while it lasted," I said.

As my friends all continued playing with the cubs, I took a step back, watching the whole scene with delight. One of the cubs tried climbing up Drake's leg, while he looked down, horrified. He was only saved when Hana plucked the bear off Drake's pants and placed it in his arms. Drake held the cub the way he had held Bartie a few days prior, and quickly passed it off to Maxwell.

Meanwhile, Liam sidled up to me. "Lady Riley," he said with a bow of the head. "I hope your first day in Shanghai has been as lovely as you are."

"I mean, I'm exhausted, but...baby pandas. It's amazing. I'm not sure we'll be able to get Maxwell to leave."

"I'm glad the reserve's staff let you all join me. The right company can improve any experience."

"Madeleine didn't want to cuddle the pandas with you?"

Liam stifled a laugh, but it came out as a snort. "She was a little more worried about keeping her dress pristine."

"Well, it is designer," I said with a hint of humor. Glancing around, no one was paying attention to us; the rest of the court had moved on to another part of the preserve, and all our friends were busy with the pandas. I subtly reached over and took Liam's hand in mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad I got to be here with you, instead."

"Me too. I'm always grateful for these quiet moments with you. I just wish they were easier to arrange."

"So do I."

After a few more minutes of playing, the pandas started to yawn, which was ridiculously adorable. But Liam saw it as a sign that we had overstayed our welcome. We exited the enclosure, stripping off our smocks and gloves. Maxwell looked longingly back towards the pen. We basically had to drag him to rejoin the group. Xinghai greeted us warmly as he saw us return. "What did you think of the pandas?" he asked.

"That was an incredible experience," Liam said.

"My life has been forever changed," Maxwell agreed.

"They were pretty cute," Drake said, "For glorified balls of fluff."

"It was unforgettable. Thank you, Mr. Lee," I said. He smiled at me.

"I'm always glad when visitors appreciate the wonder of such creatures."

"You seem very at home here," I commented.

"I'm one of the reserve's chief investors. I contribute to many non-profit organizations, but this reserve is something of a passion project for me. I like to keep an eye on it." He went on to tell us a story of an adorable six-year-old Hana meeting pandas for the first time.

"That's so sweet!" I said, smiling at a blushing Hana. As we neared the entrance to the reserve, Mr. Lee excused himself from us so he could finalize preparations for dinner. As soon as he was gone, I turned to Hana, looking at her expectantly. "So? How do you think that went?"

"Oh, Riley, he loved you!"

"Really, you're not just saying that?"

"Not at all, it was obvious! He was scrutinizing you very closely, but I really think you impressed him."

"That's great and all," Drake interrupted, "But someone said something about dinner? I'm starving."

I rolled my eyes at him, but Hana smiled and said the royal motorcade was leaving soon for the restaurant. We all piled into our separate cars and headed to dinner. Once we arrived at the restaurant, a waiter ushered Maxwell, Hana, Drake, and I to a table. Liam and Madeleine were already there, seated at the front of the room, and beside them were King Father Constantine and Queen Mother Regina. I took a deep breath and caught Liam's eye for a meaningful second.

As I settled in for dinner, Olivia approached, taking the last empty chair at our table. "I should've guessed Madeleine would seat me with all of you," she said derisively.

"Olivia, that's because we're friends!" I said with a smile I knew would annoy her.

"Excuse me?"

"Come on," I said, placing my napkin in my lap with a flourish. "You've helped us a lot with this investigation. We have a common goal. Besides, haven't you ever heard that the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Let's just enjoy dinner together."

"I...suppose I've survived worse meals," Olivia said, fighting a smile.

"Speaking of meals," Drake said, looking around hungrily. "When is the food coming, anyway?" As if on cue, the waiters began bringing out the first course, and we all tucked in.

During dinner, I kept sneaking glances at Liam. Finally, during the last course, I locked eyes with him and he nodded subtly before turning to his father and whispering something. A moment later, they both rose from their seats and headed down a narrow hallway. I leaned in to my table, whispering, "I need you all to hold down the fort. I'm going to follow Liam and the King Father."

"What? Why?" Olivia asked.

"Maxwell can fill you in. Just stay here and act like everything's normal."

I got nods of confirmation from everyone, except Olivia, who was still looking confused and frustrated at being out of the loop. I hurried off after Liam.

"So," I heard Constantine say as I approached. "What was this urgent matter you were telling me about, Liam? Urgent enough to interrupt our meal."

"The matter is," Liam said, glancing back over Constantine's shoulder and seeing me. "This." He nodded at me, and I stepped forward so Constantine could see me.

"Lady Riley?" he asked with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

I took a deep breath, looking at Liam one last time for courage. "I'm here to make you face what you did to me."

There was a thick silence after I spoke. Finally, Constantine started to speak, but quickly broke off, coughing. Liam took a half-step towards his father, but Constantine cleared his throat and held up a hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said to me at last.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to judge his sincerity. "Oh really?"

Constantine looked to his son. "Liam, really, what is the-" he started coughing again, collapsing against a nearby wall. His face was pale, and he clutched at his chest.

"Father?" Liam rushed to Constantine's side.

"Can't...breathe..." Constantine gasped.

"Oh my god!" I yelped. "I'll go get help!"

Before I could move, Regina appeared in the doorway, rushing towards the King Father with a group of guards. "Get him to a hospital at once," she ordered. As the guards carried Constantine away, Regina rounded on me with an angry, determined expression. "You're not to say a word of this to anyone, Lady Riley. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "What's wrong with him? Will he be okay?"

"That's none of your-"

Liam cut her off. "There's no time. She's coming with us."

Together with Liam and Regina, I rode in uncomfortable silence to a nearby hospital. We sat in a private waiting room in a quiet wing of the building, reserved for VIP patients. Soon after we arrived, a nurse led Regina away. I looked to Liam, but he was staring intently at the ground, so I didn't speak. It was a superhuman feat of self-control, but I was willing to wait to find out what was happening, if that's what Liam wanted.

After what felt like hours and yet like no time at all, a doctor stepped into the waiting room and called Liam over. They whispered for a moment, and then Liam turned to me. He looked so tired. "My father is stable, for now," he said. "The staff will let us see him."

"You want to talk to him...about me? Now? Are you sure?"

"If not now...I don't know when we'll have another chance."

I nodded and took his hand, letting Liam lead me into a private hospital room. Constantine lay on a bed, a cannula in his nose. In the flimsy hospital gown, he looked old and frail, nothing like the King I had met at the beginning of the social season. He turned to us as we entered.

"Liam," he wheezed. "You didn't have to come."

"But I did, Father. I'm sorry."

I stepped out of Liam's shadow so Constantine would see that I was there as well.

"Lady Riley," he said, his voice more worried than before. "You shouldn't be here."

"Yes, she should," Liam said firmly.

"Your majesty," I said, breathing deeply and clutching Liam's hand. "Are you alright?"

Constantine tried brushing me off, but Liam insisted he tell me the truth about his situation. "The truth is," Constantine told me at last, "I'm dying." He took a ragged breath through the cannula. "I have an extremely aggressive form of lung cancer. Assuming my condition doesn't worsen, I'm scheduled for surgery in several weeks. It may buy me a few months, but my days will still be numbered."

I looked at Liam, who was displaying the sort of careful calm I knew meant he was hiding a storm of tumultuous feelings. "I'm so sorry," I said, half to Liam and half to Constantine. Liam looked at me gravely and urged me to continue. I sighed. "I am here for another reason, though. I know this is a terrible time, but it's the first chance I've had to talk with you. I know you set me up. I know about Bastien, and Penelope. Tariq, the photos. But what I don't understand is why."

"We need answers, Father," Liam begged.

Constantine looked away for a moment, then back at me with steely determination. "Very well," he said. "After my diagnosis, once my health began to decline, I knew I would be unable to rule much longer."

"That's why you abdicated in the middle of the social season," I said.

"Yes. I only told my children and my wife the real reason, though my illness came as a shock to them, too. I was hoping not to place this burden upon you so soon, Liam." He looked at his son, and his expression softened into one of loving concern. "These are difficult times for Cordonia. We've always had our share of enemies, but throughout my reign, I've seen them grow bolder and bolder."

"What kind of enemies?" I asked.

"If they were easy to name, it would be a simpler matter to deal with them. Suffice it to say there are those who envy Cordonia's prosperity, and they aren't afraid to use violence to undermine us."

"Drake mentioned that while he was in college, there was an assassination attempt on the entire royal family."

"Yes, and that wasn't the first," Liam said, gripping my hand tightly.

"You mean, your mother."

He nodded. Constantine continued his story. "Once I realized I could not be there to help Liam face such threats, I...I had to secure Cordonia's future."

"By ruining my reputation?" I spat.

"It was obvious how Liam felt about you. Given the choice, I knew he would ask you to be his queen. I must admit, you impressed me. I had low expectations for such a newcomer at court, but you've proven to be resilient and intelligent. Still, you could not compete with Madeleine. Thanks to her former betrothal to Liam's brother, she's spent years preparing to be queen. Your inexperience could have been seen as weakness. And weakness, even in appearance...especially in appearance, is fatal. I've lost so much to our kingdom's enemies, and when I am gone, there will be no one left to protect my son from those same enemies. One wrong step, and Liam could lose his kingdom, or even his life. Madeleine was my best hope of keeping him, and Cordonia, safe. So, I took steps to ensure that he would choose her instead of you."

"And you blackmailed Olivia to keep her out of the running, too?" I asked.

"Yes. She is far too rash to ever sit upon the throne."

I shook my head. "Yet you didn't trust Liam to come to that conclusion on his own." Anger welled up inside me, not just for the injustice done to me, and to Olivia, but also to the injustice done to Liam. "I can't believe you would put your own son through this!" I shouted, loudly enough to make everyone in the room jump. "You ruined my name, tried to tear me away from Liam and my friends, but that isn't even the worst part. You would've forced your son to marry a woman he doesn't love, just because you think you get to decide what's best for Cordonia. What's best for Liam. If we hadn't uncovered the truth, Liam would've had to live with that for the rest of his life! He'd be miserable!"

"It was my duty as Cordonia's king," Constantine demanded.

I was about to respond, but Liam got there first. His voice was harsh. Firm, and commanding. "But you're not the king, Father," he said. "Not anymore."

"Liam, please. I know that I've hurt you, but this is the price of wearing the crown. I couldn't afford to put your happiness, or Riley's, above our people's future. You will have to make sacrifices of your own sooner or later."

Liam squared his shoulders, holding up a hand to cut his father off. "No." The word was sharp as a dagger, and Constantine shrank backwards into his bed. "You act as though you didn't have a choice. But you made a decision about what you were willing to do. What kind of king...what kind of father you wanted to be. Here is my choice." He turned to me and placed a quick but startlingly passionate kiss on my lips. Addressing his father, he continued, "I love Lady Riley. I'm not going to deny that. If you hadn't interfered, I would have proposed to her the night I was crowned. I may not have been able to stop you from hurting her, but I can still make this right. As the King of Cordonia, I am placing Lady Riley under my protection. I will keep her safe. I will help her right the wrongs that have been done to her. And I am commanding you, as your monarch, to help us in any way you can."

I let out a breath I had been holding since our kiss. I had never seen Liam use his title to get what he wanted. I had never seen him command anyone to do anything, really. This was the first time I truly saw what King Liam was capable of. The fact that he was doing this all for me made my chest feel ready to burst. I breathed a little faster as we waited for Constantine's reply.

Seconds passed in silence, with Liam staring Constantine down, unflinching. "Very well," Constantine said at last, casting his eyes downward in defeat. "I only hope that my fears are proven wrong."

"Thank you," I said. I had to clear my throat to get the words out. I felt like I was ready to cry, everything was just so intense.

Constantine gave me a curt nod. "For what it's worth, I am sorry. Unfortunately, I cannot come forward to clear your name myself."

"What?"

"Admitting my involvement would shake the Cordonian people's faith in their rulers. Past and present."

"He's right," Liam said.

"To set things right," Constantine continued, "You must find Tariq. Even I don't know his whereabouts. I encouraged him to leave Cordonia in light of his disgrace, but I've had no contact with him since. I promise, after tonight, I will help Liam enlist the services of the King's Guard. For now, though, I must try to buy myself a little more time on this earth." He nodded to something behind us, and Liam and I turned to see a doctor waiting in the doorway.

As we left, I paused and told Constantine, "Good luck."

Liam stayed at the hospital, in the waiting room, but insisted I take his limo back to the hotel to get some rest. Once there, I saw a group of people in the lobby, waiting for me. Hana, Drake, Maxwell, and Olivia. They had all been anxiously awaiting my return, and I filled them in on everything that had happened.

"That's a lot to take in," Drake said, ruffling his hair.

"I can't believe the nerve of him," Olivia growled.

"But even though we know who was behind it, we still have to find Tariq," I said glumly. "Although, Constantine promised we'd have the help of the King's Guard now, which is something, I guess. And, I don't have to be afraid anymore."

"What are you going to do with your newfound freedom?" Hana asked.

"At the moment? I'm going to go sleep for like twelve hours."