"New York!" I cried as I dropped my bags in my hotel room. I spun to face Maxwell. "It's been so long, I can't believe we're finally back here!"

"Yeah, I'm excited too. I love New York!"

I opened the curtains of my room so I could watch the city below. "There's something special about this city," I said. "Cordonia's my home now, but New York was the first place I ever lived on my own. It'll always have a place in my heart."

"So...are you ready to get Madeleine's ring?" Maxwell asked, and I sneered.

"You had to go and ruin the moment."

"Sorry," he said. "She did ask for you specifically to pick it up."

"She's so petty. I shouldn't be surprised at this point, but she continues to sink lower and lower in order to torture me."

"I know. But you'd better just get it over with. There's a U.N. party tonight and then there's the wedding shower, so this afternoon's your only free time while we're here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a napkin with scribbles on it. "Here's the address of the jewelry shop."

I took the napkin and looked it over, then laughed. "Am I supposed to know what this means?" I showed Maxwell what he handed me, and he blushed, snatching it back.

"That was..."

"A drawing of you astride a saddled King Kong on top of the Empire State Building?"

"Can we just...forget you saw that?"

I laughed. "Not a chance. We're definitely circling back to that. Preferably when Drake's around."

Maxwell glared at me and reached into his other pocket to find the actual address for me. As I looked at it, I frowned. "I guess the wedding's coming up pretty fast, huh? I just...thought we'd have found Tariq by now."

"Yeah. It turns out there are a lot more upscale men's fashion stores in L.A. than we realized. But don't worry. I'm working non-stop with Bastien to narrow down the leads. We'll find him soon, and stop the wedding."

"I hope so."

"I know so. Alright, I'm off. I'll meet you at the U.N. party later. Don't be late!" He darted out the door and I sighed, grabbing my purse so I could go get the ring.

The first thing I thought as I entered the high-end jewelry store was, I should have dressed up for this. I was still in the same jeans and t-shirt I had worn on the plane, and I thought I might get snubbed like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Before I found a worker to judge me, though, I saw someone I never expected to see in a place like this.

"Drake?" I said, approaching my grumpy, frowning friend.

"Harkness? What are you doing here?" He jumped, looking guilty.

"What are you doing here?"

He rubbed his neck. "It's a store. Anyone can go into a store." I cocked my head as I looked at him, and he broke down. "Okay," he said. "I'm looking for a wedding gift for Liam."

I scowled at him, but didn't say anything. It was bad enough the whole world was carrying on as if Madeleine and Liam were actually getting married; I didn't like having my best friends doing the same thing.

"What about you?" Drake asked.

"I'm here to pick up Madeleine's ring," I said glumly. As we spoke, a jeweler approached us curiously, so I gave him Madeleine's information and he hurried away to get the ring. When he came back, Drake and I looked inside the box with a morbid curiosity.

"That's it?" Drake said. "I was expecting something more..."

"Elaborate?" I offered.

"I was going to say pretentious."

I laughed. "She may be evil, but Madeleine has good taste." I snapped the box shut and threw it in my purse unceremoniously. "Now, let's talk about this gift. What are you thinking?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. He's my best friend. I want to get him something good, but I think I'm in over my head here."

"Well, you're in the wrong store, for starters. Liam doesn't need anything here. Especially not from his best friend."

"If you're done doing Madeleine's errands, do you want to help me find something, then?"

"Sure," I said, and started walking towards the door.

I was quiet as we walked along the busy street. I guess Drake could see I was in a bad mood, because he kept trying to make me laugh by suggesting ridiculous presents. I gave him a few half-hearted smiles, but my heart wasn't in it. Finally, we sat on a bench and I sighed. "Alright, Harkness," he said. "Tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

"I'm sorry I'm such a downer today, Drake. I just...don't understand why you're getting a wedding present for Liam, when we're working so hard to stop this wedding."

"I'm sorry, Harkness. I didn't think of it like that. I was just trying to be prepared. Besides," he nudged me with his shoulder. "Even when we stop this wedding, Liam's still going to be getting married."

"I guess that's true." I looked at him, studying his face carefully. "How are...you feeling about that?"

He shook his head. "I'm fine, Harkness. It's not about me. As long as you and Liam are happy."

"Drake...do you think I'll be a good queen?"

He looked at me intently for a minute before answering. "I think you're the best queen Cordonia could hope for."

"Really? Why?"

"Because you're real. You know what it's like to be a normal person. You can make decisions with the citizens in mind, in a way Liam and the rest of the court never could."

"Hmm..." I said, a thought clicking in my mind. "That's it, Drake!"

"Huh?"

"For your present. You know Liam in a way that no one else does. You need to look for something unique to you and Liam's friendship."

Drake nodded slowly, looking around at the shops nearby. His eyes stopped on the window display of an antique store. He stood suddenly and took a few long strides to stand in front of the window. "I've got it," he said, and disappeared inside the store. A few minutes later, he walked out, looking pleased.

"What is it?" I asked. Drake sat back down next to me and showed me his gift - a gold, antique compass. "I'm not sure I get it," I told him.

"Well, I may not always be around to keep Liam on the straight and narrow, you know? Constantine was a decent king for years, but by the time he retired, he'd lost sight of what really mattered. Look at everything he put you and Liam through. I don't ever want that to happen to Liam. I want him to keep this compass as a reminder to stay true to what he believes in. Follow his own True North. Is that too cheesy?"

"It's super cheesy...and perfect."

"Really?"

I nodded, folding Drake's hand around the compass so he was clutching it in a fist. "Liam's going to love it. You did good, Walker."

He smiled at me and tucked the compass away. "Now that the shopping's over with, I could use a drink. Want to join me?"

"Can't let you drink alone. Besides, it might be nice to revisit my old neighborhood."

We hailed a cab and drove to my old bar, the one where I had first met Liam, Drake, Maxwell and Tariq. "Really? You want to come here?"

I shrugged, holding the door open for him. "Call it nostalgia."

It was early afternoon, so the bar was empty. My old coworker Daniel came strolling casually out of the kitchen. "Good afternoon," he said, not quite looking at us. "Are you two looking for a ta-" he stopped as he looked up and saw me. "Riley!" He ran over, giving me a big hug.

"Daniel!"

"What the heck happened to you? You just disappeared!"

"It's a long story...but...uh, I guess I really owe you one for making me take that table with the bachelor party."

"Okay, I need to hear this whole story."

I glanced back at Drake, who was looking uncomfortable. "I promise, we'll catch up soon. But we don't have much time today. We were just hoping for a quick drink and a bite to eat before this party we're going to tonight."

"And who's your friend?" Daniel asked, eyeing Drake and looking at me like he thought friend was the wrong word.

"This is Drake," I said and they shook hands.

Daniel escorted us to a clean booth in the back. "What can I get you guys?"

We ordered drinks and burgers, and Daniel rushed off to put our order in. As we waited, I looked around. "I've come a long way, haven't I?"

"You know, when I saw you that night, I never would have guessed we'd end up...friends."

"But, I wore you down in the end." I laughed as Daniel set our drinks down. I took a sip of the cheap house wine. "Ah, nothing like cheap wine after a year of champagne," I joked. Setting my glass down, I looked at Drake thoughtfully. "Did I ever tell you, I thought that it was your bachelor party that night?"

"You did? Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I thought that you were the only one in the group who would appreciate a place like this. And..."

"And what?"

"Well, I thought you were checking me out for a second, but then it was like you knew you shouldn't, and you avoided looking at me the rest of the night. I was really shocked when Liam explained that it was his bachelor party."

Drake took a sip of his whiskey. "Do you think..."

It was my turn to prompt him. "Do I think what?"

"If you had known from the beginning...do you think things would have turned out differently?"

I studied him carefully as he studied the table, waiting for my response. Daniel interrupted us with our food before I could respond, and as we tucked into the burgers, we moved on in the conversation without my answer. Finally, as we were leaving, I asked him, "What answer would you prefer?"

He looked at me curiously. I clarified, "Would things have turned out differently? What's the better answer?"

He smiled wryly. "There is no good answer to that question, Harkness. Come on, we've got to go or we'll be late to the party."

Justin and Maxwell were waiting for me in my hotel room when I got back. "Should I be concerned you have your own key to my room?" I asked.

"I wouldn't dwell on it," Maxwell said.

"We're just here to deliver this," Justin said. He handed me a dress with a proud smile. "For the UN party tonight. Market research has shown that this is the perfect dress to make a good impression tonight."

"What kind of market research..."

"I wouldn't dwell on it," Justin said with a grin. "Just try it on."

I ducked into the bathroom and put on the cream-colored ball gown. I smiled at the long lace sleeves and poofy skirt. I added my pearl bracelet for good measure, and twirled back into the room to show myself off. "Tada!"

"Gorgeous," Justin said. "You're going to shine tonight."

"Forget shining. You are going to slay!" Maxwell added.

"Alright, now that the important stuff is out of the way," I said, turning to Justin, "Are you going to be in my ear tonight?"

He shook his head. "Actually, I have other business to attend to. But don't worry, this is all about making small talk and winning people over with your stunning personality. You don't need me to do that."

Maxwell was already dressed in a nice tux, so he offered me his arm and we left for the limo. Once we were at the party, the night passed quickly and uneventfully. I managed a few minutes of facetime with Liam, but other than that, it was just like Justin had said - a lot of small talk.

Eventually, I found Maxwell, who was hiding by the coat-check. "What are you doing back here?" I asked him.

"I'm trying not to cause another international incident...I was trying to do this cool trick I saw where you toss a piece of bruschetta in the air without losing the toppings and then catch it in your mouth. But I may have accidentally hit the Turkish ambassador in the face, instead."

I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle a laugh. "Oh, Maxwell, I'm sorry. I'm sure it's not that bad."

"I'm not taking any chances. Besides, I needed to check my messages anyway to see if there's any news on the stores that Bastien and I are contacting."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that. Maxwell, what happens if we can't find Tariq in time? The wedding is so soon."

"You can't think like that, Riley! We're so close. You can't give up now."

"I know we'll find him, eventually. It's just...Liam won't talk about it, but I know there's some point where it'll feel impossible for him to call off the wedding. And, I'll have to deal with that, fine, whatever. But what would that mean for you and Bertrand? For House Beaumont?"

Maxwell looked deeply into my eyes with a sincerity that I wasn't used to seeing from him. "Riley," he said softly - apologetically. "When I brought you to Cordonia, I saw a chance to give my friend an opportunity to marry for love, and a chance to help my family out. But, I didn't know you. I didn't know how...caring and loyal you were. I never meant to make you feel responsible for our problems."

"You didn't. But I do care about you. And Bertrand, and Savannah, and little Bartie. I want to know you'll be taken care of."

"We will be. We'll figure things out, no matter what happens with you and Liam." He leaned over and gave me a gentle hug, and I rested my head on his shoulder for a moment. Finally, he took my shoulders and pulled me back so he could look at me again. "Hey, Kiara told me this place has a lounge on the roof where you can see the whole city. Want to take a break and go check it out?"

"That sounds awesome!"

We took an elevator to the top floor, then found a narrow flight of stairs that took us to the rooftop. "Wow," Maxwell breathed as he took in the skyline. "I'm on top of the world!" He shouted, hands up.

I laughed. "Now all you need is your faithful gorilla companion." We sat on a loveseat to one side of the lounge, and stared out at the city lights. Maxwell put an arm around me, and I leaned my head against his shoulder again as we settled in. It was comfortable and familial. "It's so peaceful up here," I said.

"Yeah, it's nice to take a breath and step away from all the politics and press."

I laughed a little. "It's funny. I'm sure the press would kill to get a picture of us right now. They all seem to think we're secretly madly in love with each other."

"Anyone who believes that has clearly never seen the way you look at Liam. Or Drake, for that matter."

I pulled away, offended. "Drake? Don't be silly."

Maxwell rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Riley. I mean, I believe you love Liam. But you can't deny you think Drake is a sexy grump."

I could feel myself blush, so I leaned back into Maxwell so he wouldn't notice. "I deny everything."

Maxwell laughed and pulled me close. "I'm just saying, I'm the last guy in the world you'd ever be interested in."

"That's not true! I mean...okay, maybe only because you're like my brother. Seriously, you and Bertrand have become my family. But don't sell yourself short, Maxwell. You're a catch. Is there anyone you've had your eye on?"

"Nah. I'm just focused on family right now. And yes, I'm including you in that."

I smiled and snuggled deeper into the couch. "You know, I've never properly thanked you for everything you've done for me."

"Bastien's been a big help with this L.A. stuff."

"I don't just mean that, you goof. I mean, you're the reason I came to Cordonia in the first place. You took a chance on me, and I really appreciate that. Without you, I never would have met Hana. I wouldn't have had a chance to get to know Liam, or you or Drake. I wouldn't have found my home."

"You also wouldn't be fighting to save your reputation."

"I don't regret any of it, Maxwell."

Just then, Maxwell's phone buzzed. I moved so he could fish it out of his pocket, and he read his text message. "Hmm, I guess Bastien has some stuff he wants to go over with me. About Tariq."

"And, the party's going to be ending soon. I should get back downstairs and say my goodbyes." We both stood and headed toward the stairs. "Thanks for sneaking away with me, Maxwell."

"Any time, Riles."

Later, after the U.N. party, I headed back to my hotel room, exhausted. I had barely gotten into pajamas and turned off the lights when I heard an urgent knocking on my door. I glanced at the clock. It was 2 a.m. which meant it was either Liam looking for a little late-night action, or... "Maxwell! And...Bertrand?" I said, surprised to see both brothers Beaumont at my door.

"Yes, yes, I have returned," Bertrand said dismissively. "But that's not the big news."

I stepped back to let them in. "What is the big news?"

"Maxwell?" Bertrand said, turning to his little brother with a smile.

"Bastien and I have compiled a list of addresses that could be where Tariq is staying in L.A."

"That's fantastic!"

"Well," Bertrand said. "Don't let your enthusiasm get the best of you quite yet. He's only narrowed it down to ten addresses."

I held out a hand for Maxwell to high-five. "Maxwell, that's brilliant. Out of a city of what, a few million people, you narrowed it down to only ten possible addresses?"

"I'm glad someone appreciates my genius," Maxwell said with a pointed look at his brother.

"But, uh," I said, remembering the time. "Is there a reason why you felt like you had to get me out of bed at two in the morning to give me this news?"

"Yes!" Maxwell said enthusiastically.

"Get dressed, quickly, Lady Riley. King Liam has offered us the use of the royal jet. You're leaving for L.A. in forty minutes."