Page 19 of Royal Resistance

“Would you like to take a walk through the gardens?” The question surprises me. I’m enjoying myself more than I expected, and I don’t want to stop dancing.

“I’d rather keep dancing,” I tell him apologetically.

“Then we keep dancing.” His hand tightens around mine. “Why did your father step down? The real reason. I heard it was because of his new wife but…”

“A little hard to believe? It was love,” I confirm, my voice a mix of sadness, disappointment, and pride. “My mother died when I was young, and my father raised me alone. When I was old enough, I told him he needed love in his life, and he agreed.”

“Everyone needs love in their life, even fathers with devoted daughters,” Magnus agrees. The song changes, but we both stay where we are.

“But then, he fell in love with a commoner who couldn’t handle the pressure of being queen. He gave up the throne for her,” I explain.

My father is proud of this, so it’s not like I’m telling Magnus state secrets.

“I’m sorry,” Magnus says. “About your mother.”

“It was a long time ago,” I say automatically.

“It’s still never easy to lose your mother.”

Too late, I recall that his mother passed away a few years ago. “No,” I concede. “It isn’t.”

He’s quiet for a few turns. I have to admit he’s a good dancer. Strong.

He smells good.

I dance with the king of Laandia for a second song. I’m slightly embarrassed that I’m proud of this, because he hasn’t spent that much time with any other woman tonight. But we move well together, and even though I won’t admit it to anyone, I like the feel of being in his arms.

“So you want to be queen?” Magnus asks with a strange look in his eye.

“Yes.” There’s no point sugar coating it.

“Do you think you’d be good at it? Like, do you think you’d make a good queen?”

I don’t think about my reply. “I would. I’ve spent my life preparing.”

“Huh. Sounds pretty boring. Considering all the learning I’ve been doing these past months.”

“Compared to stadium tours and Olympics, I’m sure it does sound uneventful. I take it you’ve never learned the art of governing?”

“I have people for that. We have a lot in common, you and I, I think? I’m stuck doing something I didn’t really want to, and you had your dreams taken away.”

“You could say that,” I say a touch sadly.

“You know what would make it better? If we got married.”

“I… pardon?”

There is no way I heard that correctly. Or maybe it was a bad joke.

But no… Magnus keeps talking, his words tripping over each other in a rush to be heard. “You should marry me. I need a wife because all these women eyeing me like I’m a prize piece of beef is getting old. I need a queen. And you, Lady Selene, know how to be a queen.”

I can only stare at him for a long moment. He can’t be… “Are you serious?”

Magnus laughs, the sound cracking in what might be nerves. “I think I am.”

He shouldn’t be nervous because there is no way he should be serious. “You think?”

I give him credit for giving it a second thought. But— “I know. I think we’d make a good pair. Will you marry me?”