A Royal Entanglement: The Young Royals Book 2 Read Free

  And if playing hard to get meant that I remained in his sights, well then, that wasn’t such a bad thing.
    Freddie winked at me and I turned away so he wouldn’t see the smile on my face or the flush that crept into my cheeks.   Meredith had warned me that Freddie was an irrepressible flirt, but it was one of the things I really liked about him.   He’d charmed me from the moment we met and even though I knew I needed to keep myself from falling for him, it was flattering all the same.   Freddie was a good-looking guy, and I liked spending time with him.
    And he was a good distraction… and I needed that.   I needed something to keep me from thinking about the reasons I had come to Merveille in the first place.   The offer from the palace had come at a time when I had needed an escape and I had jumped at it.   Now I was waiting for the other shoe to drop because I knew there would be consequences for my actions.   It was just a matter of time before they caught up with me.

    I held my breath as I looked at the Queen, refusing to let myself cry at the sight.   She wore a white, floor-length gown that was unadorned.   Over the gown was a simple, white garment that fastened in the back.   Over that she wore a floor length, crimson velvet coat with a train and an ermine cape.   Her hair was piled on top of her head in soft, loose curls and her makeup was understated.   Princess Alyssabeth looked regal, if a little nervous.
    “Wow,” I breathed as I walked towards her, “You look amazing.”
    She grimaced and Will laughed beside her.
    “She’s not a fan of all the layers,” he said in explanation.
    “It’s heavy and hot,” she said and I smiled.
    I had learned that working for Alyssa was not what one would expect when working for a reigning monarch.   She hated the fussy traditions of her office and no doubt removing those that annoyed her the most would be the first thing on her agenda as Queen.
    Benjamin, Alyssa’s head of security came into the room.   “Are you ready?” he asked, and I nodded.
    I moved forward to usher Alyssa out of the room.   We paused at the top of the stairs, forgoing the elevator for the sake of tradition, while the royal photographer immortalised the moment for posterity.
    Will stepped up and took her arm as we made our way down the stairs and into the foyer.   The walls were lined with the palace staff and I was pleased to notice a few of them with handkerchiefs blotting the tears from their eyes.   This was a big day, and not just because it was a coronation.   Alyssa would be the very first female Head of State in the history of the Merveille monarchy.
    Outside the palace doors an ornate gilt edged carriage waited.   Two white horses were harnessed to the front of the carriage and the tall crimson plumage attached to their heads shifted delicately in the breeze.
    Will took one side and Frédéric took the other side and together they escorted the Princess down the stairs.   A footman opened the door and Will handed her into the carriage.   Both Will and Frédéric where dressed in full royal regalia, as was I and the other members of the Princess’ entourage, which included sashes and stars and coronets.   It wasn’t very often that we got to break out all the fancy stuff, and it was a sight to behold.   Freddie looked particularly appealing in his sharp tuxedo with the red sash of the Order of St Catherine and his medals of service.
    He turned and winked at me before climbing into the carriage after Will.   The two of them, the Duke of   Camphrey and the Earl of Avonlea, would conduct the Princess into the cathedral for the service.   The Cathédrale Saint-Etienne de Calanais had been the sight of every single coronation in Merveille, having pre-dated the monarchy by several decades.   It was an impressive sandstone building with large stained glass windows, tall spires that reached up to the heavens in supplication and hand worked wooden beams and