Page 101 of Prince of the Palisades

Lo shakes my shoulder. “Amazing, right?”

“Yeah,” I exhale, my chest light, my body relaxed. “Amazing.”

“A protest.” Papa’s voice comes like the start of a storm through the laptop’s speakers. Deep lines are etched into his brows, his eyes darkening.

He’s in his personal office. Mom sits quietly next to him. Behind them, intricate designs are carved into the cypress walls.

“You participated in a protest!” He shakes his head. “With reporters present. Police. In America, of all places. What if something went wrong?”

“It didn’t,” I attempt.

“This time.” His tone is like thunder. “You were foolish. Thoughtless. Your title means nothing to the wrong person there. Your life means nothing to them. Do you understand that?”

“Yes,” I say through my clenched teeth.

“And that’s not how a prince acts,” he continues. “A prince of Réverie, no less. I taught you better. We don’t handle situations that way.”

We don’t handle them at all. I command myself not to say the words. It helps that Annika’s seated next to me. She nudges my knee. Reminds me that this isn’t just Papa I’m talking to.

It’s the king.

“Papa, I—”

“It’s not your place to concern yourself with American issues.”

“Simon,” Mom says evenly, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Let him speak.”

Papa scoffs. “We had an agreement, Ava. He was to stay out of the headlines. Earn Réverie’srespect,” he asserts. “None of this has helped.”

“Actually, Papa,” Annika says. “It has.”

My head snaps in her direction. She flashes atrust mesmile.

“Since the protest,” she begins, “people have been talking about what Jadon did. Good things.” She unlocks her phone, then opens her camera roll. There’s a series of screenshots. “I forwarded these to your equerry, Papa, but I want to read them for you.”

Papa’s frown deepens, but Mom grabs his hand, squeezing.

Stiffly, he says, “Go on.”

Over Annika’s shoulder, I scan the photos. Comment after comment from all over the world. People talking about me and, for once, it’s not awful.

It’s incredible.

@HistoryHuhHenry: where are the other royals making a stand for queer lives like prince jadon??? hello @TheRoyalFamily!

@BmoreKings: Prince J did more for LGBTQIA+ folx than your favs have ever. RESPECT.

@PrinceSeb_Stans: OMFG PRINCE JADON REALLY SAID TRANS RIGHTS WITH HIS WHOLE CHEST! #LoveToSeeIt

@Genovia_Diaries: Have you guys seen the vid of Jadon hugging and taking selfies with protestors? He’s so sweet! He’s hot too Check out my Etsy page for new Jadon merch. link in my bio!

@AkioAndPrincessIzumi4Ever: Hey @Disney…more princes like Jadon, thanks! #MakeItOfficial #ThatsMyPrince

There are so many more, I lose track. Annika also has blog posts, articles from local and foreign presses. She must’ve spent hours on google sifting through the piles of bullshit usually written about me to find these.

“Paris. London. South Africa. Tokyo,” Annika lists. “A Réverian professor in America wrote an article for theNew York Times. She wishes heroes like Jadon were more visible while she was in Réverie. How she would’ve felt proud of who she was then.”

My breath hitches, eyes wet.

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