Page 56 of Once Upon a Royal Summer
A butterfly floated down to feed on one of the lemon slices, moving its wings in dainty slow motion. Lacey’s lovely mouth curved into a gentle smile as she stood quietly beside Henry.
“Look, they’re everywhere.” Ian pointed to another plate tucked beneath a nearby fern and two more, hanging by the waterfall.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a butterfly feeder before,” the queen said.
“They’re attracted to bright colors and anything sweet. Right, Lacey?” Ava’s gaze flitted toward Lacey. “You’ve made these before at children’s parties at Ever After Castle before, haven’t you?”
“Maybe.” Lacey shrugged. “But they’re pretty common. Anyone could’ve done this.”
No, not just anyone. It seemed so obvious to Henry. How could everyone else not see it?
Lacey met his gaze and gave him a tiny, almost unnoticeable shake of her head. So Henry kept quiet, even though every beat of his heart seemed to scream out loud.
This is the princess I’ve been waiting for.
Later that evening, just after Lacey had ended a call with dad, her phone buzzed with an incoming text from Henry.
The birds and butterflies are taken care of. The tiara got its bubble bath. I think it’s time we fulfill another of your princess rules.
Lacey peered at the message, smiling despite herself. The bubble bath incident still mortified her to her core. There simply weren’t enough butterflies in the entire world to make her forget the look on the queen’s face when she’d spied the crown in Miss Marie’s hands, dripping with soap suds.
But she liked that Henry kept texting her, even though she was right there in his palace instead a completely different continent. It felt so normal, as if he was a regular person instead of a member of the nobility. He was still the same Henry who liked sausage on a stick and who’d called her late at night just to murmur sweet dreams, even amid the gilded trappings of his position.
She typed out a reply message. What did you have in mind?
No sooner did Lacey press send than a quiet knock sounded on the door to her suite. She practically floated across the expansive room, eager to see what Henry wanted to show her.
“Ready for a beastly adventure?” he asked with a wink when she swung the door open. He was dressed in another pair of his finely tailored pants, paired with a light blue dress shirt that brought out the color in his eyes.
Lacey gripped the doorknob as she went a little weak in the knees. “Beastly adventure?” She tilted her head. “Don’t tell me this place has an actual zoo.”
“No, but the palace in Monaco does.” He shrugged one manly shoulder. “Wrong prince, sweetheart.”
Lacey arched an eyebrow. No, there’s only one prince for me, and I’m looking right at him. “Fine. Don’t tell me where we’re going. Unlike other people, I actually enjoy surprises.”
“Yes, I know, and I aim to deliver,” he said, reaching for her hand and weaving his fingers through hers.
Lacey didn’t care where they were headed. She was just glad to have time alone with him, especially before the big royal procession tomorrow. Her time in Bella-Moritz was already winding down to a close. She knew the royal ball was supposed to be the big, grand finale, and she was looking forward to it with all of her heart. But there was something extra special about these unexpected, stolen moments—something intimate and private, just between the two of them.
Henry squeezed her hand tight and led her through the maze of palace hallways until they ended up in a corridor she’d yet to set foot in before. Then he paused in front of a closed door with a massive gold doorknob and intricately carved wooden details in the smooth, dark mahogany. “Are you ready?” he asked, and a thrill coursed through her.
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Unless it’s a dragon. In that case, no. I’m not ready at all.”
Henry grinned.
“It’s not, is it?” Lacey said.
He seemed way too pleased himself all of a sudden. Coming face to face with a dragon didn’t seem any more unlikely than dancing with a real prince in Ever After Castle. She just had to ask.
Henry flashed her a wink and opened the door.
Golden light spilled from the expansive room. There wasn’t a scaly dragon in sight, just row upon row of glossy wooden bookshelves and more books than Lacey had ever seen in one place in her entire life.
She walked inside and turned a slow circle, inhaling the comforting scent of ink on paper. “What is this place?” she whispered.
“It’s the palace library,” Henry said, voice going soft. “Rule number two, remember? Read lots of books, as many as you possibly can.”
How did he do it? How did he remember everything she’d said at Sweet Pea’s tea party, word for word?
