“Ready?” Anne asks.

I nod once.

She pulls the conference phone closer and begins dialing. The only sound in the room is the long rings coming through the speakers. After four of them, I think he isn’t going to answer.

“Hello?” Jace’s deep voice suddenly fills the room. I dig my nails into the palm of my hand to keep my face expressionless.

“Is this Mr. Dawson?” Anne asks.

“It is,” Jace replies. “And this is?”

“My name is Anne Riley. I’m the head of the Marcedenia Royal Press Office. I was told you wanted to speak personally rather than going through your team’s publicist. I’m calling regarding the request we made that you complete an interview to answer some questions about your past relationship with the princess.”

“Diminish it, you mean?” Jace’s tone is cold.

Anne glances at me. I know I’ve given her the impression there’s nothing about my relationship with Jace to belittle, and I can tell she’s thrown by his choice of words and their tenor.

“Yes,” Anne finally replies. “As you may know, the princess’s upcoming nuptials are not receiving the most positive of press coverage. Mostly due to speculation you are involved in an ongoing relationship with her.”

“I’m aware of that,” Jace states emotionlessly.

“To be frank, it’s terrible,” Anne continues, seeming to sense Jace’s apathy, “and at a time that’s already very uncertain for the monarchy due to the King’s condition and the Princess’s young age. We need to be spinning a fairytale, and the press can’t leave the speculation regarding you two alone long enough to write it. This story needs to die, and quickly. An interview with you explicitly denying any ongoing relationship is the only way to do it. Your silence is only fueling conjecture.”

She pauses, but Jace doesn’t reply. Anne continues speaking.

“We would need you to come to Marcedenia next week, so it can be conducted with our journalists.”

“Come there?” Jace asks. “Absolutely not. I’ve got practice during the week, and I don’t see any reason why I should be the one to make the trip. If I agree to this—and to be clear, I haven’t—it would have to take place in South Carolina.”

“I’m afraid that’s just not possible,” Anne replies. “It has to happen in Marcedenia.”

There’s a long pause on the other end of the line. Anne glances to me and then nods her head toward the phone. It’s obvious Jace is far from amenable on this topic, and I’m her Hail Mary.

I keep my mouth closed, hesitant to speak. I’m the one who created this media mess in the first place. Jace made it clear the last time we spoke he wants a life free from me, and all I’ve done since is to turn his into a circus. Now I’m inadvertently asking him to halt his life to come fix mine.

Self-loathing keeps me mute.

“Does Vivie—does the princess know about this? That you’re asking me to do this?” Jace asks.