“Come on, let’s go get stranded at sea again,” he tells me as we head out of the library.

“I won’t be the one sailing, so that likely won’t happen,” I inform him, relieved he’s changed the subject.

We arrive in the front foyer to find my parents are already waiting.

“Good morning, Jace,” my father greets, holding out his hand.

“Good morning, sir,” Jace replies, shaking it.

“I asked for your car to be pulled up, Vivvi,” my father says. “Since it’s so nice out.”

“Thank you, Papa.”

Michael enters the foyer. “Your Majesty, the cars are ready.”

“Excellent,” my father replies, heading outside. The bright yellow convertible I received for my most recent birthday is parked in the drive between two black SUVS.

Jace lets out a low whistle of appreciation at the sight of the expensive car. “That’s yours?”

“Yup,” I reply, grinning. Given his fascination with sports cars, I had a feeling he would appreciate it.

All four of us walk toward the line of cars.

“Are we supposed to ride in the back?” Jace whispers to me.

I’m about to open my mouth to inform him my father and I can’t travel together when my father shocks me by saying, “No, we will,” and grabbing my mother’s hand. She and I both stare at him, flabbergasted. He chuckles. “I’m not old and senile yet.”

“Your Majesty—” Richard begins.

“I’ll be traveling with my daughter, Richard,” my father interjects. His voice is casual, but there’s an underlying layer of steel I rarely hear.

Richard doesn’t say anything else, he just nods.

We approach my convertible, and I watch in amazement as my parents climb into the rear seats. I’m even more surprised to see them both smiling and laughing.

I walk to the driver’s seat and pluck the keys from the ignition. I toss them at Jace’s surprised face and round the front of the car to climb in the passenger’s seat. I don’t look behind to see what my parents’ reaction is.

Jace climbs into the driver’s seat carefully and grins over at me. I smile back, relaxing under the warmth of the late morning sun. With a jolt of surprise, I realize I feel happy. For the first time within this iron fence, I feel free. Unconstrained. Normal.

I lean over so I can read the screen mounted in the dashboard and start scrolling through the car’s musical library. “Any requests?” I ask Jace.

“Something you can’t sing along to?” he suggests.

I hear my father’s distinctive low chuckle sound from behind us. “Hilarious.” I stick my tongue out at Jace.

He grins in response before shifting the car into drive.

The trip to our private marina is a short one, and I find myself wishing it was longer as we pull up in front of the boathouse. I hardly travel anywhere with my parents unless it’s for an official event, and I know that’s part of the light-hearted feeling of normalcy I’m experiencing.