The corner of her mouth lifts. “Well, the reporters are still outside. And the headmaster hasn’t thought to forbid me from speaking to them yet, so technically we’re not breaking any rules if we go out there.”

A thrill sparks in my chest. “So?” I ask.

She unravels herself from my grip, then holds a hand out to me. “So,” she says. “Shall we go out and introduce ourselves?”

EPILOGUE ROSE

ONE YEAR LATER

On the afternoon of my father’s twenty-fifth jubilee, Molly and I sneak out of the palace celebrations immediately before the balcony appearance and subsequent banquet to hover in the hallway by the entranceway.

“She said she’s only a minute away,” I say to Molly, who’s becoming noticeably antsy.

“They’re going to go out without you,” she says. “Then the papers will be all like, ‘Scandal as Princess Rosemary skips second half of her father’s big day.’”

“They won’t go out without me,” I say, moderately certain. “She’s almost here.”

The entrance to the gala room opens, and Eleanor and Santi burst through.

“Rose, your parents sent me to check on you,” Eleanor says. “They said to get the hell over there. In those exact words.”

I open my mouth to retort when shouting from the foyer cuts me short. Giving Molly an “I told you so” look, to which she rolls her eyes, I hurry through the doors, followed by the other three.

Danni is standing on the carpet, smiling for the cameras, as the photographers cry out for her to come closer, look their way, take a few steps. She lights up when she sees me, and I make a beeline for her.

We can’t embrace just yet, but I place my arm around her while we pose together. “It’s got to be a quick one today, sorry everyone,” I apologize as the cameras flash and click. “I’m actually meant to be on the balcony already.”

We move on quickly, shoving our way through the doors and into the hallway. We’ve barely cleared the doors before I’ve thrown my arms around her and lifted her off the ground. “You did it, you did it, you did it,” I cheer, managing a small hop even under the weight of her.

“Rose, I nailed it,” she exclaims, glowing with joy. “They just wanted me to play ‘Dürnitz’! I’ve had that memorized for, like, five years now.”

I lower her back down, and the others close in to hug her in turn.

“Doughnuts?” Eleanor asks as she pulls Danni in.

“No. The first movement of the Sonata in D,” Danni says atop her shoulder. “It’s easy. I couldn’t believe it. I was expecting—”

“It’s not easy,” I stage-whisper to Eleanor, and Santi laughs.

“That’s the last of us done,” Molly says, pumping her fist. “It’s over.”