She shook her head. “If you’re doing this, I can’t trust it to anyone else. Come on.”

I followed her to my room, where Mother and Scarlet unceremoniously fell into my bed. Nora, the sweet thing, fell awkwardly into a very large chair, and was out in seconds. I thought of the most recent sleepless nights in my life. One where we walked to Varinger Hall. One where Etan chased me as I ran for the border. One where I cried reading his letter explaining our situation. And then last night.

I refused to count any of those nights as wasted, but this one left me feeling so very hopeful.

Valentina laced me into another something red. So much of my wardrobe was red. I splashed water on my face, and she pulled my hair up, so it looked presentable. I stared at myself in the mirror, trying to steady my resolve.

“What’s step one?” Valentina asked.

“Hagan.”

She nodded. “Makes sense. How does it look?”

I surveyed everything she’d done. “Perfect. As always. Thank you.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

I laughed at her drooping eyes. “No. I think I have to do this alone.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” she said, flopping onto a nearby couch.

I left her, moving swiftly through the still-quiet castle. There was a good chance that Hagan was still in bed, and I was about to give him the rudest awakening of his life. People bowed as I passed, making my way to his room. Once there, I stood, telling myself with each new breath I was going to knock. It took several minutes for me to finally do it.

His butler opened the door, and once he saw me, he fell into a bow, looking very nervous.

“Laurence, could you please tell Sir Hagan that I am here. I will wait for him to dress if he needs.”

Laurence stood, handing a folded letter to me. “That won’t be necessary, Your Majesty.”

I took the note and cracked the seal, taking in a quickly scribbled letter.

Hollis,

I’m sorry. I know you want love, and so do I, and it doesn’t look like we’ll find that with each other. I’m so, so sorry. A better man might have been able to do it. I hope you find someone who can stand in the place where I cannot.

Hagan

Perhaps my first reaction shouldn’t have been relief.

“Did he say where he was going?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

I stood there for a moment, stunned. Not angry, just . . . surprised.

“If you learn, please let me know, so I might send my blessing. Thank you.”

I turned away, trying to think. I supposed it stung a little to find that even a crown couldn’t make life with me tolerable to Hagan. Then again, the same was true of me and Jameson. No, I wouldn’t hold this against him. Someday, I’d find a way to thank him. Really, that’s what he deserved.