First published in the USA by HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. in 2016
First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Childrenâs Books,
a division of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd,
1 London Bridge Street,
London SE1 9GF
www.harpercollins.co.uk
The Crown
Copyright © 2016 by Kiera Cass
Jacket art © by Gustav Marx/Merge Left reps, INC 2016; Jacket Design by Erin Fitzsimmons
Kiera Cass asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of the work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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Source ISBN: 9780007580248
Ebook Edition © 2016 ISBN: 9780007580255
Version: 2016-04-07
âIâM SORRY,â I SAID, BRACING myself for the inevitable backlash. When my Selection started, Iâd pictured it ending this wayâwith dozens of my suitors leaving at a time, many of them unprepared for their moment in the spotlight to be over. But after the last few weeks, after learning how kind, how smart, how generous so many of them were, I found the mass elimination almost heartbreaking.
Theyâd been fair with me, and now I had to be very unfair to them. The live announcement would make the elimination official, and they all had to wait until then.
âI know itâs abrupt, but given my motherâs precarious condition, my father has asked me to take on more responsibilities, and I feel the only way to manage that is to scale down this competition.â
âHow is the queen?â Hale asked, swallowing hard.
I sighed. âShe looks ⦠she looks pretty bad.â
Dad had been hesitant to let me visit her, but I had finally worn him down. I understood his reluctance the instant I saw her, asleep, the metronome of her heartbeat keeping time on the monitor. Sheâd just come out of surgery, where the doctors had to harvest a vein from her leg to replace the one in her chest that had been worked to death.
One of the doctors said they had lost her for a minute but managed to get her back. I sat beside her, holding her hand. Silly as it sounded, I had slouched in my chair, certain that would make her come to and correct my posture. It didnât.
âSheâs alive though. And my father ⦠heâs â¦â
Raoul placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. âItâs okay, Your Highness. We all understand.â
I let my eyes flit across the space, my gaze settling on each of my suitors for a breath as I committed their faces to memory.
âFor the record, I was terrified of you,â I confessed. There were a few chuckles around the room. âThank you so much for taking this chance, and for being so gracious with me.â
A guard entered, clearing his throat to announce his presence. âIâm sorry, my lady. Itâs nearly time for the broadcast. The crew wanted to check, umââhe made a fumbling gesture with his handââhair and stuff.â
I nodded. âThank you. Iâll be ready in a moment.â
After he left, I turned my attention back to the boys. âI hope youâll forgive me for this group good-bye. I wish you all the best of luck in the future.â
There was a chorus of murmured good-byes as I left. Once I was outside the doors of the Menâs Parlor, I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what was coming. You are Eadlyn Schreave and no oneâliterally, no oneâis as powerful as you.
The palace was eerily quiet without Mom and her ladies scuttling around and Ahrenâs laughter filling the halls. Nothing makes you quite so aware of a personâs presence as the loss of it.
I held myself tall as I made my way down to the studio.
âYour Highness,â several people greeted me as I came through the doorway, curtsying and moving out of my way, all the while avoiding looking directly in my eyes. I couldnât tell if it was out of sympathy or if they already knew.
âOh,â I said, glancing in the mirror. âI am a bit shiny. Could youâ?â
âOf course, Your Highness.â A girl expertly dabbed at my skin, covering me in powder.
I straightened the high lace collar of my gown. When Iâd gotten dressed this morning, black seemed appropriate, considering the overall mood in the palace, but I was secondguessing myself.