Valencia frowned. “I’m…not sure that’s the most prudent idea.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why wouldn’t it be prudent?” He took a deep breath. “You’re the one who wanted me to be more…public. This is as public as it gets. I want to speak.”
“The thing is…” Valencia glanced down at the floor. “It will confirm the rumors.”
“You don’t think she’s already confirmed them?”
“I do, but it’ll lend them a legitimacy that they don’t have now. And it will complicate things for the project.” Valencia lifted her chin. “We should go on a complete media blackout and wait for this to blow over instead of letting your feelings sway your decisions.”
“Ah.” Armin was beginning to understand. “So you’d rather let other, less flattering, pieces gain traction. And dominate the narrative.”
“I’m only looking out for your best interest.”
“You wanted me to become more public with my persona so that the anti-royalists would have a chance to get to know me, and now you want me to hide in the palace?”
“I only think—”
“How much is he paying you?”
Valencia had the nerve to look confused. “Who?”
“Papazyan. Is it a hefty paycheck?”
She went white, then red. “It’s—it’s not about the money.”
“Get out.”
Katie had been right all along. Well, there was one of the other informants in the palace. Fired.
Armin knew what he had to do.
It took thirty minutes to gather the press on the front steps of the palace.
Armin stood alone, facing the bank of microphones.
The assembled crowd rustled and shifted until he cleared his throat and took another small step forward.
It was time.
It was past time.
“Good afternoon.” They answered him in a murmured chorus. “I’m here today to confirm what many of the citizens of Stolvenia have suspected. Until a few days ago, Katie Crestley lived in my household as nanny to my two wonderful girls. And it is true that I developed strong feelings for her.”
It wasn’t a smooth, prepared speech. It was straight from his heart. He had taken the lesson in vulnerability with the girls and brought it out into the sun with him.
“It can be lonely, being a member of the royal family. Being myself. I want so badly to be the prince that my people deserve, but that means that it’s a struggle to ever let down my guard and just be a man. It’s rare to find someone who understands that. It’s even rarer for that someone to see the best in me when I can’t always see it for myself. Katie saw that. I thought revealing myself like that would make me less capable as a royal and a leader, but I was wrong. I became a better man and a better prince because of her.”
There was a shocked silence. The microphones inched closer.
“But I also understand that times do change. I’ve learned that I can best serve you by opening up to you—by seeing you, just as I want to be seen. By hearing you, just as I want to be heard. And that means letting you have your voice. I have spoken with my brother, Rafael, who is our king. And it is my pleasure to announce that in the coming year, at the request of a significant portion of the population, a referendum will be held regarding the continuation of the monarchy.”
Another moment of silence, and then…
…they cheered.
They all cheered.
Armin had nothing left to say.