Page 2 of The Royal in Room 3

My father shifted slightly, but he didn’t speak, and I didn’t expect him to, even though I longed for him to remind them I was still learning and it was human to make errors. I would learn from my mistakes and never trust another man with my heart.

“The Crown cannot be made vulnerable at a time like this,” the chancellor said. “And vulnerability, as you have demonstrated, is not always born of disloyalty. Sometimes it is born of attachment to the wrong people and not enough commitment to the Crown.”

I lifted my gaze then, finally meeting my father’s eyes. He looked older than I remembered. Smaller, somehow. Circles rimmed his eyes, and the lines on his face were more pronounced. He’d aged since my indiscretion became public, and for that, I had an intense regret. My father was a good man and an even better king. He didn’t deserve to lose two sons and be faced with the shame of the third.

“Do you have anything to say, Prince Soren?” the chancellor asked.

And there it was. The illusion of choice. I already knew they’d met and discussed what transpired without me. My presence in that room was nothing but a formality because they’d already made their decision as to my punishment. They’d probably force me to marry Isolde, who, like my brother, had been shaped to rule beside the next king. They probably thought that with her by my side, I would be less prone to making mistakes.

“Prince Soren?” the chancellor prompted.

“I loved him,” I said quietly.

A murmur rippled through the chamber. I squared my chin, refusing to cower behind the looks of shock and irritation.

My father closed his eyes.

“I believed him,” I continued. “And I believed he loved me too.”

The chancellor cleared his throat. “This is not⁠—”

“I know,” I said. My voice didn’t shake this time, which surprised me. Maybe because it’d finally sunk in that I’d tried. I’d tried so damn hard for the past eighteen months without any acknowledgment of all I’d given up to serve this country.

“My feelings about the matter aren’t relevant. The only thing that matters is Belvaria’s interest, so whatever is decided, I graciously accept.”

Silence fell heavy and final.

“Very well then.” The chancellor stood. “After due consideration by the Council of State, consultation with the Royal Household, and review by the appropriate ministers, this body affirms the recommendation already placed before it. Effective immediately, His Royal Highness Prince Soren Maximilian Aurelius Leontes is relieved of the designation of crown prince of Belvaria, together with all privileges, duties, and authorities attached to that office. He shall retain the courtesy title of prince but shall hold no official position within the Crown, the government, or the state.”

Shock rooted me to the polished stone floor.

I knew my crime was serious. I had known there would be consequences, a demand for a public apology, a temporary withdrawal from official duties, some humiliating period of penance. I had even prepared myself to be reprimanded in front of men who had watched me grow up and had never once considered me strong.

But this?

My gaze went to my father before I could stop it. Some desperate, childish part of me still expected him to object. To stand. To say that I was his son before I was a scandal. But he remained seated at the head of the chamber, his face composed, his hands folded before him, every inch the king they needed him to be.

Not my father, but their king.

“It is further resolved that Your Royal Highness will depart Belvaria within a month. The Royal Household will make the necessary arrangements for your relocation without a stipend from the Crown. From this point forward, any act, statement, association, or public conduct on your part shall be deemed private and unaffiliated with the Crown of Belvaria.”

They wanted me to leave my own country?

I had traveled extensively. I’d spent summers in other palaces, winters in diplomatic residences, weekends in some of the most beautiful cities in the world. But Belvaria was not an assignment. It was not a place I visited between obligations.

Belvaria was home.

My home.

Father, say something.

“Your Royal Highness, do you understand the terms as they have been presented to you?” The chancellor’s voice cut through the hollow roar in my ears.

I stared at him, though I hardly saw his face. No, I did not understand. No, I did not accept. I did not want to leave my family, my country, or my friends behind.

But my father did not speak, so I nodded once and fought the tears that prickled my eyes.

The chancellor inclined his head, satisfied. “Then this session is concluded. The Royal Household will provide further instructions regarding your departure.”