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Chapter no 12

The Crown (The Selection, 5)

THE FIRST FREE MOMENT I had that day was lunch, and I knew I needed to use the time to focus on damage control. While everyone headed off to the dining room after our Finnish lesson, I went back to my office and pulled Maridโ€™s card from my desk drawer. It was clearly made from expensive paper. I wondered what his family was doing now to afford that. They must have done well for themselves, wherever their path had taken them.

I dialed the number, kind of hoping he wouldnโ€™t pick up. โ€œHello?โ€

โ€œYes, um, Marid?โ€ โ€œEadlyn, is that you?โ€

โ€œYes.โ€ I fidgeted, straightening out my clothes, even though he couldnโ€™t see me. โ€œIs this an okay time?โ€

โ€œAbsolutely. How can I help you, Your Highness?โ€

โ€œI just wanted to say, I saw some speculation about our relationship in the press the other day.โ€

โ€œOh, yeah. Iโ€™m sorry about that. You know how they can take a thing out of context.โ€

โ€œI do,โ€ I nearly exclaimed. โ€œAnd really, I wanted to apologize to you. I know what an upheaval it can be when someoneโ€™s life is caught up in mine, and Iโ€™m sorry youโ€™ve been going through that.โ€

โ€œEh, let โ€™em talk,โ€ he replied with a laugh. โ€œReally, no apology necessary.

But while Iโ€™ve got you, I wanted to run an idea past you.โ€ โ€œSure.โ€

โ€œI know youโ€™ve been worried about the post-caste violence, and I thought it might be good for you to have something like a town hall session.โ€

โ€œWhat do you mean?โ€

โ€œYou could choose a handful of people from various backgrounds to come to the palace and sit down with you personally. It would be a unique opportunity to hear from your people, and if you invited the press, it might also be a rather spectacular opportunity to show how well the palace listens to its people.โ€

I was stunned. โ€œActually, thatโ€™s a wonderful idea.โ€

โ€œIf you want, I can take care of most of the arrangements for you. I have a few links with some families that used to be Eights, as well as some that have

had a hard time letting go of their Two status. Maybe we could plan on inviting a dozen or so people, so you wouldnโ€™t be overwhelmed?โ€

โ€œMarid, that sounds perfect. Iโ€™m going to have my lady-in-waiting call you. Her name is Neena Hallensway, and sheโ€™s as organized as you seem to be. She knows my schedule and would be the best person to talk to about a time and date.โ€

โ€œExcellent. Iโ€™ll wait to hear from her.โ€

There was a long silence, and I wasnโ€™t quite sure how to break away. โ€œThank you,โ€ I tried. โ€œNow more than ever, I really need to prove how

much I care about my people. I want them to know that, in a few years, Iโ€™ll be as able to lead them as my father.โ€

โ€œHow anyone could doubt that is a mystery to me.โ€

I smiled, thrilled to have added another ally to my arsenal. โ€œSorry to rush off, but I must be going.โ€

โ€œNot at all. Weโ€™ll talk again soon.โ€ โ€œOf course. Good-bye.โ€

โ€œGood-bye.โ€

I hung up the phone and sighed in relief. That wasnโ€™t as awkward as Iโ€™d been fearing it would be. Maridโ€™s words rang in my ears.ย Let โ€™em talk.ย I knew they always would. Hopefully soon, theyโ€™d have something positive to say.

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