Barely Regal - E. Davies Page 0,2

varieties for every potential royal match since Leo’s birth. With his engagement to be announced at the Royal Ball, I need someone I trust—someone who knows him—to make the final choice and manage the program going forward. After all, there are five of you boys. Each of you will need a new variety to commemorate your marriages. And, one day, there will be children to think of…”

“Well, this is shit.” Wren stood up so fast that he shoved his chair backward. His throat was tight as anger flared in his belly. “Why don’t I get to do anything important?”

“This is important,” his father said, unrattled by the outburst. Like he’d expected it.

Well, he damn well should have. Worse than being treated like the baby of the family was having them pretend to treat him like an important adult now. Tiptoeing around to give him something so minor nobody would notice, that he could fuck up when he—inevitably—did fuck it up.

How stupid had he been to think that anyone would trust him with the country’s security or diplomacy?

No, they were hiding him away in the palace grounds, where he couldn’t get drunk and add to his tattoo collection in the public eye.

“Wren—” his father started.

But Wren was too upset to listen yet. He wordlessly shook his head and stormed out, Pierce hot on his heels as soon as the hallway door opened.

The worst part of all was that his display of temper wouldn’t change anything. He would still be expected to do his duties with a smile and hold his head up with pride. That was growing up. Especially growing up a royal.

Like anything he did mattered.

“Wren.” Pierce’s voice filtered through the haze of anger. Not soft and placating, like everyone else around this place. No—he was firm.

Wren could turn to him. He always did, seeking help often as he grew into his role in life. And Pierce’s advice was always worth listening to, whether on dating foreign princes or choosing gifts for dignitaries.

“They’re making me a bloody gardener,” Wren burst out, stopping in the middle of the suddenly deserted hallway to let Pierce catch up with him. “Commander of Roses?”

If he were still ten and outraged at his latest set of poor exam results, he might cry in Pierce’s arms. He trusted the man with his life. Pierce had always been there for him—had always treated his feelings as important.

But he wasn’t a child now, so Wren held himself stiff and upright, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“So I understand.” With the lightest touch of his arm, Pierce steered him onward to his suite, his presence a comforting blanket over the sting of outrage.

Wren swallowed hard. “I have to do it, don’t I?” The Royal Ball was only six months away. Arrangements would have been made already. Hell, he probably had gum boots and gardening gloves, carefully chosen in his sizes, waiting in the suite foyer now.

It was an insult he’d never expected.

Wren would have far more happily put his life on the line for Rosavia. But instead, he’d have to swallow his pride and take on this task to keep up an insignificant relic of the past.

Wren saw his answer in Pierce’s eyes before he spoke. “Yes,” Pierce murmured. Then he said the words that made Wren’s heart ease. “But not alone.”

After a moment, Wren took a deep breath in and let it go, barely conscious that he was mirroring Pierce’s steady breathing. “No,” he whispered at last, his eyes hot. “Not alone.”

Chapter One

Thom

“I quite understand. I’ll see that the treasury is in touch in due course. The palace expresses thanks for your service. Good day,” Thomas Pierce said. He lapsed into the usual string of near-meaningless words before he finally got to hang up the phone.

Then he sighed deeply, pressing his palm to his forehead. It was a familiar conversation by now. This was the third gardening tutor in a row that he’d gently ushered out the door.

His prince, Wren, had stormed in yesterday in a foul mood after a lesson. He’d ordered Thom to fire the man and find someone better.

Well, they were running out of options. The job was demanding—Thom made no pretenses about it when advertising discreetly in the usual circles. Biology, botany, genealogy, color theory, art history, and political history were all essential components of Wren’s new position.

Thom wasn’t annoyed with Wren. After nearly a decade together, most of that time spent while the prince was in education, he was well aware of his