Jonas~~

I lean over the second-floor railing, watching my cousins drink and laugh. It amazes me how quickly they can go from leaders of our country to carefree young adults.

When we finished work this afternoon, they loaded me into one of three cars and drove me to this house in a forest an hour away from home.

My bachelors party, I think.

Smiling as Eli tries to lecture Percy about some unknown-but-looks-to-be-highly-important topic, I sip on my glass of whiskey.

"Hey." Brydan settles beside me. He arrived half an hour ago. "What are you doing up here alone?"

"You know I've never been one for drunken revelry."

"If there was ever a night that you were, it would be tonight."

I take another sip. "I need to call Iris before my mind becomes cloudy."

"You're about to be tied down to her. Can't you resist talking to her for one night?"

"It's not a catch-up call."

I tighten my left hand into a fist, the wrist flexing. My Mark is covered by my bandage and the sleeve of my shirt, the outline of the white wrap visible underneath the fabric.

"Isn't she having her own bachelorette party right now?"

"Only with Gwen. I think she'll appreciate the distraction."

I slip out onto the balcony, greeted by crickets chirping. In the distance, beyond the tops of trees, a town's lights twinkle at the base of the mountain. Pulling out my phone, I dial Iris's number for a video call.

When she answers, there are pillows propping her up.

"Did I wake you?"

Her eyes are heavy, and her cheeks are flushed, but she smiles. "No. Just taking a break before going to the museum."

"Museum?"

"Gwen's rented out an art museum for the night for a private tour."

"Is she with you now?"

"She's out getting a pizza."

I blink. "She hates pizza." And it's not like her to go and pick something up. Not when there are people with her who can do that for her.

"Not when she's drunk. We got some slices earlier, and it was like I blinked, and her slices were gone."

"I've never seen her drunk."

"Really?"

"I didn't know that was a possibility." She's always quick to cast a stink eye on any of us when we drink too much.

"She's had us drinking since this morning."

"To make up for the lack of a traditional bachelorette party I'm assuming?"

She laughs. "I think. But I'm having fun. This is more my speed. Where did the guys take you?"

"A secluded house in the woods. Either Sebastian, Tobias, Bently, and Colton are planning to murder me, or they're prepared to get royally wasted."

She purses her lips, trying to hide a smile. "Well let's hope it's the latter."

"Ready to be tied down to me then?"

"Forever and ever. But this is your bachelor's party. Why don't you join them?"

"I will. Just . . . are you alone?"

She flips the camera to show me her hotel room. "Yep. There are Veil out in the hall." She returns the camera to her face.

"I've put a lot of thought into it—"

"If you're about to call off the wedding, so help me, Jonas Blackwood—"

"Never. I want you to know you don't need to cover up your Mark in public."

"What?"

"This isn't a rash decision. I've been thinking about it since we were in France." While there, I had mentioned there was something I wanted to talk to her about once we were back in Elleany. Then when we were, I got scared, wondering if I was ready to face Amoria's wrath, but my secret is exposed. It's only a matter of time before Amoria knows and takes away all my power.

I have to make changes before it's too late.

"Why are you bringing this up only now?"

I hold up my glass. "Maybe it's the whiskey." Liquid courage to give me the final push to snub Amoria.

"You want the country to know your family was wrong about something?"

"It shows we're human."

"You aren't though."

"I'm still part human. It's up to you, Iris. I won't prevent you from doing what you want, and I won't let the Society either." At least not while I'm still in charge.

"Your brother tried killing me to prevent this secret from being exposed."

"And now he loves you."

"What about your Mark? Will you reveal it?"

I close my eyes, thinking of my mutilated Mark. When I was taken by rebels who were aided by my cousin Erik, I desecrated my own skin to hide that I'm Expired. A Preeminence never reveals his Mark. Only his parents and spouse are allowed to know his greatest secret. If other countries knew the date a country's king would die, it would put the entire nation in jeopardy. And I don't want any remaining rebels to know they can kill me either.

"You know the rules are different for us." I swat at a mosquito that landed on my hand. "You're protected from Amoria."

"And you aren't." She frowns. "If I do this, do I just stop wearing one or do we make an announcement first?"

Months ago, before the country even knew who Iris was, I put the Society in charge of making sure her real date was in no way connected with her name in any kind of records. When we announced to the world three months ago that we were to be married, there were rumors that arose from people who claimed to know her, saying that she was supposed to be dead, but with the records changed, they had no proof, and after all, how could someone be Expired? That's an impossibility that the world believes. An impossibility that the Society believed as well until a year ago.

A few of the rumors came from names Iris didn't recognize, and we figured they must have been put out by rebels who did know her.

The Society squashed all the rumors. Still, between that and waiting for Amoria to drop an anvil on me, I haven't been able to sleep well.

If Iris decides to do this, she'll show that the rumors were true.

"It's up to you."

She glances to the side, perhaps at the door. "Let's talk about it once we're both back at the Estate."

After we say goodbye to each other, I head downstairs where Seong-ho is arguing with August. Enzo mixes a glass of a pink-colored juice and vodka while Bently stands next to him drinking out of a bottle of rum.

Eli slaps me on the back, jostling my whiskey over the rim of my glass. "Ahh the bachelor has returned."

"You all are the bachelors."

He smirks. "Not Brydan."

From across the room, Tobias looks offended. "I have someone."

Eli gestures at him with his glass, spilling vodka on both of our feet. "Where's the ring?"

"My bedroom in the Estate. I'm not telling you the exact spot because Seong-ho will steal it to tick me off."

Said cousin snorts into his glass.

Sebastian lowers the loaf of bread he had been picking at. I was told he insisted the house be stocked with bread since that's what he craves when he drinks. "You're actually planning to propose?" he asks, and Tobias nods once. "You've been together barely three months."

"I didn't set the deadline."

Though the deadline wasn't my doing, Tobias directs his gaze to me.

From the coffee table, Colton grabs a bottle of whiskey and places his hand on my back, almost cautiously. "Spare me a moment with my brother, gentleman." He steers us into an empty office, the desk completely cleared of any materials or supplies. There's only furniture in here. It's as if the office is waiting for an owner. He refills my glass. "You looked like you needed a break."

"I just came down here."

"They can be a lot when they're drunk." He pours a glass for himself. "Maybe they're a good reason why we should raise the drinking age."

"The country already hates us enough. Even if we were to raise it to—what twenty-two?—they'll all be past that age soon enough, and it's not as if they'd have any incentive to pass the law or even follow it."

He holds out his glass, and I clink mine against his.

"It was a good idea though."

I shake my head before tossing back my drink.

"Are you ready for the big day or should I say big night?"

I choke, and once I've recovered, I pour myself a new glass. "If you ever ask me that again, I will take you to the Estate in Wyoming and let the bison chase you around."

He looks deeply unsettled at that threat. Maybe I should bring up the bison kept on our other Estate more often.

As far as our honeymoon, Iris has been in charge of planning it. I don't know any of the itinerary, or where we're going. If any of my Order know the details, they have kept silent.

How can my brother stand there talking to me about my wedding as if nothing is wrong? As if my wedding is not taking away his chance to marry the woman he loves.

I finish off my drink in one go and pour another. "How are you feeling?"

"Well my brother did just threaten to let me be chased by bison."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"I have five months. I'm not worried."

Five months like the rest of the Order until they have to be married. The Preeminence is given the shortest amount of time—as leader and role model—to accomplish the task. I'm not convinced Colton isn't about to do something incredibly foolish that will cost me more than my marriage to Iris but will have the entire Society paying for his decisions.

"Colton."

"Alastairi Moretti is about to be in the same vicinity as our sister again. That has me worried."

"Again, not what I mean."

"Look, I get it. I can't marry Vienna as punishment for trying to overthrow you and for trying to kill Iris multiple times." Multiple times? "For kidnapping Bently and Iris and dragging them to France. For all of my sins, I am paying the price."

"That's not why you can't marry her, and you know that." Vienna was gone, exiled instead of being tortured. He agreed to marry an Amoris in my place if Amoria would allow it and then I proposed to Iris. Vienna was out of the picture.

And now she's back.

I've never disliked Vienna, so a part of me is glad she's back, but at the same time, it's brought a cloud over the wedding.

"Khaleedi," he says, calling me the Amorian word for brother. "I won't jeopardize your wedding. I am glad to have Iris join the family, you know." He refills my glass before leaving the office.

I rub at my face, wishing I could just enjoy my bachelor party, wishing I could vanquish the guilt creeping toward me with every day that brings me closer to my wedding.

I'm not sure how much more whiskey I down before I stumble out of the office and find Percy, the Iota, resting against the wall.

He raises his glass in salute.

I brace a hand on the door frame. "Keep an eye on my brother. Make sure he isn't going to do something we'll all regret."

"What will you give me?"

I furrow my eyebrows. I can't offer him money or power. He already abounds in those things.

"What do you want?"

"I want Elleany to put in a bid to host the Olympics."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"The O-lym-pics. The big world-wide sporting event."

I'm too drunk for this conversation. "We don't let people into the country."

"It would be temporary."

"We would never get it."

"Do you think the world would pass up an opportunity to see what Elleany is like?"

"Yes."

He takes a sip of what looks to be whiskey. "I guess you aren't worried about Colton sneaking off to marry Vienna before your wedding therefore leaving you unable to marry Iris. It would be more of a shame for you than anyone else. After all, we've all noticed Bently eyeing her." He smirks. "She wouldn't be single for long, now would she? She'd be happy with Bently while you'd be in a loveless marriage." He laughs. "You wouldn't even have to take off that bandage." A nod to my Marked arm. "An Amorian wife would know the moment you two stared deeply into each other's eyes for the first time. So much for sharing that part of you with Iris."

All of his words send sparks of fear racing through my veins, but instead of heat remaining in their wake, I'm left frozen.

"We'll place a bid."

He grins. "Pleasure doing business with you, Preeminence."

I'm just sitting here imagining the Society hosting the Olympics.