A piece of my hair pulls at my scalp making my temper snap. I bite my tongue and hold my words as my maid gives me a hard look in the mirror.

No more childish temper when you are Queen. 

Drystan's voice still echos in my head. His words and all they mean.

Gods, I will be Queen at the end of the night.

The weight of the crown will fully and totally rest on my head by the end of the night. Making the decisions for an entire Kingdom with no counsel who can fully overpower me to hold me back. Then I will have to create a court of my closest advisors who will advise me with truth and wisdom.

My maid pulls another piece and I look up to the sky trying to keep my eyes from watering.

The weight of the entire kingdom and all their lives. All of them. In my hands.

My gold-rimmed mirror above my dressing table is nothing but a reminder of the rank I am about to inherit.

I always thought I had more time. To enjoy every moment without that constant weight. Even with the amount that I have wanted this, you can't prepare for this weight in short sixteen years.

My room is mainly dark colors with its gray and black walls and my ebony four-poster bed in the center of the room. The only bit of color is the blood-red carpet in the center of the room and the ancient bookcase that from the creaking on the doors is older than life itself. My closest door stands to the side with my desk both a shiny black wood.

"Your highness," my maid announces

Only my title for a few more hours.

"Her Highness, Princess Ivy would like to see you."

"Let her in," I say without taking my eyes from the mirror. The door opens and closes with a click

"You look beautiful Ravi," she murmurs from behind me. I catch my reflection in the mirror.  My ebony hair is pinned in a messy bun with my one strip of platinum hair catching the light and a lacy full black ball gown flows around me. Silver bangles jostle around my wrists with a matching necklace of the moon with diamonds as surrounding stars.

"I wanted to see if you were ready."

I want to snap at her. Of course, I'm ready and even if I wasn't, do I really have a choice, but I hold my tongue and reply.

"I've never been more ready for anything."

It's true, and her voice truthful and never conflicted. That is who I am. That is who we are. Halegraves not upset by Good's claims or taking the crown at such a young age, but prideful and confident, ready to rule with grace and power.

I stand and turn to her.

"Come sit with me."

I stand and nod silently to my maid dismissing her. Quitely as a mouse she strides from the room closing the door silently behind herself. Ivy follows me to the silver bench at the end of my bed and I sit next to her our shoulders barely touching. 

"You will make a regal Queen Ravi," she comments from beside me looking to my ceiling where the constellations constantly move across the ceiling. 

"Thank you," I whisper, not really knowing how to respond to this. Her words hit a part of me that I didn't know existed, and it warms me to see her confidence in me.  We sit in silence for a moment. 

"So," I say drawing out the word and resting my head on my chin smirking at her, "I heard you might have a little interest in someone special." She looks utterally agast and I have to hold in a laugh.

"How did you find out?"

"I have my sources," I say slyly. In truth, Celeste told me the whole story from when she was walking in the gardens yesterday after school. She might have seen them talking on a park bench and the way he looked at her was evidence enough and she just now confirmed my suspicions. She just stares at me trying to look angry but it's so clear she likes him

"Well, you also just confirmed my theory."

"I did not," she says exasperated.

"But you did," I respond give her a canny smile. 

"I... oh forget it," she hisses feining frustration. 

"Tell me all the stories."

"There isn't anything to tell really. I mean he is kind to me and he really cares." She looks like she is holding something back but I don't push her on it surprised she talked at all.

"Your highness," my maid whispers from the corner of my room, "It's time for you to go to the astronomy tower for the ceremony" I give her a curt nod before whispering in Ivy's ear, "Tell me more later."

"There is no more to tell," she says voice raised. I give her the right look before turning on my heel and following my maid from the room still smiling slyly.