The Hidden Luna Queen 2
Chapter 31

Maeve POV

"Miss Maeve, you have been summoned to the Royal Palace!"

In my surprise, I almost dropped the pregnancy book I had been reading. I cleared my throat, abrupt and awkward. "The palace?" I repeated, trying to sound as casual and unbothered as possible. "Whatever for?" Immediately, I was swarmed with all the possible worst-case scenarios. Had I done something wrong...? Or had my father or Victoria said something to get me in trouble out of revenge for Sarah's imprisonment? Maggie, however, stared at me as if I had muttered complete and utter nonsense. "Oh, come now, what sort of question is that?" she scolded lightly. "You're going to be Prince Xaden's Luna! They mean to officially meet you!" My heart began to pound. They want to meet me?

I wanted to believe that was a good thing. Maybe Xaden had decided that we were ready to reveal our relationship to his father and the rest of his family, or perhaps his father brought up the prospect of marriage and Xaden told him that he was already involved with someone. If he weren't a prince, I probably would not be as nervous as I was at that moment.

After all, I was not just meeting his father.

I was meeting Alpha King Arlan, leader of the entire Werewolf Kingdom.

Without wasting another second, she shuffled me into the master bedroom and began sorting through the wardrobe for clothing befitting the sudden, very important visit. "There's no time to lose," she said, hasty and distracted as she brushed past dress after dress not seeming to replace something she was satisfied with. "You need to be flawless today!"

She didn't need to tell me twice. I could not mess this up, not when Xaden's reputation was on the line. Thanks to my limited knowledge and experience with nobility, however, I was not enthusiastic about my chances of success.

"Um... Maggie," I began to ask. "What does one say when they meet the king?"

Maggie's sudden gawk in my direction was not reassuring. "You... you have been to the palace before, haven't you, Miss Maeve?" she questioned. Blushing, I shook my head.

"Oh... dear," she stammered, losing all color from her face as she began to scurry around the room in a haze. "In that case, we have a lot of work to do." "R-Really?"

"Miss Maeve," she said seriously, rushing over to me and grabbing firmly onto my arms to look me in the eyes. "It is more than just looking your best when you appear in front of the king. It is also about decorum." Decorum? I mused anxiously. "What do I need to know?"

Thus began Maggie's impromptu lesson of basic etiquette.

As she spoke, she pulled out a dress she finally approved of-a lovely white, silk dress with an empire waistline that honestly reminded me of something from a fairytale-and helped style my hair into loose, pretty curls. Throughout the short car ride to the palace, she continued to give me whatever other tips and advice she could think of. Even if she only knew basic etiquette, it was more than I had ever been taught, so I was appreciative of anything she had to offer.

Upon exiting the car, we began to approach the large, daunting palace gates but were quickly stopped by two towering guards.

"What business do you have at the Royal Palace?" one asked loudly.

"I-ah.." I faltered. I suddenly felt like such a fraud.

Shaking with nerves, I gazed back at Maggie for reassurance. Once she gestured for me to continue, I forced myself to stand straight and proud as I addressed the guards. "M-My name is Maeve..." I said. "I... I'm here to answer Alpha King Arlan's summons."

After taking some time to verify that I was telling the truth, the guards held aside their weapons and opened the grand gates for me. Gulping, I proceeded to enter and Maggie began to follow, until the guards suddenly blocked her entrance. Preventing Maggie from joining me..

"Only the girl," the guard said sternly to her. "You must wait here."

I swung my gaze over to Maggie, who looked incredibly insulted. "What is the meaning of this?" she loudly demanded. "I am part of His Royal Highness, Prince Xaden's staff! I am here to accompany his Luna!"

The guard did not appear swayed by her impassioned rant. "Yes,

however, as a member of Prince Xaden's private staff, you are no longer permitted to enter the palace grounds without the proper current identification."

"Proper identification?" she gaped. "I used to work here. Can't you search your records?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Orders are orders."

Maggie glanced hopelessly between the unwavering guards and myself, clearly wanting to follow me but, at the same time, she could not disobey royal decrees. My stomach twisted nervously at the thought of entering the palace on my own, but I had no choice. "I-It's alright, Maggie," I tried to reassure her with a small smile. "I can replace my way. I'll come replace you once this is all over."