Page 58 of Royally Matched

But you see the thing is I can’t get that riddle out of my mind, no matter what I’m doing or where I am or who I’m with. My mind keeps bouncing around the idea that there’s a scroll buried somewhere beneath the palace that has something to do with a righteous ruler.

Please don’t judge me. Anyone who knows me knows that I think the sexist and old fashioned Ledonian law of succession, that states the Crown must follow the male line, should be abolished. Malveaux managed it forty years ago. Why can’t we? With one brother already abdicating the throne in favor of marriage to his Malveauxian Princess and the other not giving two hoots about being king someday, it would make mylifeto find some ancient scroll that could change all that.

It’s not that I’m greedy or power hungry or like the way I look with a big fat crown on top of my head. It’s just that being Queen someday feels right to me, like it’s something I’m destined to be.

Why must my worth be measured by my gender? Even in this modern age, tradition still binds us, dictating that only a man can rule. But I know I have the skills and the heart to lead. I’ve studied our history, our politics, our people. I understand the complexities and the potential of our small nation, sitting as it does in the huge continent of Europe. I know I’m the right person for the role.

And now I’ll get off my soap box, I promise.

So, this is where I find myself, with Marco, alone in thevast palace library, searching for what? We don’t quite know.

“What exactly are we looking for?” I ask as Lemon and Pepper wander around, sniffing the floor.

“The riddle says to seek the wisdom in an ancient book,” he replies, surveying the walls of books around us. “Which one of these is ancient?”

“All of them.”

“Allof them? That’s not exactly helpful.”

“Well, it depends on how you define ‘ancient.’ It could be ancient Greek or Medieval or from the Renaissance. We have a lot of old books that have been housed in this library for generations.”

He blows out of breath as he leans back against the leather padded desk. “There’s no clue in the riddle, so I suggest we start anywhere. How about over there?” He points at a shelf of dark green leather-bound books looking appropriately old and worn.

“Those are Medieval,” I tell him. “They’re all written in old Ledonian, so if you can read it…?”

“Nope. Can you?”

I shake my head. “The first hurdle and we fall down already.” I lean back against the desk beside him and watch as he pets a grateful Pepper’s head. “Sorry. I wish I could be more help.”

He’s got a determined look on his face, his jaw set. “Is there a nook in the library? Something set back from all the shelves, or behind some furniture or something?”

“There’s this little nook over by the corner near the window,” I say as we cross the room. “We used to play in it when we were children. It’s been a long time, but I see no reason for it not to still be here.”

I show him the small archway beneath a row of shelves. I once researched the history of the nook anddiscovered it was created by King Gerald II for his children to sit in and read.

Marco begins to feel around the edges of the nook, pushing against each of the shelves as well. The wall of books doesn’t move. But then he comes to a stop, his hand underneath one of the shelves. “What about this? It feels like a button or something.”

I place my hand in the spot and find a wooden button the size of my palm. “I’ve never noticed that before. What is it?”

“Push it and see.”

I push the button and instantly a hidden door pops open about a foot. Excitedly, we pull it fully open, dust falling on our heads as we push through old spiders’ webs to make our way into the small hidden nook behind the shelves. Neither of the dogs follow us. Perhaps they know something we don’t?

“This is amazing! I never knew this was here,” I say in wonderment as I look around a dark, empty room.

Marco turns the flashlight on his phone on to illuminate the space.

The room is cold and musty smelling, like it hasn’t seen the light of day in some time. There are four rough stone walls and a smooth stone floor. Other than the spiders’ webs in the corners, the room is empty.

“What is this place?”

“I have no idea. It’s kind of creepy.”

Marco’s eyes flash to mine. “Not creepy,Principessa. Fascinating.”

Warmth seeps across my chest at the nickname and I offer him a weak smile. “If you say so. Do you think this is what was meant in the riddle?”

“Of course I do. If the riddle’s correct, there should be an ancient text in here.”