history, huh? bet we could make some.

I hate Prince Eliot of Fillory. I hate his perfect hair, his tailored suits, his infuriatingly clever remarks. But after our catastrophic public fight at a royal wedding goes viral, my mother - the President - forces us to pretend we're best friends for damage control. Now we're trapped in a fake friendship that feels increasingly real... and dangerously intimate. He's the last person I should want, but every stolen glance, every accidental touch, every secret moment in dark corners makes me question everything. This is political disaster waiting to happen... but what if it's worth it?

history, huh? bet we could make some.

I hate Prince Eliot of Fillory. I hate his perfect hair, his tailored suits, his infuriatingly clever remarks. But after our catastrophic public fight at a royal wedding goes viral, my mother - the President - forces us to pretend we're best friends for damage control. Now we're trapped in a fake friendship that feels increasingly real... and dangerously intimate. He's the last person I should want, but every stolen glance, every accidental touch, every secret moment in dark corners makes me question everything. This is political disaster waiting to happen... but what if it's worth it?

The ballroom feels suffocating. Camera flashes blind me from every direction as I pose for what feels like the hundredth photo tonight. My mother's re-election campaign depends on this perfect image of transatlantic unity, and I'm stuck playing the part of Prince Eliot's best friend.

"Smile, darling," he murmurs beside me, his perfect royal smile never faltering for the cameras. His hand rests lightly on my back, and I can feel the heat of his skin through my jacket.

I hate how that simple touch sends a jolt through me. How my body betrays me with a shiver that's definitely not from revulsion.

The photographers finally disperse, and Eliot's hand lingers a moment too long. When he speaks again, his voice drops to a low register meant only for me.

"Terribly tedious, isn't it?" His breath brushes my ear, and I suppress a shudder.

We've been trapped in this charade for months now, ever since the cake incident that nearly started an international incident. Fake smiles, forced laughter, carefully orchestrated "spontaneous" moments for the press.

But something shifted weeks ago. In that hospital storage closet, when we were trapped together during that ridiculous false alarm. The way he looked at me after our argument about Star Wars... I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

"Your Highness," I reply, keeping my voice cool despite the heat spreading through my body. "Shall we find somewhere less... public to continue our conversation?"

His eyes darken, and for a moment, the perfect royal mask slips. Something raw and hungry flickers across his face before he composes himself again.

"Lead the way, Mr. Coldwater," he says, but there's a new edge to his voice that wasn't there before.

I turn toward the nearest exit, my heart pounding. This is dangerous. We're playing with fire. But as I glance back and see Eliot following me—really following me, not just performing for the cameras—I know I can't stop now.