CHAPTER ONE

      August 15th—Online Celebrity News with April Fotherington

      Who will be the new Lycander Princess?

      All bets are off!

      It’s official! Lady Kaitlin Derwent is no longer a contender for the position of Lycander Bride—the people’s favourite aristo announced that her new squeeze for the foreseeable future is Daniel Harrington, CEO of Harrington’s Legal Services.

      Who’d have thought it?

      Exit Lady Kaitlin!

      So Prince Frederick, ruler of Lycander, is on the lookout for a new bride.

      Who will it be?

      Will it be the type of woman who graced his arm and his bed back in his playboy days, before the tragic death of his older brother and the scandalous death of Prince Alphonse, his flamboyant father, in a house of ill repute propelled him to the throne?

      FREDERICK II OF the House of Petrelli, Prince and Ruler of Lycander, stopped reading and pushed his screen across the ornate carved desk, resplendent with gilt—a royal gift from an English monarch of yore.

      The phrase pounded his brain—tragic death of his older brother—but he forced his features to remain calm, and made himself focus on the man standing in front of him: Marcus Alrikson, his chief advisor. After all, he needed all the advice he could get.

      ‘I don’t understand what the problem is—this article is nothing more than a gossip fest. And it’s old news.’

      Marcus shook his head. ‘That is the problem. The article serves to remind the people of your past.’

      ‘Don’t you mean my sordid, scandalous and immoral past?’ Might as well tell it like it is, he thought.

      ‘If you like,’ Marcus returned evenly. ‘The bigger problem is that we both know you are holding on to the crown by your fingertips. The people did not want you on the throne because of your past—so any reminder causes damage.’

      ‘I understand that.’

      The all too familiar guilt twisted his insides—the people had wanted his brother on the throne. Axel had been born to this. He would have been the ideal ruler to bring prosperity and calm to the land after their father’s turbulent rule.

      But Axel was dead and buried—victim of a car crash that should have been Frederick’s destiny. Frederick should have been in that car on his way to a State dinner; instead he’d asked Axel to step in and take his place and his big brother had—no questions asked. So Frederick had attended a party on board a glitzy yacht to celebrate a business deal...and Axel had died.

      The dark secret tarnished Frederick’s soul, weighted his conscience.

      And now Lycander was stuck with