Crown Me

10.

*Perrie's Pov*

Buckingham Palace was empty save for the dead. Despite the frantic funeral preparations occurring behind closed doors, there wasn't a soul in sight. I'd found myself in the throne room staring absently at the empty seat I was expected to fill. I didn't belong here. I never would. Regardless of the splendor and wealth that dripped from the private rooms of the grandiose estate, I was grateful that we would continue our residence at Clarence House for the foreseeable future.

Or so I had been told via one of Jade's new private secretaries. I'd have to learn to ignore the frustration that seethed inside me at every turn, even if it meant accepting personal messages about my life from total strangers.

Instead I told myself I should be grateful for the opportunity to leave Clarence House which didn't yet feel like my home, after being mandated to remain inside for the last two days. I hadn't even been allowed to leave to visit Jade but the crushing thing was that I suspected this mandate had come directly from her. Lauren had driven me here this morning informing me that Jade planned to come here directly following her release from the hospital.

"Excuse me." I stopped a maid. "Can you point me..." I trailed off. I wasn't certain where I needed to be.

She curtsied keeping her head low. "Your Majesty may follow me."

There was definitely no getting used to this.

"She's not your Majesty yet," a caustic voice interrupted.

I spun around finding myself face to face with Jade's grandmother. Her age showed in the fine lines surrounding her narrowed eyes and pursed lips but it had no effect on her presence.

"I was informed you married my granddaughter in the hospital. I'm not entirely certain it's legal to marry someone under the influence of opiates but you've landed your prize" she shooed away the young girl with a dismissive wave. "Despite everything. And soon you'll have a throne but you aren't a royal yet."

"I assure you I haven't been running around with a scepter and the family jewels," I said, my anger getting the better of me. The suggestion that I was happy about any of this didn't merely irk me, it infuriated me.

I'd been prepared to assume my role as Jade's wife prior to the wedding but I hadn't learned yet what would happen when the throne fell to her. The possibility had been so remote it hadn't even occurred to me to ask.

"You will learn your place in this family," she hissed, spittle flying from her lips.

I bit my lower lip, trying to contain my rage. I might not know all of the etiquette and protocol for the situation I was in but I did know that I now outranked her in this family.

She knew it as well.

I'd had enough contact with her to be quite certain this wasn't completely a result of grief. Still I couldn't divorce myself from the fact that she had just lost her daughter. Possibly because I had an actual beating heart in my chest and possibly because the mere idea sent my unpredictable hormones into a tizzy.

"I am very sorry for your loss, Your Highness."

"What do you know of loss?" Her lips drew into a grimace. "You know nothing."

She left me there and retreated down the hall. A moment later her voice carried through the empty passage followed by another familiar one.

I chose to look on the bright side. At least I knew where Jade was.

I peeked into the private chapel through the doorway relieved to see Luke and Jade standing a few paces away but remained out of sight when I saw her grandmother was still there. Jade and Luke had enough to worry about without me stirring the pot.