Relevant Reign

Book four of the Royal Reflections Series Aleatha Romig New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE INFORMATION RELEVANT REIGN Book 4 of the Royal Reflections series Copyright @ 2023 Romig Works, LLC Published by Romig Works, LLC 2023 Edition ISBN: 978-1-956414-50-9 Cover art: Letitia Hasser at RBADesigns/Romantic Book Affairs Editing: Lisa Aurello Formatting: Romig Works, LLC Proofreader: Stacy Zitano Inman This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. 2023 Edition License This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the appropriate retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. Dedication The Royal Reflections series is dedicated to my husband’s grandmother, Lucille. (And yes, she’s read my books!) At ninety-seven years of age, she remains a bright and beautiful part of our lives, the lives of our children, and of our grandchildren. She has shown us that blood doesn’t dictate who we love—the heart does that. Thank you, Grandma Lucy, for the example you’ve shown. You will always be regal and royal in our hearts. Relevant Reign “Your greatest threat will always come from the inside. Never forget that.” Omar Navarro, Ozark Molave’s survival is at stake. The monarchy is faced with betrayal that could end Molave and remove the kingdom from the map. With so much on the line… What price is too high? Will the Godfrey monarchy go on? Don’t miss this dramatic conclusion of the Royal Reflections series as the bonds of family are tested and family itself is reevaluated. The prince and princess must decide if Molave is worth the risk or if returning to America is in their future. Have you been Aleatha’d? From New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a brand-new contemporary romantic-suspense series, Royal Reflections, set in the world of the royal elite, where things are not as they appear. *RELEVANT REIGN is the much-anticipated conclusion in the Royal Reflections series. Royal Reflections must be read in order: RUTHLESS REIGN, RESILIENT REIGN, RAVISHING REIGN, and now RELEVANT REIGN. End of book 3, RAVISHING REIGN Roman Leaving the infirmary, I barely spoke to Lord Martin as I rushed to our apartments. Lady Buckingham met me on the grand stairs. “Where is the Princess? Is she upstairs?” “No, Your Highness. She’s with the queen.” The queen. Changing directions, I headed toward the king’s offices. He’d told me not to rule with emotion, but at this moment that felt impossible. The emotions were bubbling within me, reaching a boiling point. “Sir, what is happening?” Lord Martin asked. “I need to see Lucille. If I can’t, I must speak to the king.” “I will call for an appointment.” “Fuck that,” I growled. Lord Martin stayed at my side, stride for stride, as we hurried past faceless people in the corridors. Some greeted me and others bowed. I didn’t slow. Pushing my way into the king’s outer office, I said, “I must see the king.” “Your Highness,” one of his secretaries said, standing. “He isn’t expecting you.” “Is anyone with him?” “No, sir, but…” I didn’t bother waiting for the guard to open the door as I pressed on, pushing open his office door. “Roman?” King Theodore said, looking up from his desk. “What is this about?” He waved off the guard. I waited until the door closed. “I just came from the infirmary.” “The princess is expecting,” the king said with a smile as he stood. “I’m elated.” “No. Yes.” I shook my head. “Inessa Volkov is hiding from her brother because—” “She’s pregnant with your child. The guards found the pregnancy test. There’s no need to worry. We have The Queen of Molave In the past I woke with a start, searching the shadows of my bedchamber for answers. Is our son all right? Is he injured? I ached for any shred of news. As if designed to keep me in the dark literally as well as figuratively, heavy drapes covering the windows kept what was left of sunlight away—if indeed the sun was still in the sky. Peering around the room through puffy eyes, I took in the opulence hidden beneath the shadows. The finest furniture, made for a queen, created the perfect bedchamber. My temples throbbed as I fell farther and farther down the black hole of sorrow. Time passed unmarked by anything of substance since we’d received the first call. Minutes crept while hours flew. The numbers on the clock at my bedside either wouldn’t move or spun without reason. Nothing made sense. Willing myself to move, I managed to scooch up and sit against the pillows and headboard. I turned to my right, seeing beyond the sheer curtains shrouding my bed. The telephone on the bedside stand sat silent. I longed for more news. An accident at university. As soon as we were told, Theodore flew to Kristiansand. That was hours ago or maybe days. The last word was that our son, the Prince of Molave and our heir to the Crown, Roman Archibald Godfrey, was alive. My Roman—my handsome son, the one God gave to me after we lost Teddy. Roman wasn’t our only surviving child. Five years after Roman’s birth, I’d had another successful pregnancy, our only daughter, Isabella. Due to