You Have My Heart, Lady Illea (A Lady Illea Novel)

Chapter Forty Four

"And we had convictions."

I blow on my tea and raise my eyebrows at America. "Really?"

She smiled and nodded, stirring sugar into her tea. "Mhm. We did away with a few brutal things when Eadlyn went through her selection."

I thought for a moment. "Why did Will have one?"

She looked up at me.

"If it's not mandatory."

America shrugged. "My grandson is a man of," she thought for a moment. "Culture and tradition. He likes the idea of the continuation of things. What really made him want to do it was because Maxon and I met through the Selection."

I smiled. "He's so close to the two of you."

America laughed as if remembering something. "As a little boy he was glued to Maxon's leg!"

We laughed together and the idea of a tiny Will with outgrown hair and rumpled suit holding onto Maxon's leg made me smile. I glanced out the window of America's private quarters and was a bit disappointed to see there was no snow.

America leaned forward. "Not quite like Carolina, is it?"

I smiled somberly at her and shook my head. "No. It's so strange."

"It's hard having two homes."

I laughed. "I suppose you could put it that way."

America put her tea down and looked at me. "How are you feeling dear?"

I shrugged. "Honestly? Conflicted."

"Why?"

"Because-! Because....." i looked at my hands. "I love my father and my best friend and Carolina. It's home but with Will I-" i bit my lip then continued. "I don't think i can be queen. No matter how much he believes in me it's something here." I touched my chest. "In my heart"

For some reason actually sitting down and talking about my problems made me feel better and I knew on some level America understood.

"I like living life simply. I don't know if I can be everything Will needs me to be. Meetings, law making, television announcements?" I shook my head. "That's not really my thing. I don't even think I'm any good at it."

"How will you know if you don't try?"

I looked down, unable to look America in the eye anymore. I stared at my fingers and held my tea in both hands. Everything was a risk. I was risking my life, Will's life, and most importantly the lives of everyone in Illea. Because if I turn out to be a crappy queen...well...

America reach over and took my hands. "Life is an obstacle and it's all about getting to the other side," she told me. "And that means taking a leap of faith to get there."

I needed to believe in that.

I needed to take a leap of faith.

-

-

-

Hey guys! Since we have around a handful of chapters left here's a sneak peak of the very last words in chapter 50 (this is from my outline)

Guess who it is!

"I know," he let out a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. "I could never ask you to forgive me-"

"I wouldn't." I said it quickly, but clearly and my voice was laced with emotions I never knew existed.

He looked down. "I wouldn't expect you too." he looked up and everything that has happened, after what he's put me through, after all we had seen, there was still a silver of hope in his eyes. "I just want to know if there's was a possibility, even in the slightest, that there is hope of-" he stopped and reworded his sentence. "I want to know if a new beginning is written in our stars, perhaps the possibility..."

He trailed off. I let out a deep breath and for the first time in my life I felt like I was finally doing the right thing.

"There world is full of possibilities."

We looked at each other, smiled.

I opened the door and walked right out.

As you all know I like to switch POV's a lot so this might be from someone else's POV or it might not.

These are the very last words we will ever hear in the Lady Illea series.

Shivers

I can't believe I might actually reach the end today!

XOXO Lilly