The Five Princes - Preview

Chapter 3 - The Talk I

After a thousand failed attempts at guessing the Wi-Fi password myself, King Cyrus arrived. The guards bowed to him automatically, but he ignored them, smiling at me.

"Nikos told me you'd like to contact your father?" he asked.

I stood from the chair. "Look, it's not that I don't appreciate the idea, but I don't want you going around calling me princess and your highness when I'm—"

Before I finished, Prince Nikos entered the room. "Good, you're still here. Thought we'd have to chase you all over the house."

Cyrus's eyes softened as he stared at me. "I don't mind it."

I cleared my throat and dropped my chin.

Nikos sat in one of the chairs, throwing his legs over the side. "What kind of king doesn't tell his daughter she's a princess, then makes someone else clean up the mess?"

"Hush," Cyrus reprimanded, his voice dropping an octave. He turned back to me. "Don't stress, my dear. As soon as Julian arrives, we'll call your father."

"Julian?"

"My younger brother," Cyrus explained. "You've already met Nikos, the youngest."

Nikos threw up a peace sign while looking at his cell phone.

"Charmed, I'm sure," I muttered.

"Evann," Cyrus said, "prepare the video conference call. Has King Tylier confirmed his availability?"

Evann nodded. "He has. Unfortunately, Queen Leona won't be able to join us since she has a fashion show in Milan."

I sank back down into my chair. They knew about Mom, too.

"Ah! Julian! There you are."

I looked up to a man wearing glasses, a man bun, and a scowl.

"You!" I said, pointing at him.

He sighed. "Again?"

"You've met?" Cyrus asked.

"She interrupted me while reading."

Nikos chuckled. "Bad move, Princess."

"Why am I needed for this phone call?" Julian asked, monotone.

Cyrus patted his brother's shoulder. "Because I want us all to be on the same page regarding our new royal guest. Now sit down."

Julian sat next to Nikos, nudging him. Nikos sat up but didn't take his eyes off his cell phone.

Cyrus nodded to Evann. "Call him."

The computer buzzed and my dad's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey, princess!" he said, grinning.

I stood from my chair. "Stop calling me that!"

Everyone looked at me. I wrinkled my nose and sat back down.

"But you're my princess, princess," he said, laughing. "And as you've figured out by now, you're everyone's princess."

"Stop joking around, Dad."

He shrugged. "I wish I could say I was, but the fact of the matter is, you're a princess. You're royalty."

I looked around the room. "There are hidden cameras around here, right? You're playing me."

"Nope," he said. "No hidden cameras. No playing. Just good old-fashioned, life-long secrecy."

"So, let me get this straight — you're telling me that you bought me a first-class ticket to a foreign country so I could meet the royal family and have them break the news to me?" I paused. "Is this why you bought me new clothes?"