I reached for the lamp and turned it on with a touch —enchanted with magicwas always the explanation for something that would be technologically advanced in my world — and the glow it provided lit up my room enough to show no one was hiding in dark corners.
My entire dorm was spelled to only let trusted people inside, as a standard arrangement by the administration for all students. No one could just sneak in … right?
I woke up in time for dinner, after all. As the four of us walked into the dining hall, Mia kept to my side this time, whispering information I didn’t ask for, but still appreciated.
“That’s Lady Cecilia Valonde,” she murmured, gesturing to the lady who called me a pleb the first night I was here. “A duke’s second daughter, older than you by one year.” She had long, beautiful lilac hair, and she moved with a grace befitting a noble. No wonder she looked down on me.
“Lady Kathel and Lady Mera,” Mia continued, referring to the two other women with Cecilia. It was Mera, with curly ginger hair and vivid green eyes, who told me about my disasterof a debutante ball. “A count’s daughter and a viscount’s third daughter, respectively. Lady Kathel once made you cry during one of the usual tea parties.”
I had no recollection of that. Looking at her, I wouldn’t even think it was possible, with her petite stature and long, blonde hair plaited into two.
“Oh! Lady Cecilia used to be betrothed to the Crown Prince,” Mia gossiped, lowering her voice, “But the Prince absolutely refused it. He threw a tantrum, according to the maids. Almost lost one big battle with how much he defied the arrangement. It only happened last year.”
“Do you think it explains why she’s always moody?” I gossiped back while Mia giggled. Even though I had very little interest in nobility, it was a funny image for a Crown Prince to throw tantrums. I wondered if he laid on the floor and flailed his arms and legs like a toddler.
I couldn’t imagine any reason to refuse marriage with a beautiful woman, though. And if my knowledge of noble rankings was right, a duke’s daughter was only one step below a prince. Cecilia seemed as princessy as one could get.
The three ladies picked out their food, while their maids and the servers catered to them. Normally, I would try to befriend them despite their rough initial treatment of me, because god knows every girl needs to be a girl’s girl. But I couldn’t afford to form friendships that I would potentially leave behind. Handling Mia, my knights, and Elias was already tough enough.
“I finally caught you,” someone said before my knights intercepted him. Robin and Reuben glared at Amos, suspicion wafting off them.
My throat dried up at the sight of him. “Amos.” Eli’s older brother had always stayed away from me as I spent time in their manor. Wasn’t it supposed to be like that even here? I convincedmy rational mind it was okay to fuck this manbecausehe avoided me when around other people.
“I tried to guess last night when you’d be here for dinner,” he laughed, as if my bodyguards weren’t standing between us. “I’m glad I got it right this time.”
Oh, no.
No.
“It’s good to see you too, Amos.” I dismissed him, walking away while Mia watched me from the corner of her eye, and my bodyguards surrounded me.
It didn’t deter Amos from following. “I was thinking it’d be nice to have dinner together.”
“Why would my lady have dinner withyou,Lord Amos Drakon?” Reuben finally spoke up, stopping our entire group and earning a few onlookers. I wanted to sink into the floor and disappear.
Amos chuckled as if affronted, glancing between my knights before on me. “Why wouldn’t she? Bea’s my —”
“Amos.” I stopped him before he said anything stupid. I didn’t know exactly what he was about to say, but I had a pretty good idea what it could be. “Whatever it is you’re thinking, please cease it.”
He actually seemed hurt and confused, andholy fuck,pleasedon’tlook at me like that.
“Sunshine, I don’t understand,” he mumbled, eyebrows furrowing. “I thought we had a connection.”
“Connection?” Robin echoed, glaring harder at him.
But Amos only stared at me. “Talk to me, Bea. Please.”
Honestly, I agreed; we needed to get things straight between us. “We’ll talk, but not here, not now,” I conceded, mindful of the number of ears listening to our conversation. “For now, let’s have dinner. Separately.”
Amos nodded in silence before sauntering out of the dining hall, making heads turn. He didn’t make a show of it, but his presence commanded it, anyway.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Even as he walked away, I couldn’t help but watch his fine ass. What was it about him that physically attracted me so much? One look at him and I was immediately turned on.
I was so fucked.
“What in the heavens was that?” Reuben growled at the same timeEliasappeared, asking, “What did my brother want?”
Oh, for the love of god.
