My cheeks heat as the attention of the entire room focuses on me. I don’t know how I am supposed to introduce myself, but luckily, Cate takes the decision out of my hands.
“This is my friend Cal. He wanted to come along today to say hi to all of you.”
The girls eye me warily. I try not to look as intimidated as I feel.
“I like Andra better,” one of the girls claims.
Cate leans down and whispers—not at all quietly—in her ear. “Me too.”
“He is handsome, though,” pipes in another.
“I suppose so,” Cate says with a smile. She reaches for the hands of the two girls closest to her. “Well, what are you waiting for? Show me what you have been up to this week!”
The girls need no more encouragement, tugging her up the stairs and down the hallway, chattering audibly even once they’ve ducked inside one of the many rooms.
“Prince Callum.”
Shit. Of course the headmistress of the orphanage knows exactly who I am.
I straighten my shoulders and reach out a hand. “Just Callum while I’m here, please. Pleasure to meet you.”
She raises one arched eyebrow like she means to challenge that notion. “Amelia. I’m the warden of this care facility.”
“Could I trouble you for a tour?”
Her second eyebrow rises to meet her first. “Of course. I have offered many times to host the royal family for a tour. No one has ever taken me up on that offer.”
My stomach churns. It’s a condemnation, and not a subtle one. “I apologize for that. But I am here now, and I would like to hear about what you do here, and how I might be of assistance.”
Amelia turns on her heel and leads me through a stone arch, into the dining room of the building. There’s a long wooden table in the middle, mismatched chairs along either side. “I take care of up to ten girls at a time here.”
“Only ten?”
She shoots me a withering look. “Only ten Gifted are permitted to reside in one location at a time, are they not?”
I clear my throat, chastened. “Right.” I suppose I never considered the law being applied to children, but it does make sense to limit the number of Gifted who can gather in one space. Otherwise they might be able to combine their powers and use them to overthrow law and order.
Though the Uprising was able to do that just fine on their own, without the Gifted army we’ve always feared.
Amelia continues her tour, leading me around the well-appointed, if old and outdated space. She points out the books and paper, the writing instruments and paints each child has in the makeshift classroom. “Cate has made sure we are always fully stocked on the supplies we need for the girls’ education.”
“Does the money you receive from the province not cover such expenses?”
She snorts, not bothering to hide her disdain. “I am lucky if I am able to cover food and clothing with the money from the province. There were many times in the past when we have been forced to ration food in order to last until the next shipment arrives. So no, our expenses are not covered by the royal family.” Her mouth twists on the final word.
I swallow, fighting back the shame. “Forgive me, I was under the impression the orphanages in Scota were well provided for.”
“I’m sure some of them are, Your Highness.”
I nod, guilt roiling in my gut. “Point taken.”
I listen for the rest of the tour, keeping my comments and questions to myself. Amelia does not hold back, telling me stories of the injuries the girls bore when she first arrived, and how her requestsfor aid are continually ignored. Cate said things had improved since Amelia took over; I hate to think what they were like before.
Cate comes back down the stairs right as the tour is ending, as if planned. The girls trail after her like a line of ducklings following their mother. She wraps them in hugs before opening her bag and handing a heavy-looking sack to Amelia. The two women have a whole conversation without exchanging a single word.
I offer a hand to Amelia. “Thank you for the tour. I will not ask for your forgiveness, but I will promise that your words have not gone unheard.”
She returns my shake with a firm one of her own. “I appreciate that, Your Highness.”
