“Yes. Doodles.”
“What is it? Some sort of cipher.” He turns the journal upside down, as if by some trick of the light, it will suddenly be legible.
“I told you, they’re just doodles. Now, can I please get up?”
His eyes narrow. Of course he doesn’t believe me. He’s too smart for that. “If you were just doodling, then why did you run?”
“Because I thought you were going to kill me.” That is true.
He shakes his head. “No, no, no. From the ballroom.”
Oh, right. “I wasn’t feeling well. Now please let me up.”
I start to squirm and try to shove him off of me, but he just snatches up both my wrists, somehow managing to maintain his grip on the journal while holding my hand captive. “Liar.”
This really is ridiculous. “Dammit, Aemon. What do you want?”
He stops cold, eyes widening like I’ve shocked him somehow. It only lasts a moment, though, before he’s manhandling me again. “I want the truth.”
“Fine.” I let my head fall back to the ground and stop fighting him. “The prince made me…” I don’t know why this is so hard to admit to him. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just—I don’t know—hard to say out loud. I turn my head, so I don’t have to see his expression. “Uncomfortable,” I finally say.
Abruptly, he stands and backs away, the expression on his face inscrutable. “Did he hurt you?”
“No.” I push to my feet and pat at the layer of dirt covering my backside, even though I already know the dress is ruined. I look down and, sure enough, the satin skirt is a torn-up mess. How am I going to explain this to Leodin? He’s going to kill me. I take a steadying breath. I’ll just have to deal with that later. First thing’s first, I hold out my hand. “My journal.” He looks down at my palm. It’s bleeding and covered with scratches but doesn’t really hurt. Maybe it’s all the adrenaline running through me, and I’ll feel it more later.
Aemon closes the journal and stuffs it into his inside pocket. “No. I need to take a closer look at it first. If I don’t see anything suspicious, I’ll give it back.”
Oh wonderful. Another check on the list ofthings that will make Leodin furious. “Great. Wonderful. Can I please go now? As you can see, I need to get cleaned up. And I won’t be able to return to the ball now, so thank you for that.” I turn on my heel and head back the way I came, Aemon fast on my heel.
“It’s not my fault. Next time, don’t run.”
“Next time, don’t approach a woman, who’s alone in the dark, looking like a rabid animal. Hmm?” I shoot him an evil glare over my shoulder and keep walking.
“I did not look like a rabid animal.”
I harrumph loudly. “Well, as the person who actually saw your face, I would say that you are incorrect.”
“What do you want me to say? I’m sorry? Does that make you feel any better?”
I round on him, happy to be on the offensive for a change. “I don’t know. Will your pitiful excuse for an apology repair my dress or heal my wounds?” I cross my arms and tap my foot, waiting.
He shrugs and walks past me. “You shouldn’t have run.”
I growl, actually growl, I’m so angry.
He stops, turns around and smirks. “Who’s the rabid animal now?”
“Next time, I’ll remember to bite,” I say.
He laughs. LAUGHS.
And I must lose my mind or something because I run up behind him and shove him in the back. “You think this is funny?”
“Calm down.”
“Calm down. Oh, that’s easy for you to say. You’re a man. If you leave in the middle of the ball unannounced and ruin your suit, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have a stepfather who is expecting you back and will very likely beat you bloody the next time he sees you.”
That smile drops like an anvil.
