Taelon cleared his throat. “A bride neither of us won in the end.”
“Are you so certain?” Caspian sneered.
Katrinka’s gaze flattened once again, and her blush disappeared almost as quickly as it rose. “I think I shall remain,” she intoned. “I’m not used to this climate. The sunlight has already taken much of my energy.”
I could tell she was lying. And not just because she was still positioned in a way to be mostly in the sun. It was a sister’s intuition, something brought to life by our proximity.
“Please come,” I begged her. Then on the hill walking toward us, I saw my greatest hope. “You can meet my friend, Oliver. He’ll join us too. And he issomuch fun.”
Katrinka glanced over her shoulder in a bored way and then did a quick double take as the sight of Oliver, with his shaggy grown-out monk’s haircut and gentry-style suit, caught her attention.
“He is your friend?”
My one and only. But to her, I said, “Yes, we grew up together. He helped me walk the long distance from Heprin to here.”
“He did?” she demanded, underestimating him like everyone else. “He helped you survive all the way from Heprin?”
He tripped over a hole in the ground and flailed his arms to regain his balance, unaware that the four of us were watching him. “Yes, he’s wonderful.”
“Let us be off then,” Taelon commanded. “Before our elders arrive and demand our company.”
“You’re sure we won’t get into trouble?” Katrinka asked, sounding more open to the idea, now that Oliver was included but still not quite sure.
“I’m sure,” I lied. “Clesta will tell everyone where we’ve gone. And we’ll be back before desserts.”
Clesta looked as though she were about to have apoplexy. I smiled at her reassuringly. She turned the fan on herself and tugged at her tight bodice.
“It will be fine,” I reassured her and everyone. “Just mention to my uncle that Katrinka and I went to explore the gardens. But he shouldn’t worry because we have”—I looked around at the rather large party—“so many capable escorts.”
Oliver swatted at a fly buzzing around his head rather dramatically and nearly tripped over his tangled feet again.
Clesta narrowed her eyes at him. “Yes, very capable.”
I smiled brightly at her. “We’ll be back before you can miss us.”
At her look of grim disapproval, I waved at the rest of the party to follow. We were in a courtyard of sorts. The larger sections of the gardens were connected by stone paths and lined with tall hedges of varying plants, displaying whatever kingdom they were meant to represent.
But I knew that the manicured garden paths and foliage eventually gave way to a wilder section of palace grounds. When I had first been free to be on my own, I had spent much of my time there. It vexed my uncle like nothing else, but I preferred the feral solitude of the gardens to the cultured courtesy of the palace.
Eventually, Tyrn had tired of my rebellious escapes for peace and quiet and threatened to mow the whole lot of trees down if I continued to wander off alone. I had submitted to his will to save the land. I did not doubt he would follow through with his harsh promises. But I also knew he wasn’t asking too much of me.
I was, after all, heir to the throne. Heir to the realm. I could learn to behave. Even if I thought it might kill me.
Besides, I had reasoned, I would be queen one day. And then I could do whatever I wished.
See him try to stop me then.
Oliver was at my side as soon as we started off. I wasn’t even sure if he had totally heard the plan, but this was who Oliver was. Loyal in every way.
A shiver of doubt ran through me at the prospect of losing him back to Heprin. But I shook it off. It was too beautiful of a day to let dark thoughts blot out the sunshine.
Behind us were my sister, Taelon, Caspian, and several guards. Not all mine.
Once we were away from the festive tents, I half turned and said, “Oliver, may I present my sister, Katrinka.”
He made an awkward, mobile bow as he turned clumsily to the side so he could acknowledge her. “Charmed to meet you, Princess Katrinka.”
Her expression remained blank, but she didn’t sneer at his failed attempt of chivalry, so that was a partial victory. “You are my sister’s suitor?”
