“I will sit in on all your lessons.” He lifted a folio off the desk her tutors usually used. “I have notes from the Senate of things they wish to see, certain subjects they want reported on. As you might imagine, princess, they are keen to learn more of your politics.”
Vi gripped her hands tighter still. Now she was to be graded like a child. They didn’t respect her, or her authority.
She took a calming breath, squelching her eager spark to show them all why they should heed her. If this was what she must do, then she would do it gracefully.
“I fear you shall be bored, but do as you like.” Nothing in Vi’s words betrayed the swirling emotion within her.
“Well then, now that we are all acquainted, I would like to begin that half lesson you promised me, princess,” Martis interjected.
“Yes, certainly, I am ready when you are.”
Martis moved behind the desk. Andru moved for a chair in the back corner of the room. Something about having him sit off to her side and behind her right shoulder had Vi uneasy. But there was little she could do other than sit straighter and try to ignore him entirely.
“Since I am still going through my letters, let us resume with our discussion from two days ago, if you please.”
She didn’t please, if Vi was being honest.
More than anything she wanted a few solid hours with herself to regain her mental footing. Her eyes drifted to Jax for support, but he was already leaving the room.
Outwardly, she’d be the princess, while inwardly she’d boil from her magic super-heating her nerves.
“Yes, Martis, where shall we resume the discussions?” Vi said as the door closed behind her last tutor, leaving her alone with Martis and Andru.
“We had been talking about the nature of the Senate.” What an apt thing to be discussing now with Andru in the room. “Our last lesson had ended before you could answer my question.”
“Please refresh my memory.” Vi remembered perfectly, she just hoped to look for an opening to change the topic.
It didn’t work, and Vi settled in for several long hours of tutelage.
* * *
She had never been so exhausted at the end of a day of lessons. It felt like an entire lifetime had transpired. She’d woken up before dawn and now emerged from her classroom after the sun had set.
But her back was still rigid, a relaxed expression turned into a small smile as she thanked her final tutor and sent him away. Andru was close behind but he paused in the doorway.
“Thank you for allowing me to sit in on your lessons.”
“You’re welcome.” He was as welcome as a viper in her bed. Vi wanted him gone. She wanted him gone as badly as she wanted out of her formal clothes, which at that moment wasverybadly.
“I look forward to the next time we have lessons together. But I hear that will be in a few days’ time, as you are going on a hunt.”
“Yes, I am quite excited.” What Vi really wanted to say was that if he tried to do something to take her hunt from her, she’d burn him to ash where he stood. “Leaving Soricium is a gift from Sehra. She gives her blessing for it every year.”
“Her blessing? Prince Romulin has said that you, as the Crown Princess, can do as you please.”
Vi couldn’t ever do as she pleasedbecauseshe was the Crown Princess.
“Even a Crown Princess can show respect toward her host.” The quick response seemed to satisfy him. “Now, if you will excuse me, I am quite exhausted from the events of the day and I can only imagine you are as well, since you’ve been traveling for some time.”
“I am tired.” Andru looked out the door. But instead of leaving, he slowly closed it.
“Lord Andru, I am not sure what you think you are doing, but I do not think it is appropriate for you to be in my chambers, unescorted, at this hour.” Perhaps it was a test, Vi reasoned. Perhaps he was trying to see if she would object or if he could uncover some deeply romantic corner of her, looking for a moonlight tryst. If that were the case, he was about to be sorely disappointed.
“I realize. Forgive me, princess.” Andru took a step inside, and then another. There was something she disliked about how unhurried his movements were, combined with that shifty look of his. “But there is something I must tell you, alone.”
Vi stood her ground, straightening. She wasn’t going to take one step back. If this was an intimidation tactic, it wouldn’t work.
“We are alone. Tell me and then leave.”
