I woke toJinky shaking my shoulder. “Your Highness,” she yelled in my ear. “Wake up. You’re going to be late.”
I groaned and turned away from her, dragging the fluffy blanket over my head.
Jinky persisted. “Princess, please, you’re going to be late for your classes.”
I had no intention of showing my face at BANA after what happened at the council meeting. They’d all heard about it by now, no doubt. “I’m sick,” I lied, my voice muffled by the bedding. I forced a phony cough.
Jinky tsked at me. “You’re perfectly fine, and you have exam review today.” Then she added with forced cheer, “Wouldn’t want you to miss something so important.”
I groaned again, but I knew she was right. Not about the exam—I definitely wouldn’t have minded missing that—just that I needed to go. The real test was whether I could withstand this kind of opposition. Raise my head up high and show my face to people like Amador. I couldn’t allow them to keep me from the throne. My pride was at stake, too. I wasn’t gonna let them win.
I was taking that throne one way or another.
***
On the wayto school, I saw lights going up on the street poles and purple banners being lifted. In the grassy common areas, more nuno workers were busy erecting scaffolding and bleachers for the parade audience. Ayo said invitations for the Coronation Eve Ball were going out with the messenger that afternoon. It was all happening so soon.
Then I noticed something, way off in the distance, beyond the Paulanan Mountains. Dark clouds. A gathering storm.
I yanked the window curtain shut and sat back against the seat.
At least my classmates had finally gotten used to me being around. Most of them had stopped staring when I arrived every morning and switched over to either total indifference or—though it was embarrassing to admit—fawning admiration.
A trio of Sirena first-years ran up to me as I approached the front doors. “Hi, Princess. My name’s Darna,” one of them introduced herself, while her two friends looked too scared to speak.
“We wanted to give you this as a token of our loyalty,” Darna said, bowing before handing me a beribboned box. “They’re polvoron cookies. We made them ourselves.”
“Oh, how nice!” I said. “My favorite.”
Darna and her friends beamed. She continued: “We’re all writers for theBANA Bulletin. We know you’re really busy and everything, but we were wondering if maybe you’d be interested in joining?”
“Oh, cool! I don’t think I can take on any more right now with the coronation and everything, though.” I did feel sorta bad turning them down; they were being so nice. There was just no extra time. I was running on empty as it was.
“Right, of course,” she said sheepishly. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize. I appreciate the invite. I’ll get back to you when things calm down?”
Her face lit up. “Sure! That’s great.” She handed me a copy of their latest issue before they walked away. I glanced over it as I walked inside and noticed a headline,What Can the Crown Princess Do for BANA?,at the bottom of the front page, alongside photos of three students and their responses. One was “One uniform for all students. Why are we divided by where we come from?”
As soon as I walked in, another Sirena tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a piece of paper. “Your Highness, we’re having a bonfire at Lake Reyna, if you want to come—”
“The princess can’t come to your bonfire.” Fortunada walked up.
The guy slinked away.
“First-years,” she said. “They don’t get it.” I noticed she’d ditched the glasses and added a ring to her daily ensemble. It matched her heirloom bracelet, with a huge pearl surrounded by diamonds.
“It doesn’t bother me,” I said. “I’m glad they like me, to be honest.”
“I’m only concerned they’re interested in social perks and not friendship,” she said. “I’m trying to look out for you.”
“That’s very nice of you”—it wasn’t—“but it’s all good.”
“Sorry.” She cringed. “Now you’re mad at me.”
“No, not at all!” I heard the bells chiming. “Shoot, I don’t want to be late. I’ll see you around, Fortunada.”
“See you around,” she said. She stood and watched me until I disappeared around the corner.
