Raewyn’s mouth fell open. “The lady of the… no. No. What are you even talking about?”
“Please. Don’t worry about it,” I said, swiping a hand through the air. “My home is your home, after all. And imperiousness looks good on you.”
“I amnotimperious. That’syourapproach to things,” Raewyn said.
I laughed. “Okay then, whatever you say… Princess.”
Her little scowl only made me laugh more.
Sending a silent message to the groundskeeper, I pulled on my shirt then moved to take Elanor’s place behind Raewyn’s chair.
“I’ll take over the tour from here,” I told the healer. “You can return to your other duties.”
She gave me a surprised look but didn’t argue. “Yes, My Prince.”
Then she turned and headed back into the house.
“What are you doing?” Raewyn asked over her shoulder.
I began pushing the gliding chair forward. “As I said, giving you the rest of the tour. Elanor can’t spend all day entertaining you.”
“And you can? Weren’t you in the middle of something?”
Raewyn sounded annoyed. Which made me chuckle.
Her being uncomfortable alone with me meant something. Though I had no business liking thatsomething, I did.
“We were about to wrap up training for the day,” I lied. “A nice stroll will help me cool down and stretch my muscles to keep them from cramping.”
At my mention of “muscles,” Raewyn’s shoulders tensed. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.
“So, what have you seen already? I wouldn’t want to bore you.”
“I think I want to go back to my room,” Raewyn said. “I’m tired. I can see the rest of the castle another time.”
“Very well.”
I pushed the chair up the lawn and over the terrace into the house. On the way to the staircase, I stopped in front of a set of tall, intricately carved wooden doors. They were closed.
“What did you think of the library?” I asked.
“The library?”
In spite of her irritation with me, Raewyn couldn’t keep the intrigue out of her voice. As I knew very well, books were her weakness.
I gestured to the library doors. “It’s right here. If you can wait a few minutes longer to go back to your room and rest, I’ll show it to you.”
Raewyn hesitated. “I… yes, I guess I can wait just afewminutes. I’ve never seen an actual library, though I’ve read about them.”
I knew it.
Smiling in satisfaction behind her, I turned her chair and guided it over to the doors. Then I stepped in front of her, pushed them open, and moved to the side so she could have an unobstructed view.
Raewyn’s jaw dropped, and she sounded like she was struggling for breath. She leaned forward in her chair, apparently trying to propel it on her own.
“Would you like to go inside?” I asked, as if I didn’t already know the answer.
“Yes. Please,” she said, sounding impatient.
