Perhaps he’d even told him about me?
Pharis turned away from the footman to level a scowl at me. “No, it’snotyour ‘true love.’ And you still have some work to do controlling your thought projection.”
He took a deep breath and held it a moment before exhaling. His tone was less bitter but still stern.
“The carriage is empty. I just bought it so I can travel anonymously. I’ll be on the road for the next week or so, so we’ll have to suspend your training for the time being.”
Going to the library door, he turned back.
“And don’t bother asking the staff about my comings and goings. I might have allowed them to speak with you, but Iwon’tbe merciful if any of them shares my private affairs. Just know that if any of your newfriendscan’t hold his or her tongue, they’ll lose it—and it’ll be your fault.”
As he left, I almost said, “Good riddance,” but it probably wasn’t necessary, as the silent shout I sent his way should have easily done the trick.
As he’d said, Pharis was away for a stretch of several days.
Which was a good thing.
Spending time with him day after day as we practiced mind-to-mind communication wasn’t ideal if I wanted to remain immune to his charms.
The fact was, villain or not, Phariswascharming. It was just who he was.
And it was good to have a break.
I filled my days with books and chats with Kem and the other girls and walks around the castle. I spent time outdoors as well, enjoying the changing colors of the leaves on the estate’s wide variety of tree species.
The first time I went out on the back terrace, there was an extremely obvious change in the view.
The tall hedge walls that used to enclose the two flower gardens and partially obscure the view of the ocean from the terrace had been removed.There wasn’t so much of a stump left to indicate they’d ever been there.
“The hedges are gone,” I said to Kem, who’d volunteered to go out for some fresh air with me.
She nodded. “The groundskeeper cut them down. Don’t know why. Maybe they were diseased. Or maybe the Prince grew bored of them.”
Or maybe someone had complained about them.
Thathad given me a moment of discomfort.
When Pharis did things like that, it reminded me far too much of the way he’d taken care of me and my family on the road to Havendor, going out of his way to keep us safe and comfortable, to amuse my sisters, and to get lifesaving help for my father.
I just didn’t understand him. He could be so kind in one moment and so cruel the next.
Perhaps that perplexing mixture was what compelled me to climb the stairs to the only area of the castle I had not yet explored.
The third floor.
It had to be where his private chambers were located.
The healer had said Pharis enjoyed a view from “high up.” I never saw him enter or leave any of the doors on the second floor where my room was located.
I knew the staff quarters were up on the third floor, but there weren’t that many of them, only about thirty or so.
Even if they all had their own rooms, there would still be plenty of space leftover for a master suite.
Climbing the two flights of stairs to the second story wasn’t too much of a challenge. I’d been doing it a few times a day lately. I did have to pause for a rest at the bottom of the third-story staircase.
Looking around first, I climbed those steps, tiptoeing so as not to be caught in the act by Pharis’ loyal servants.
They were friendly, but I doubted they’d approve of me snooping in the Prince’s personal rooms.
