Taigan does not answer. After a moment, Rune’s dry voice murmurs, “Who can discern the motivations lurking in the heart of man?”
Elis snorts. “I’ve always found man to be a pretty straightforward creature, myself. Eat—rutt—kill. What more does he want? It’s a simple life, but a merry one.”
“You are a boor, Elis.”
“From you, Taigan, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
By this time, I have left my books behind me on the table and crossed to the balcony rail, deaf to Master Gormon’s furious scoldings. I peer down at the three champions below, taking care not to let them see me. Why have they come here? Surely not to study. While the Learned Majestic might derive some comfortfrom the proximity of books, I doubt very much either Taigan or Elis would experience similar pleasure. Have they come to find me? To corner me and make me the object of their attentions?
My heart lurches to my throat. The last thing I want is to be cornered by Prince Taigan again. By any of them, for that matter. After the disaster of Presentation night and the horror of the first trial, the less time I spend in company with any of the champions the better.
“Princess Roselle!” Master Gormon’s voice has gone all high and reedy. He appears at my side and presses his walking stick forcefully against my arm as though to propel me back to my seat. “If you do not apply yourself to your lessons, it will be my sad duty to—”
“I’m sorry, Master Gormon,” I blurt out, whirling and backing away from him hastily. “I just remembered, I have animperativedress fitting, and Lady Philippa will absolutely murder me if I don’t arrive on time.” Ignoring his bleating protests, I turn to the stairs only for my heart to lurch again. Prince Taigan is on his way up already. Did he hear me? Does he already know I’m here? I back away, casting about for escape, but there’s only one way up or down from this level.
Biting back a curse, I push past my bristling tutor and duck behind a low shelf off to one side of our makeshift classroom. The shelf is barely waist height, but if I hold very still, and if Master Gormon does not give me away…
“Where is the princess?” Taigan’s voice booms in the hushed atmosphere of the library. I’m not sure if he thinks he’s lowered his voice or not, but the effect is quite echoing.
“Gods spare me, how should I know?”
I peer out between two books to see Master Gormon turning this way and that. He must not have seen exactly where I went,nearsighted as he is. He curses in a most unacademic manner and smacks the end of his walking stick against the stone floor like he wishes it were my skull. “I have never met such an unruly student! Devils know what a difficult time I’ve had trying to make something of her. Better to attempt teaching a goat its letters than to seek for sense in the mind of a…”
Taigan ignores the subsequent tirade and steps over to the worktable I just vacated. It’s strewn with books, papers, inkwells, and quills. He touches one page of notes and lifts his fingers, eyes narrowing. “The ink is still wet,” he says. “She was here.”
“The mighty hunter tracks his prey,” I whisper, huffing a silent laugh through my lips. This is ridiculous, of course. He’ll find me in a matter of moments, for there simply aren’t many places to hide, and it’s not as though I’ve chosen particularly well. Perhaps he’ll tire of the matter and go away? I can only hope. I’d rather list Third Realm demons for the rest of the afternoon than deal with Prince Taigan for even one moment. Some small part of me wonders if this dislike I harbor for him is reasonable based on our few interactions. I don’t know. And I don’t care to find out.
The other two champions appear at the top of the stairs, just visible from my angle. The Learned Majestic looks around with a sneer and says something about a disordered workspace contributing to a disordered mind, which makes Master Gormon swell with indignation. But I hear little of the exchange, for Lord Elis’s eye flicks directly to mine, spotting me between two dusty book covers.
My heart stops. I’m done for. He will alert the others. He must. Then, not only will I have to endure Prince Taigan’s attention and Learned Rune’s disdain, but I’ll also have to make some excuse for why I’m crouched here like a gods-damned idiot, my calves aching, my corset creaking, pinned down like a hunted hare.
“She cannot have gone far,” Taigan says, turning from the tables to face Master Gormon once more. “Which way did she go?” His face is now directly in my line of view, and if he were to drop his gaze even a fraction, he would surely see me.
“Now who’s the fool, Taigan?” Elis says, and I brace myself for his revelation. Instead, however, the Albhian lord sweeps a hand toward the stairway up which he has just climbed. “There is only one way up or down from this floor. So unless you mean to peer behind every book and shelf in pursuit of your quarry—which strikes me as a singularly unlikely way to court a lady, I must say—you’d best try below. Perhaps she heard you coming and ducked out?”
Heat rushes up my neck. But Lord Elis has effectively drawn Taigan’s attention away. The Gorduin prince glares ferociously, looking like he wants to utter words unsuitable to his princely vocabulary. Instead, however, he brushes past the other two champions, descending the stairs at a swift pace.
Rune remains for a few moments, moving in his silky, sinuous way about the space. His cold eyes run over both the books and Master Gormon, curious and intent. Elis, meanwhile, moves to stand directly in front of the shelf behind which I crouch, leaning back and making himself into an effective barrier. My eyes are now on a level with his well-shaped and athletic buttocks, prominently displayed in tight-fitting trousers. Hotter than ever, I drop my gaze to my own laced fingers.
“Found anything of interest?” Elis asks after a moment. “Any secrets to unlocking the mysteries of the universe or, more pertinently, the next trial?”
“This library has little to offer any of us,” Rune answers, his voice a hot whisper of sand.
I hear Master Gormon begin to utter a wheezy protest butpay him little heed. Instead, I listen to the sound of Rune’s footsteps retreating down the stairs, leaving Elis behind. And will the final champion force me from hiding, claiming my time and attention now that he has outlasted the others? But Elis continues to stand where he is, idly leaning against the top of the bookshelf, as though he has nowhere to be.
“Nice day, eh?” he offers inanely to Master Gormon, who answers with an inarticulateharrumph. Only then, with a heavy sigh, does the young lord push away from the shelf and stroll leisurely to the top of the stairs, removing his fine posterior from my direct line of view. I take the opportunity to peer out between the books and am just in time to catch him looking directly back at me once again.
He winks.
Then he disappears down the stairs, leaving me in my hiding place, a stupid smile on my lips, and my cheeks flaming with blushes.
17
Rosie
The second trial is to take place tomorrow. Which means, of course, another banquet must be held tonight. Another opportunity for each champion to get an eyeful of me, presumably to inspire him to greater feats of heroism in whatever challenge tomorrow will bring. This means, as soon as I am finished with my lessons for the day, I’m right back in my chamber, sitting before the mirror, while Philippa labors to make me presentable.
“And you must dance with all of them tonight,” my lady insists as she laces me into a deep-blue velvet gown, which I’m quite convinced will suffocate me before the night is through. “And though you have bestowed your colors on Prince Valtar, it is too early for you to show him any more preference. It will discourage the others.”
