Lizzie huffed. “It means that he sees us rather like prize animals at an auction, and the potential husband who has the most to offer will be the winner. He’s already started talks with Anura and Felida, as they both have princes who will soon be of marriageable age.”
He felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. “He’s just going to marry you off?”
Her eyes suddenly focused again, and she lifted her head to look him in the eye. “I don’t know why it surprises you. He’s always been clear that I will benefit my country most through a political match. The only difference now is that he hastwodaughters to bargain with, rather than one.”
“And you’re just going to accept that?” A sour taste filled the back of Freddy’s mouth and spread down until it pooled in the pit of his stomach.
“I would rather not. If I had my way, I would never marry.”
For some reason, he didn’t like this answer any better.
“Why not?”
Her brows rose skeptically. “Why would I? I know your parents are madly in love, but they’re the anomaly, Freddy. Most marriages in our circles don’t end that way. I don’t want toend up like my mother.” Her jaw worked back and forth for a moment. “And I certainly don’t want to marry someone like my father.”
I’m not like Alfred.
Freddy was caught entirely off guard by the sudden thought, and he shoved it aside almost as quickly as it had appeared. He hid his discomfort with a crooked grin. “Well, if you need somewhere to escape, you can always come here.”
Lizzie smiled at him, and her eyes glowed with the warmth and affection that had only continued to grow throughout their long friendship. “I know I could, but this would be the first place that Father would come looking for me. If I were ever to make a run for it, I think I would go to Norditch.”
He wrinkled his nose at the mention of the cold, desolate island country that was covered in snow for nine months of the year. “Norditch? Why would you go there?”
She held up her hand and began to tick off the reasons, a mischievous smirk playing at the edges of her mouth. “It’s far away. I love ice skating, and you can do it nearly year-round there. I hear the fishing is pretty great.”
“You’ve never fished a day in your life.”
“And they have reindeer.”
Freddy could tell that she was doing everything she could to keep her face straight, which was usually when he made it his personal mission to make her break. He nodded slowly. “Hmm, yes. I know how much you love reindeer.”
Lizzie bit her lip, and he could tell she was wavering. “Some might say they’re better than people.”
“It’s true. But didn’t you know you can see them here in Kysta?”
“You don’t have reindeer, Freddy.”
“Then how do you explain the other day when a storm came through and my mother told me, ‘Look at the rain, dear.’”
Lizzie mashed her lips together, but try as she might, she could not keep the giggles from escaping. Philip stirred and opened his eyes, and she hurriedly tried to get herself back under control. “Freddy, that wasterrible.”
He held his hands up in defense. “My mother’s words, not mine.”
She just rolled her eyes as one of her bright, beaming smiles appeared and she sighed happily. “I missed you, Freddy.”
That smile hit him just a little bit differently that day, pushing past the solid base of friendship into his heart and starting to dig the foundation for something deeper. It was foreign and confusing, and yet sent a buzz of nerves all the way down to his toes.
Freddy grinned back at her and reached for her hand. “I missed you, too.”
Freddy, 15 years old
Freddy clasped his hands behind his back and rocked back and forth onto his heels. His entire body buzzed with nervous energy, threatening to burst if he didn’t somehow keep moving.
Something that was rather difficult to do when sandwiched between the king and queen in the receiving line to welcome their guests.
There’s nothing to be worried about. This is no different than any of the other times that Lizzie has come to visit.
Except for the betrothal agreement, of course.
