"Ow!" I winced when she tugged too hard.
"Sorry. Just making sure it's secure. Can't have a hair out of place on the head of the Hero of Elucia."
"Please stop calling me that. This medal belongs to all the riders who answered my call, and all the soldiers in the ground forces who held the line against the Shedun horde."
"That's an excellent acceptance speech." Shovia stepped back to admire her handiwork. "It will get you lots of applause."
I swallowed. "Am I expected to speak? I haven't prepared anything."
Wasn't a thank you and a handshake enough?
"No, but what you've just said sounds awesome. When you thank the general for the medal, add that." She put her hands on my shoulders. "Perhaps it will make the other cadets more comfortable around you. People are envious of achievement, sometimes even resentful, because they don't want to feelinferior in any way. Showing humility and giving credit to others is a great way to mitigate the effect."
"I doubt it will help."
It wasn't just the cadets. The service staff and the instructors were giving me strange looks, too. People were grateful for what I'd done, but they were also more distant. Less friendly. Perhaps even a little wary of my unprecedented ability.
Not that I could blame them. Even to me, it seemed like dark magic.
No wonder Saphir was hiding his compulsion ability and putting on a playful act. I should emulate him, but I lacked his natural charm and penchant for drama.
Shovia added a little rouge to my cheeks and lips and took a step back. "Much better. Do you want to take a look?"
I stood and turned to the mirror.
"It's alive!" I exclaimed, which made Shovia laugh.
After she'd treated her own face to some of the rouge, she put the tiny jar away and patted my shoulder. "Showtime."
As a knock on the door announced the arrival of Alar and Codric, we walked out to join them, and I nearly stumbled over my own feet.
Alar looked spectacular in his dress uniform, every inch the prince he was. Codric looked good as well, but he couldn't hold a candle to his cousin.
"You look amazing." Alar leaned to kiss my cheek. "The dress uniform suits you."
"Right back at you," I said. "You look like you were born to wear Dragon Force blue and silver."
"Thank you." He smiled and offered me his arm. "How are you feeling?"
"Good."
He arched a brow. "I was under the impression that Elucians didn't lie."
"It's not a lie. I can be tired and still feel good." I leaned against him. "With you by my side, everything is great."
He snorted. "Flatterer."
"It's true," I protested.
"I love hearing you say that I'm good for you, so I'm not going to question it."
At least he hadn't called me a liar this time. To an Elucian, there was no greater offense, but the truth was that I wasn't entirely guiltless because I was keeping things from him.
Not by choice, though.
Saphir hadn't given me explicit permission to share with Alar what he had told me during our post-attack meeting, and I had been so stunned and confused that I had forgotten to clarify what I could share and what I couldn't before leaving.
I hadn't felt the shaman using his compulsion power to keep me from talking about what I'd learned, but in the state I had been in, I might have missed it. Not that it was what was preventing me from telling Alar. I knew I could break through the compulsion with ease, probably because I was a shaman myself. Well, I wasn't one yet, not officially, but according to Saphir and Nyxath, I had the gift.
