He caught up a moment later. “Fine.” Despite the fact thathehad invitedherto take a stroll through the gardens, it was Caspian who sounded irritable.
They walked in tense silence. After a while, he broke it to say, “I wonder why you find that book enjoyable, as it is obviously silly and unrealistic. Only sons of nobility were ever knighted, even hundreds of years ago, when knights roamed the realm keeping peace and fighting for kings and queens. Commoners were never allowed to become knights.”
Speaking a tad defensively, she said, “Who doesn’t like a story where the weak become the strong? The poor become rich? And someone goes through trials and becomes the victor? Who wouldn’t be inspired by that kind of book?”
He gave her a look of haughty derision that irritated her.
She shot back, “Then tell me about a book thatyoulike, so I can listen and make the same face.”
After a moment, he said, “I don’t like to read.”
She quickened her pace, storming off ahead. He was forced to hurry his steps to catch up to her.
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Of course, you don’t like to read. Why am I not surprised?”
His voice turned bitter as he said, “Not all of us are so privileged to have grown up with reading as a hobby. As a mortal, I was not literate.” His words were sharp, and she felt her face fall.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She paused, and asked delicately, “You really couldn’t read?”
“Most commoners cannot.”
“I … I didn’t know that.”
She hoped he knew she hadn’t meant to be cruel when she scoffed at him. His face was unreadable as he walked beside her.
“Do you know why there haven’t been knights in over four hundred years?” he asked, his voice dry.
She stopped and turned to him.
“Because, while noble lords enjoyed beingcalledknights and being gifted swords and fancy armour, they didn’t want to die. It’s much easier to give commoners a pittance for gold and call them soldiers.”
“You sound convinced of this.”
“I am.”
“Not all nobles are so self-centered.”
His hair was now damp, a strand of dark hair falling across his face. His brow furrowed. “I have yet to see anything in this life that would convince me otherwise.”
“I apologize, but I swear you’re calling me selfish.” She was a noble, and he knew it. As was everyone in her family.
“I am not.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I am sure … that nobles have their own struggles,” he said through clenched teeth as if the words pained him, “but the struggles of being a commoner, and being so desperate for gold that you would do anything, is one that very few nobles understand, and many choose to take advantage of.”
She was still annoyed but knew he wasn’t saying these things to make fun of her. He was harboring some lingering hurt. Guilt nagged at her about belittling him for not reading, so she said softly, “It’s a work of fiction.”
“I just think it’s a far-fetched story,” he said, his expression softening. “And, for the record, I do not thinkyouare selfish.”
Around them, the rain fell harder.
Lost in thought about what he had said, her slipper snagged on an overgrown root. Before she could register it, she was tumbling, and a strong hand caught her arm.
She flicked her gaze from the hand firmly gripping her arm to his face. “Let me go. I don’t need your help.”
She tried to move out of reach, and he tightened his grip. His expression was skeptical as he said, “You’d rather I let you fall, and break that pretty little face?”
She pinched her lips together and cleared her throat. “Er.”
“Well?”
