“Something like that,” he said. “I’m on guard duty to protect against arsonists.”
Evelyn put a hand on her hip. “I haven’t been impressed with your colleagues so far. The guards were too busy talking about stealing wine to notice me slip past them.”
“Guards are stealing wine?” The man’s tone became serious.
“Well, kind of. One of them was saying he drinks the leftover wine from royal dinners. Like, straight out of the glasses removed from the table.”
The man gaped. “That’s disgusting.”
“Obviously. You must not be paid enough if guards won’t buy their own wine.”
“I’ll let the king know of your disapproval with his employment practices,” the man said with amusement.
“Thank you.” Evelyn gave him the smallest of curtsies.
“You’re one of the Fire princesses, right?”
She sighed. “Yes, but not the important one.”
He furrowed his thick brows. “What do you mean?”
“I’m the younger sister. Hannah is therealprincess.”
“You’renota real princess?”
“Technically, I am,” Evelyn conceded. “But it all feels like a joke. I spent a century as the daughter of a lord. My father has been a king for all of five minutes and now the Ducasses give a shit about us?”
“Are you… upset? That your family was invited to Gryon?”
“I just don’t understand whyIhave to be here,” she complained. “Hannah is the one the prince wants to meet. She thinks all of this is so romantic. I’m sure she’s a sleeping beauty right now, not even setting one small fire.”
Evelyn kicked at a wave. Some of the water splashed onto the man’s boots, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“You don’t think the prince would want to meet both of you?” he asked.
“Who knows what he wants? He didn’t even show up for dinner tonight. The king probably didn’t bother to teach the prince any manners since he wasn’t meant to be the heir.”
The man remained quiet. Evelyn looked up at him and noticed all traces of his smile were gone.
Shit. I messed up.
“I’m sorry,” Evelyn said. “That was a horrible thing for me to say. You probably knew Prince Christopher before he died… I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I’m not good at shutting up when I’m supposed to. Which, again, is why Hannah is the real princess. She doesn’t turn into a bitch when she’s tired.”
“It’s okay,” the man murmured.
No, it’s not. He definitely won’t want to see me again.
“I should probably go back to my room,” Evelyn decided.
“I’ll walk you up to the palace.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“What kind of guard would I be if I let a princess wander unattended? Besides, I have to make sure you don’t set any more fires.”
“First of all,” Evelyn started, voice raised, “I am not an arsonist. Secondly, you can’t be chivalrousandact like you’re escorting a criminal. Pick one.”
The man offered Evelyn his arm.
