Page 87 of A Wayward Movement

Everyone made a show of choking down their laughter, but only one girl was bold enough to hail Alina.

“Excuse me, miss, so sorry.” Her voice was so sweet, it was cloying. “But I thought I should let you know that your braid is a little crooked.”

Xavier winced at the memory of how he’d said exactly that to Alina, too obtuse to realize it was a sign of her decline into poverty. She’d been annoyed at the time and, he realized now, maybe a little embarrassed. He was just thinking he should ignore Mim’s advice and intervene when Alina surprised him.

“Thank you.” Her voice was cheerful. “So helpful to have my peers looking out for me.”

“I wouldn’t say peers,” sniffed another of the girls. “You’re not on our level, my dear.”

“True,” Alina said gravely. “But don’t be discouraged. If you work hard, I’m sure you can achieve the same level of skill! I can teach you. Braiding hair really isn’t as difficult as you think.”

Miriam snorted into her iced tea, and a slow smile spread over Xavier’s face. He should have known better than to doubt Alina. She’d already moved on to the refreshments, leaving a group of outraged noblewomen behind.

“How dare she?” one of them gasped. “Who does she think she is to speak to us like that?”

“Isn’t it obvious who she is?” one of the others said nastily. “She must be the prince’s latest plaything. She’s some village wench from up north, and from what I hear, she’s been all over him for the whole investigation.”

“Awkward that she followed him here,” another said disdainfully. “Obviously he’s finished with her if he’s calling her a sponge. As if the prince would ever be serious about someone like her.”

Xavier felt his hand clench into a fist, and his sister had to once again pull him back from striding around the hedge.

“Don’t involve yourself,” she told him firmly. “She can clearly hold her own just fine. You intervening won’t do her any favors.” She took a sip of tea. “I’m impressed how poised she is, actually.”

Xavier didn’t answer at once. Anger was still thundering through his veins at the things those girls had said about Alina. He knew they were the most empty-headed, spiteful group in the court, and most of the courtiers would know better than to take seriously anything they said regarding the prince whose crown they all coveted. But he still hated to think of them spreading such lies.

He let out a long breath, finally responding to Miriam’s comment.

“Yes, she knows this world.” Xavier’s voice was a little curt. He’d accepted that his sister was probably right about his involvement, but he didn’t like it. “She’s had plenty of experience navigating it. It’s been a long time, but some habits go deep. And she’s more confident now than she was at fourteen, not less.”

“Well, good for her,” Miriam said.

Xavier turned to his sister, glancing between the princess and Alina, whom he could partially see at the refreshments table.

“Mim, can you…take her under your wing?”

“Alina?” Miriam seemed surprised. “I can, but why do you ask, particularly? As we’ve just established, she seems fine. Very confident, very cheerful. I like her.”

Of course you like her, she’s warm laughter and an unquenchable spirit wrapped in physical perfection, and she smells like wildflowers. He didn’t say the words aloud.

“Just show her a good time, will you? Take her to that fancy bathhouse the girls all love, feed her something exotic we can only get in the castle, give her a reason to think positively of the capital instead of just remembering the sad parts of her history here.”

“What sad parts?” Miriam asked, intrigued.

Xavier made an exasperated noise. “Can you just do this for me, please?”

She studied his face. “I’ll be glad to,” she said. “But don’t expect me to ask no questions after this is done. I’ve watched you charm, cajole, flatter, and downright hound more girls than I can count. Sometimes using absurd tactics that seemed to me far more effort than they were worth. And in all that, you’ve never once asked me to lift a finger to help you win over a girl. In fact, I’m sure you would have balked at the thought of involving me, or anyone else you had a shred of respect for.”

Xavier took a moment to answer. She was right, but he wasn’t going to get into it now.

“I have a great deal of respect for you,” he told Miriam. “And for Alina. This isn’t anything like that. I just want this to be a good experience for her, and I know I won’t be free to make that happen. If I’m going to convince Father that I’m serious about this investigation, and he doesn’t need to remove me from it, I have to give it my focus.”

Miriam’s surprise at this sudden desire to be responsible was palpable. But there was something else on her face, too.

“How delightful,” she said, her gaze unseeing as she stared at the ice melting in her drink. “After years of doing whatever you want, all you need to do is lift a finger in order to be instantly useful, dare I say indispensable.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xavier asked, frowning.

“Nothing.” She gave him a quick smile. “Nothing to do with you, anyway. I’ll look after Alina, don’t worry.”