Page 34 of Under Restless Skies

My already battered heart shrivels, as if it made any difference whether Alayel had anyone or not. As if he would ever look at me, with the gigantic chasm between us. As if I would even want him, when he betrayed me like that.

Celine snorts. “Silvia’s worse than Ledeia. One would think she’s a queen or something. I guess she’s on her way to becoming one.”

“Not necessarily. The king could pick one of the princesses for the throne.” It’s what I’m hoping, at least.

She tilts her head. “Maybe.”

A guard dismisses the assembly, and we head to the door from which we came.

Celine shrinks her shoulders, back to that same gloomy mood of when I first saw her. “Thanks for the help. See you some time.”

It sounds like she hopes never to see me again, and I don’t blame her.

“See you,” I say, but she’s already rushing toward the stairs.

And I’m here, realizing that I should have paid a whole lot more attention to directions. The cleaning crew’s dormitory is upstairs, but on what floor?

I descend to the entrance of the auditorium and head to the hallway leading to it. There, a plain wooden door draws my eye, as if it was the direction I needed to go, but it doesn’t make any sense, as it’s too small and doesn’t seem to lead upstairs. Maybe the reason it’s calling me is that it looks like a nice place to hide.

I don’t want Alayel seeing me in this uniform, even if it’s his fault that I’m wearing it. In any case, what I need to do is find that dormitory and figure out where to get some dinner, as my stomach is threatening to rumble like the sky outside.

There are still people leaving the auditorium, and I rush away from it. Thankfully, I come across the entrance leading to the discreet stairs I descended with Celine, and then I climb four flights. When I come out, I realize I’m on the wrong floor.

I go up again, wondering if the tower climbing test is for the castle and the academy as much as for the watchtowers.

Wrong floor, and I hate being so lost, so directionless, a clear outsider in a building where even the walls scream that I don’t belong.

After going up and down more times than I would like, then finally mustering the courage to ask some guards, I eventually find the hallway where the cleaning crew’s dormitory is located. Hopefully someone will let me know where I can get some dinner, considering I’m so hungry that I could even eat poorly seasoned gallonfish stew.

As I approach the dormitory, I notice someone leaning on the wall. My chest clenches. It can’t be. I wish I could turn around and run, but if anything, my brief experience in this castle has told me that I won’t get anywhere. And it’s too late to try to hide.

Alayel steps away from the wall and prowls toward me, still wearing his fine suit, but no circlet on his head, allowing his dark curls to fall on the sharp lines of his jaw. He’s so impossibly good looking that my heart races, and I hate feeling like that.

I stand my ground and cross my arms. “What do you want?”

He stops walking. “Are you angry?”

“Do you need to ask?”

“I couldn’t see you today.” He approaches me slowly, his voice soft, as if he was really sorry. “Couldn’t come to the restaurant this morning, like I promised, but I wanted to.”

“Don’t you have more important things to do now?”

He blinks, his long eyelashes fanning his face, his eyes focused on me. “Not more important than this, no.”

My heart is stupid and wants to melt. It’s cooing, incredibly impressed: Look, he was just recognized as a prince and yet he came straight to see you. He likes you. Oh, he likes you.

But I know it’s a lie. It has to be a lie.

“What do you want?” I repeat, and to my horror, my voice sounds much gentler than before.

Alayel points to the dormitory. “Get your things and follow me. It’s important.”

“Is that an order, Your Highness?”

He smirks. “I love hearing you say my title. Can you repeat it?”

Asshole.