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“I heard you,” I grumbled, my mind racing.
It wasn’t just a matter of Zephyrine being visibly prepared to handle the media. Would she be willing to nod and smile and address questions properly?
I’m going to have to sit down with her again,I realized, and excitement burst through me at the thought. Shocked, I stuffed it back down with the rest of my turbulent emotions and reminded myself to focus on what was important.
The kingdom.
That was the only consistent thing in my life. Everything else could disappear in a heartbeat. That I knew all too well.
Chapter7
Zephy
Grisella announced that Axel wanted another meeting that evening, and I started to refuse.
“I only met with him this morning!” I argued, shaking my head. “This is too much! He’s not teaching me anything at all!”
“I think you should meet with him,” Grisella said evenly.
That’s her way of saying I have no choice but to go,I realized miserably.
“Am I even going to meet King Cade before the wedding?” I asked Grisella before she left me alone in my bedroom.
“I… don’t… I’m not sure what the King’s plans are.” Her stutter was odd, but I didn’t put much thought into it.
“And if you did, you wouldn’t tell me, would you?” I muttered.
“Eight o’clock, in the ballroom,” Grisella replied, answering nothing as I closed the door.
I stalked toward the adjoining door and knocked.
Immediately, Maywin answered, looking flustered. “Has something happened? Do you need me?” the maid asked worriedly.
“I have to meet with Axel—again,” I groaned, opening my door to allow Maywin inside. “I don’t want to be alone with him. He’s…”
I trailed off, unsure of the words I had for him. The fact was, I didn’t dislike him as much as I had at first. The problem was, I liked him too much, and that was part of the reason I didn’t want to be near him. I didn’t trust myself around him, and as the future queen, this was no way to start my tenure.
What if I told Grisella that I had an attraction to Axel? Would that get me a new trainer?Or would that get me beheaded?
I shuddered at the thought.
“Is he abusing you?” Maywin asked.
I stared at her for a moment, a spark of an idea forming inside my head. I could lie and say that Axel had behaved inappropriately toward me. That would ensure I never saw him again. But it also might endanger Axel, and I couldn’t knowingly put the trainer in a bad position because of my own discomfort.
Shame flooded me at the dark thought. Why would I ruin a fae’s life because I couldn’t keep my emotions under control? No. There had to be another way to deal with this.
Maybe I could just come clean with Axel and explain how I feel.
I had noticed him looking at me in the same way I had snuck glances at him. It was only a matter of time before one of us did something that would ruin both of our futures. I had to put an end to it.
But what if he told the King?
Or was that why Axel had called this meeting this evening? Maybe he was beating me to the punch.
“You’ll come with me tonight,” I told Maywin.
She paled and shook her head. “I… I can’t tonight,” she croaked, her knees physically buckling.
