AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Even that was a deflection. You’re really bad at it.”
“I don’t know what you want me to tell you.”
“I want to know why you were in the Selection.”
“Must there be a reason?”
I shrugged. “It’s not exactly the kind of place I thought I would find someone like you.”
“I’m not sure what that means.”
“In my experience, Fate usually selects pompous Lords and pampered Ladies to take part. You’re neither. You’re the outlier, an outcast, almost.”
“Thanks.”
“What I mean is, I never really noticed you until the day we bumped into each other in the corridor.”
“I liked it that way.”
I paused, then turned my head to the side. “You did?”
“Unless you haven’t noticed, Princess, I’m not fond of drawing attention to myself. I didn’t want to be in the Selection, I didn’t even know I had to be present until the day I was accosted by Tellren and his guards and brought to the castle at sword-point. I distinctly remember having a good day up until that point, but Fate had other plans for me.”
A memory came back to me. It felt like a lifetime ago. “I remember that day,” I said, “Father tried to get me to go out and pick up contestants. Said it was the responsibility of theprizeto retrieve them and bring them to Windhelm.”
“I take it you didn’t like being called a prize.”
I shook my head. “Hated it. That was the first time I fled the city and hid in the woods. He got better at finding me over time, but I was gone for two days—long enough that they had to get Tellren to go and fetch the contestants instead.”
“Two days is a long time to hide from your parents.”
“Not really. It felt like hours… Tallin and I were having too much fun.”
“Tallin?”
I sighed, lowered my head. “My friend. He…forgotme, too.”
“I’m sorry.”
I shut my eyes, fighting the rush of emotions trying to claw their way up. “I don’t know how it is that Colbolt recognizes me, but Tallin doesn’t.”
“We don’t know enough about what’s happened,” he said, then paused. “Let’s not talk about that. Tell me about the Moon Children.”
I opened my eyes and craned my head around my shoulder. “You still haven’t told me why you were in the Selection.”
“I did. I was picked, like everyone else.”
“Yes, but I don’t know more than that.”
“You tell me a story, and I’ll tell you a story.”
I frowned. “Are you going to be this infuriating the whole time?”
“Are you?”
My frown turned to a scowl. “If you’re going to be like that, there’s no need for us to talk.”
“You’re not used to hearingno, are you?”
