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With most people I’d have assumed they were being sarcastic, but the princess smiled at me so charmingly, she was basically the spitting image of her older brother. Hehadmentioned she was particularly genuine.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” As sweet as she came across, I didn’t forget the young woman in front of me was a princess, and I wasn’t aware of any protocol for meeting a royal. What if I committed some grievous faux pas and started an international incident?
“No problem. Though I must say, you’re quite different from the only other witch I’ve met.”
“Oh?”
The princess walked a lackadaisical circuit around the main part of the quarters, gazing intently at her surroundings. “She was fairly old, I must admit. Dull. Not in intellect, of course, but in personality. She was the type to say ketchup was spicy and humming to oneself was a needless way to announce your presence to possible enemies.”
“Sounds charming.”
“That is not the word I’d use for her, no.” With that, she turned to me, beaming brilliantly again. “But you seem like you’ll be much better company. Perhaps we could stir up some trouble together if it ever gets too quiet around here.” She laughed behind one of her tanned hands. “I could use a new partner in crime.”
“I, uh, well…” How did I tell a princess she needed to stay away from me without giving her any reason to be suspicious?
Instead of saving me from my own verbal stumbling, Seraphina just watched me for a long moment while I floundered. I felt like I was pissing her off and didn’t really know how to socially engineer my way out of it. Where was Darla when I needed her?
Eventually, Seraphina just sighed. “You’ve never heard of me, have you?” I didn’t know what to say, and the princess seemed to agree. “I should be used to it. After all, I’m not the prodigal son—he’s my mom’s favorite, you know. I’m not Amelia, either.” I’d have expected plenty of bitterness in her situation, but mostly she just sounded resigned and so sad.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “Kai told me all about you. I was just surprised, is all. Especially since we just arrived.” The princess didn’t look like she believed me, so my mouth kept right on going. I wasn’t sure why I was so concerned, as it was probably better if she didn’t like me, but I wanted Kai’s family’s approval on some level. Besides, Seraphina seemed pretty darn lonely. “I’m not the most socially adept person, so don’t take my awkwardness as a sign of anything. I was just busy figuring out if it’d be rude or not to bow.”
She did chuckle, and I felt the small thrill of victory. I may not ever be as smooth as Darla, but at least I was capable of having an actual conversation. With training wheels, at least.
“This is gonna sound so weird, but everyone here is so busy being perfect, I’m totally fine with you owning yourawkwardness. Besides, all the royal protocol is a little much, don’t you think?” She stopped doing her circuit to sit at one of the chairs next to the small table in one corner of the room. “You’re not a wolf, so you wouldn’t get this, but if you were, you’d have to bear your throat in submission to me and everyone else in the royal family when you first met them. Crazy stuff, right?”
My stomach flipped at the idea,repulsedby the idea of compelled submission just because of royal status. I’d rather turn around and walk all the way back to Canid.
“But you’re a witch, so you don’t have to worry about any of that silliness.”
I’d never been so grateful that between my half-blood and my scent blockers, I wasn’t really detectable as a wolf shifter, especially when I was around the much stronger pheromones of full-blooded wolves. I was not going to be doing any neck baring, and I didn’t want Kai to get in trouble for it.
“Ha ha, yeah. I don’t understand most pack stuff,” I said. It was a lie, and not a great one, but I felt I should saysomething,and it was all my poor brain could come up with. It was my first time meeting a princess, and I’d lied within the first ten minutes of greeting her.
But then Seraphina clapped her hands, startling me as she sharply inhaled. “Goodness, where are my manners? Healer Everton, this is Halle. She’s my closest attendant and confidant.”
I turned to the other young woman, who was so quiet, I’d forgotten she was even there. “Nice to meet you,” I said, dipping my head in a quick nod.
“Lovely to meet you as well, Healer Everton.”
“If you need anything at all, you should find Halle here.” The princess leaned in as if she were telling a salacious secret. “You can never be too careful who you trust around here. Even the smallest, most innocent of requests end up being twistedaround. At best, it’ll make a nasty rumor. At worse, you’ll end up indebted to someone unscrupulous or behind bars.”
I’d been warned about the insanity of the court, yet still found myself swallowing hard. That was just about the last thing I’d ever need or want. If I had my way, I’d just throw an invisibility potion on myself and spend my time in the capital completely cloaked.
I was beginning to wish Kai hadn’t been so insistent on bringing me along. His logic was compelling at the time, but I was having second thoughts.
“Don’t worry about it, though. As long as you take any questions to me or Halle, you’ll be right as rain. We’re not really interested in any political intrigue, as it were, and I’m always on the lookout for a good friend.”
I nodded quietly, seeing why Kai got along with his younger sister. She was incredibly forthright, even if it was disconcerting, and seemed genuinely eager to make honest connections with people.
“You’re so kind,” I said, wondering why the hell the king and queen treated her differently. Maybe she was just too sweet, so they were worried about her being taken advantage of in some way? I’d have to ask Kai.
“Nonsense, I’m doing this all for selfish reasons, I assure you.” She laughed, the sound soft and giddy. “It gets lonely in this big place sometimes.”
“I’m sure it does.” Despite part of my brain telling me not to, I clumsily gave a weird little half-bow. “Thank you so much for visiting, Princess. I hope it’s not too rude of me to ask if I can lie down for a bit? It has been a long journey.”
“Oh, of course. Far be it from me to keep you up. I did hear there was a rather awful fire on your way here.”
Word really did spread fast.
