Surely this was a mistake. The school couldn’t be withdrawing her financial aid. Yes, Nina’s mamá worked for the government, but her perks came in the form of free housing—they lived in a grace-and-favor house, owned by the royal family—rather than a high salary. Nina wasn’t sure what her parents would do if asked to pay her tuition in full.
Numbly, she glanced back at the email. The message was signed The King’s College Board of Trustees, followed by a list of eight names: Lady Ottoline Hereford, Guarav Mehta, Dr. Bernard Fjeld, and so on.
The final name on the list: His Grace, the Duke of Virginia. That is, Ambrose Madison.
Gabriella’s words echoed in Nina’s head. You’re going to regret this.
No, Nina thought wildly. Gabriella might be selfish and awful, but surely she hadn’t asked her father to pull Nina’s financial aid because Nina had stood up to her. Surely she wasn’t petty enough to try to get Nina kicked out of school. It was nowhere near a proportional response to their fight at the tailgate.
Except that people like Gabriella had no sense of proportion, since they didn’t live in the real world. Nina had seen it herself, in all her interactions with Daphne.
“Nina!” Jefferson wove through the crowds toward her. His grin faded when he saw the look on her face. “Is everything okay?”
It wasn’t okay, not by a long shot, but this wasn’t the time or place to lecture Jeff about his choice in friends. Or to tell him that she might be forced out of King’s College. So Nina smiled and slid her phone back into her bag. “All good.”
“I was just talking with Makayla. Want me to introduce you?”
“Hell yes.” Nina didn’t want to face that email right now. She wanted to meet her literary icon and think about fantasy, not reality.
Brimming with questions, she followed Jeff toward the center of the atrium—only to freeze when she saw that Makayla was deep in conversation with none other than Daphne.
“You didn’t tell me Daphne was coming.” Normally Nina wouldn’t have spoken that thought aloud, but her patience for spoiled aristocrats was at an all-time low right now.
A sheepish expression darted over Jeff’s face. “I know it’s uncomfortable between the two of you, since you and I—I mean—because of our history,” he got out. Nina imagined that this must be as awkward for him as it was for her. “But I meant it when I said that I hope we can all hang out. Can you try to get along with her? Please?”
It was the please that got her. Nina’s relationship with Jeff had been through so many ups and downs; she couldn’t risk damaging it, now that they were finally, tentatively, friends again. Daphne wasn’t worth that.
Makayla smiled as they approached. “Your Highness, Daphne was just telling me that the proceeds from tonight’s event will be spent redoing the children’s wing.”
Nina gave an involuntary gasp of outrage. “The children’s wing? You can’t get rid of the tree house!” The artificial tree, complete with plastic roots that curled over the green carpet and a wooden platform perched up in the branches, was an iconic part of the library.
“Makayla, I’d like you to meet my friend Nina,” Jeff interjected. “She’s the one I was telling you about.”
Nina waited for Daphne to excuse herself—surely she wanted to work the room, filled as it was with the wealthy and titled—but for some reason Daphne stayed put. Fine, then. Nina would just ignore her.
“Ms. Oyeney, I’m such a fan of yours.” A million questions vied in her head, and she blurted one out. “I have a theory that Luke is really Nymia’s son. Am I right?”
Makayla smiled. “If you’re as voracious a reader as Jefferson says you are, then you’ll know I can’t reveal any plot secrets. Not when I have another book to write.”
One of the librarians bustled over. “Ms. Oyeney, the photographer was hoping to get a photo of you and His Highness with the library’s chairwoman. Are you free?”
“Please, before you go—can you sign my book?” Nina was too eager to be embarrassed as she opened her tote bag and pulled out the third Kingmaker book, Of Sea and Sky.
Makayla unearthed a Sharpie from her pocket and scrawled To Nina on the title page. “It was lovely to meet you. Have a wonderful rest of your evening.”
Once the author and Jeff had left, Nina started to turn aside. She refused to acknowledge Daphne with even a single syllable.
“You’re wrong about Luke, you know.” Daphne was still staring pointedly down into her champagne. But she had to be talking to Nina; Jeff and Makayla were already halfway across the room.
Nina stared at her. “Excuse me?”
“Luke can’t be Nymia’s child; his mother is clearly the Lady of the Rivers,” Daphne said impatiently.
Nina couldn’t tell what surprised her more: the fact that Daphne had spoken to her, or that Daphne knew anything about the Kingmaker series. “The Lady of the Rivers?” Nina said slowly. “How would Luke have gotten earth magic if his mother is a water nymph?”
“But is it really earth magic?” Daphne glanced up, her eyes glinting in challenge. “He can transfigure. No one knows where that power comes from. And it fits the words of the prophecy.”
Nina listened, dumbfounded, as Daphne recited the prophecy from the first book. “Wow,” she said at last. “I never pegged you as someone who reads Kingmaker.”
“We all need a little escapism, don’t we?”
It bothered Nina, knowing that she and Daphne were fans of the same series. “I just figured that you’re too busy painting your nails and planting stories in the press to bother with books. Aside from Machiavelli, of course.”
Daphne didn’t flinch. “Really? I’m shocked that you like the Kingmaker books. They’re about a cunning, devious princess who plots and kills people in order to get back her throne.”
When Daphne’s words sank in, Nina barked out a disbelieving laugh. “The books aren’t about Alina. She’s a coldhearted, scheming manipulator. She’s the villain!”
Daphne shrugged. “Villain, hero—isn’t it just a matter of perspective?”
Nina felt herself getting increasingly angry, at Daphne and Gabriella, and—irrationally, ridiculously—at Alina, though she was a fictional character. They all just steamrolled through the world, taking what they wanted, tossing aside anyone they couldn’t use. Letting their whims dictate their actions.
“You’re wrong,” she said hotly.
Daphne smirked. “Nina, I can’t be wrong about my favorite character. That’s a matter of personal opinion, definitionally.”