“Spill,” she said, folding her arms. “You never feel like doing your hair this early in the morning.”
Trying to keep what happened to myself was like holding back a waterfall anyway so when she asked, I released the dam. Her smile turned into a grin and she nearly squealed when I told her about the note writing, the way he showed up at my door, and the words he said before we kissed.
“I knew it!” She laughed. “I knew you two liked each other from the moment you danced at your party in Delhoon. I think everyone but you knew it.”
“I—resisted liking him.” My gaze fell to my nails. “I’m Princess of Delhoon, he’s Prince of Hesstia… not to mention we hated each other for years.”
“Vis,” Legacy said as if reprimanding me. “What could be better for the unity of our kingdoms than you two getting together.”
“It’s not that simple. His father won’t like it. Neither will mine. And what if it ends badly between us?”
“Don’t talk about it ending when it’s just begun,” she said and shook my shoulders. “I could wring your neck sometimes for being a downer.”
It was difficult not to be with so much pressure, so many watching me, so many visions of death. Every student here had pressures but none quite like me. Zyacus was the only one who could compare. Which I guess also made us good for each other. Neither one of us would want the other for a throne but in spite of it.
“You’re right. I won’t bring it up again,” I said, setting my mind to not think about the future but to live for the day, the moment. That meant no worrying about ruling a kingdom or blood drinkers or relationships possibly ending. It meant I was going to see Zyacus and that’s what I cared about.
When I hit the bottom of the stairs leaving the girls’ dorms, Zyacus leaned against the wall on the other side of the line males weren’t supposed to cross. Legacy nudged my arm and then gave me a wave as she walked on and I stopped before him. “Hi.” My smile could’ve probably blocked out the sun.
“Good morning,” he said and his honeyed voice cascaded down my spine. “I couldn’t wait for class to see you.”
Giddy. I wasn’t sure I’d actually ever been giddy in my life but I was now. While we walked side by side, close enough that I felt him brush against me, so many pairs of eyes honed in on the latest thing to gossip about. It wasn’t unusual for either of us to be noticed as royals, but the open gawking, the hands covering mouths as they leaned over to whisper, the glares from girls and boys alike, had increased from the usual. The attention made me uncomfortable.
“So are we sitting at your table or mine today?” he asked and put an arm around my shoulder, tugging me to his side. Then he leaned down and whispered in my ear, “It’s fun watching them lose their minds.”
Heat simmered in my whole body. He made a very bold statement putting his arm around me as we walked the halls. If the students at this academy had seen anything between us before, it was an open rivalry. Part of me worried about what ramifications this would have. What would my parents say? Others in our kingdoms? The two royals in line for thrones belonging to kingdoms that not only once despised each other but shed each other’s blood. Magic-born and non—together. But the more dominant part of me reveled in his attention. My soul danced in his open affection for me. Consequences be damned. “How amazing it would be to know their thoughts.”
He chuckled. “I think I may just have to look that magic up.”
“If that were accessible wouldn’t everyone be using that spell?” I’d never heard of it. “And I say we draw for whose breakfast table to sit at.”
“I would bet that it’s either forbidden magic or no one has yet to create it.” He stopped then held out both closed fists. “Choose a hand.”
My eyes flicked left then right. I’d much rather sit at my own table with my own friends where I was comfortable but I cared more about being with him. Tapping the left hand, he flipped it over with a half-smile and two crossed swords hovered above his palm. “Looks like my table it is. I kind of hoped you would choose that one so I could show you off—make it known to everyone that I want you. Isn’t that what you asked for?”
Laughing, I started walking. “I said I wanted to go to the dance with someone who wanted to take me. This—” I motioned back and forth between us, “wasn’t what I expected.”
That muscular arm of his slid around the back of my neck. “But it’s what you wanted deep down.”
I wasn’t used to being so open with him—with any boy. “Yes, but not always. I truly did despise you for a long time.”
“I know you did. I probably would have hated me too just for the frog in your soup a few years ago, sorry about that by the way.” He laughed, throwing his head back. “And you’re not that good at hiding how you feel. It shows all over your face.” Leaning down again, his lips grazed my ear and I shivered. “Which is how I knew you wanted me to kiss you yesterday.”
I scoffed, “Well, I knew you wanted to kiss me back at my castle in Delhoon.”
“Oh, I’ve wanted to kiss you for much longer than that, Princess. Even if you can piss me off more than any girl I know.”
When we stepped into the dining hall, it was either my paranoia or it was real but I swear the entire room turned and watched us. The cats skittered to each other. Even the professors took notice and I didn’t miss their quick-moving mouths. I locked eyes with Kyan who turned away quickly.
As Zyacus steered me toward his usual spot, his two friends Unibrow and Skinny stared open-mouthed but shoved over, giving enough room for the both of us to sit. The other boy I’d met, Mateo smiled at me.
Before I even saw her I knew his—girlfriend I’d always called her, but now I might actually have to learn her name because I certainly wouldn’t be calling her that anymore—would be staring. When I found her four seats down and across the table, she slammed her mouth shut and although her fiery gaze was first directed toward me, real flames ignited from her hands when she looked at Zyacus.
Her friend squealed and leaned back. “Jennika, you’re going to set the table on fire!” A napkin had already caught flame.
A nearby boy dumped his glass of water on it and Jennika, the not-girlfriend, shoved up from the table and left. I couldn’t help but feel that Zyacus hadn’t been completely upfront with the extent of his relationship with her. Something I’d have to ask him about later.
After a few moments of completely and utterly uncomfortable silence, Zyacus said to the entire table within earshot, mostly male, given that only a quarter of the Hesstian students at this academy were female, “I think you all know Princess Visteal.” He threw a thumb at Unibrow, “This bastard is Weston and the skinny one on the other side of him is Ronny. You’ve met.”
“I remember,” I said coolly. I remembered they laughed while Zyacus teased me.
“And if you remember, Tattoos is Mateo.”
“Hello, again,” Mateo said.
A pretty, copper-skinned girl, sitting across the table, with eyes I would say were a shade of pink, flashed a real genuine smile. “I hope this isn’t too odd to say... but I’ve always wanted to meet you. You’re so mysterious and can I just say what we’re all thinking, talented and beautiful. Like I don’t know what they are putting in the water at your castle in Delhoon but I want some.”