Chapter 28

Chapter 0028

Yes, and the other girls seemed to feel nothing but resentment toward her for it.

*Julian said Kirsten made him a gift,” I said, “I wonder what it was.

“A heartfelt one, I assure you,” said a voice from beside us. I jumped. Susie half–hid behind me. But it

was only Mark, Nicholas’s beta. “The prince asked me to check on Elva.”

I accepted his explanation and we continued walking

“Somehow Miss Kirsten learned of one of the prince’s old wounds and made a personal gift for him,” Mark explained. “The prince found the gesture warm and thoughtful. He was very appreciative.”

There was something in the way Mark explained it, voice monotone almost, like he didn’t think the same as his prince.

“Is there reason to doubt her sincerity?” I asked.

“No,” Mark said straight away. After a moment, he added, “But the prince’s discomfort isn’t obvious. I hadn’t taken her to be so observant,”

Then he glanced at me and blushed. “I shouldn’t have said that. It’s unfitting of my position to talk disparagingly about any of our candidates.”

“I heard nothing disparaging,” I assured him.

“Neither did I,” Susie agreed.

He seemed grateful, but he said nothing more.

The next day, an archery lesson was given by the princes. We were separated into three groups, with one of the three princes leading each group.

I was grouped with Nicholas. After an hour, he hadn’t looked at me, much less at the target where I’d been hitting my marks. None of the other girls in the group seemed confident which way to even fire, if they held the bow correctly at all.

of their efforts were so poor that I wondered if they were performing a show, pretending to be bad To get the prince’s attention.

I

cared to admit that I didn’t receive so much as an approving nod from Nicholas bored

His group had been laughing the entire time. Only a few of the girls had even attempted to shoot a target, and even then, only when Nathan had looked over, a stern scowl on his face.

Julian waved me closer. “Shoot with me.”

“A challenge?” I asked. “What will I win?”

His grin was wide and eager. “What do you want?”

The girls of his group swooned. One fanned herself.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

Abandoning Nicholas’s group, I joined with Julian’s. We had our challenge.

Julian hit the bullseye. He would. The princes were well–trained in archery.

I went next, firing my arrow. It hit the target directly beside Julian’s.

“Guess this means we tied,” he said.

His easy attitude and the girls‘ overall joy made the afternoon pass quicker. In a way, it reminded me of the more fun days at the Royal Academy. How many times had Nicholas and I goofed off like this? Completing challenges and trading k*sses.

A sense of nostalgia pulled at me, and I turned to look at Nicholas.

He was instructing Kirsten, his arms around her, guiding her into a proper stance.

My heart twisted a little, until I noticed he was wearing the wrist guard I’d given him.

So he had accepted the gift after all?

over

As he stepped back from Kirsten, she brushed her fingers handcrafted gift.

My group quieted down a moment, likely waiting for Julian to tell another joke. It was long enough for me to hear Nicholas’s next words.

lifted his right wrist, gesturing to the wrist guard. “Thank you again, Kirsten, for such a useful gift.

dropped my bow

thanking Kirsten for the gift I had made for him

Anything for you, Prince Nichojas