With our families in stride, Ella and I headed to the backdoors of the Academy. We noticed Constable Barrius and Frederick giving tours of the stables to a party of interested nobility, but we did not join in. It was getting late, and my parents still had a two-hour walk back to their inn.
We had just reached the atrium when we came across some of the visiting mages and a cluster of highborn families that was listening to their every word. The mages were explaining their own experience at the Academy years ago, and it seemed pleasant enough, until I noticed Priscilla and her family at the center of the audience.
I recoiled by instinct.
“Is that who I think it is?” Ella’s brother asked, wide eyed as he stared at the raven-haired beauty.
Ella elbowed him, hard. “Don’t even look her way, Jeff. She hasn’t changed from court.”
“Priscilla is not half so beautiful as your lovely sister here.” My twin had arrived.
Ella flushed.
“Alex!” my father chastised my brother. “How nice of you to finally join us after you finished flirting with half the school.”
Derrick was not distracted by the commotion. “Who is Priscilla?”
Alex ruffled our younger brother’s hair. “The meanest girl you will ever meet.”
Derrick turned back to study the girl curiously, and then his jaw dropped. “Is that the king?”
I glanced back to see who my younger brother was watching, and sure enough, coming down the spiraling stair was Darren, another boy of similar features, and an older man with stark white hair and a permanent frown who I could only assume was their father, King Lucius III.
The king of the realm held himself much the way his sons did, composed and almost disconcertingly aloof. Like his heir, the man wore his hair short, but with a meticulously trimmed beard that was his alone. Both father and eldest bore the same piercing blue eyes, and I wasn’t sure what was worse, the sharp cobalt of ice or the bottomless shading of Darren’s garnet brown.
Each member of the royal family was dressed in the same stiff, fitted brocade robe that was associated with the Crown. It was an elaborate, heavy material that gave off the impression of unrelenting force. While the king and his heir wore their robes with thick golden-laced embroidery and chain adornments, Darren wore his simply, though he did still wear the hematite stone pendant around his neck.
Even if they had not been the Crown, the kings and his sons were easily the most ominous family in Jerar. I shivered as Prince Blayne caught sight of Ella, and when the crown prince smiled the small, cruel smile of their shared secret, I instantly hated him more than the nonheir himself.
Prince Blayne whispered something in Darren’s ear, and the nonheir glanced over at Ella. Darren looked upset, and as soon as he spotted me watching, the frown turned into a glare.
“What was that?” Derrick asked, noting the look that had passed between the nonheir and me.
“It’s complicated.”
My mother looked shocked. “How did you get on a prince’s bad side?”
Alex clenched his fists but said nothing. I just shook my head and let Ella finish for me, “Oh, Darren? Don’t worry too much about him. He hates everyone on sight.”
“Oh.” My mother seemed convinced, but I could tell Derrick was still suspicious.
We continued to make our way down the halls to the entrance of the Academy. Ella’s family had already gone ahead of us, and my parents and Derrick hurried to follow their trail while Alex, Ella, and I waved our goodbyes.
After our families had retired from view, the three of us headed back down the corridor in the direction of our barracks. We had only just crossed the atrium when we found ourselves face-to-face with the crown prince. While I couldn’t be sure, I had the distinct impression he had been waiting. A second later my thoughts were confirmed when Prince Blayne stepped out directly in front of us, cutting off our path.
“Lady Ella,” Blayne said, ignoring my brother and me. “It’s been too long.” He reached out and snatched my friend’s hand.
Ella instantly paled, and I could see fear written all over her face.
An awkward silence passed. Ella was suddenly incapable of speaking. She was usually so outspoken, but now she was as silent as a rock.
I took Ella’s other arm, seeing as how Blayne still hadn’t let go of her first.
“Let’s return to the barracks,” I said very loudly. I curtsied the barest inch that a crown prince would afford and pulled at my friend’s arm. “We need to get back.”
The crown prince faced me with a sneer. “Ella will leave when she’s ready.” His grip hadn’t lessened, and I could see white marks on my friend’s arm.
Alex put himself directly in front of the prince. “She needs to get back.”.
“Just who do you think you are speaking to, lowborns?” Prince Blayne spat at the both of us.
Alex opened his mouth to reply with some chosen words—and I wasn’t far behind—when Darren appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Let them be, Blayne,” he told his brother.
“Darren—”
“I said let her go!”
Prince Blayne fixed Darren with a stare to rival his brother’s own. After a minute however, the heir looked away, releasing my friend’s arm.