I doubted Zyacus cared since he was a prince and probably didn’t think the rules applied to him, but I said it anyway, “Betting isn’t permitted on the tournaments here.” It wasn’t permitted at any academy, but Zyacus seemed to have a particular interest in gambling. He’d made bets with me after all.
With a dazzling grin, he winked. “What the professors don’t know won’t hurt us.”
I shrugged; it’s not as if I hadn’t had the same mentality a time or two. I watched as the students, two boys, one in a green, lightly armored uniform and a boy in blue and white, also armored, clashed swords. The crowd roared and I let out a loud whistle.
“If you want in on the bet, you’re welcome to make a wager. I promise I won’t tell,” Zyacus said and then yelled, “Kick his ass Dom!”
“I’ll pass.” I figured Dom was the Hesstian student who threw a blast of fire met by an invisible wall. It felt strange to be having such a normal conversation with the prince. I waited for him to start being a prick or say something inappropriate. It was bound to happen. It always did. Even after he’d given me the birthday gift he tried to ruin it by implying I’d go up to his room.
“You must be Princess Visteal,” the boy beside Zyacus said.
“I am.” I eyed him warily. He wasn’t Skinny or Unibrow but rather a muscle-bound bodyguard type with long ebony hair pulled back and swirling black tattoos on his forearms.
Zyacus shot to his feet when Dom landed a hard blow to the other boy’s legs and knocked him on his back. The point of his sword was instantly at the Collweyan boy’s face. A win for Hesstia. “Yes!”
After sitting, he leaned forward with his forearms on his thighs. “Mateo says he’s heard things about you.”
“But I’m not inclined to believe the gossip,” Mateo finished.
“Oh?” I asked, and my eyes drifted from the arena floor to Zyacus and his friend. “What’s the gossip? Surely you’ve heard the worst about me from the Prince himself.”
Zyacus chuckled. Mateo gave him a knowing look, then said, “That you’re cold, unfriendly, that you have that self-importance thing down hard, and are one of the most beautiful girls to walk these halls. Zyacus only said one of those things.”
My cheeks flushed. Was I cold? Did I act superior?… I did keep myself distant from most people with my curse. And which of those things did Zyacus say? “It was the self-importance bit, wasn’t it,” I accused, glaring at him.
“Nah,” Zyacus said, a slow smile started at his lips. “I corrected Mateo. You’re not one of the most, you’re the most beautiful girl here. Though I might have mentioned the unfriendly part. After all, I’ve lost count of how many times you’ve called me a bastard.”
I laughed and the crowd burst into cheers. Zyacus thinks I’m the most beautiful girl here or is he playing nice because he wants something from me? “I’ll remind you that on most occasions you deserved it.” I looked down as another set of fighters began, the two girls threw spells more than used their handheld weapons.
“You should feel privileged,” Mateo said. “The Prince would never allow anyone else to call him that and get away with it. Most assuredly not countless times.”
I suppose he wouldn’t, but I wasn’t just anyone. I was his equal and his rival. “Yes, I’m sure I should feel so lucky,” my tone dripped with sarcasm.
We chatted off and on throughout the tournament. I still waited for something that would piss me off but thus far it hadn’t. I found that I had a near-permanent smile and I had a difficult time looking away from Zyacus. I hated that he had this effect on me.
I tried to speak to Legacy but she kept giving me one-word answers, and I hoped this wasn’t the beginning of a long few weeks while she got over Aric.
As predicted, Conner Goldheart competed in the championship round with a Delhoon girl, Sienna Riplee Cutter. “I told you it would be a Delhoon victory today,” Zyacus said, nudging my arm. “Not forever though. We’ll catch up faster than you think. Especially when I’m down there.”
“Arrogant as usual. And you won’t be down there for two more years.”
“We’ll see about that,” Zyacus said.
A loud crack ripped through the arena and a blast of lightning hit the dirt floor, leaving a black hole. It had missed Conner by barely a foot but he still seemed stunned, slowly getting to his feet. “Damn,” Mateo said, knocking shoulders with Zyacus. “She ain’t messing around.”
Zyacus cupped his hands at the sides of his mouth. “Come on Conner, get your ass up!”
Legacy grabbed my arm, and with a low eeeek she said, “This is crazy!”
“Done pouting?” I chuckled.
She jabbed my side. “I wasn’t pouting. Just deep in thought.”
“By this time I’m surprised that their magic isn’t used up,” I said to no one in particular. “They both fought two other times.”
“When you’re in a serious brawl, you’d be surprised at what you’re capable of,” Zyacus said, as if he knew from experience. I wondered what he’d fight about outside the academy, aside from beating on jerks who talked bad about me at my own party.
The contenders’ swords rang as they hit over and over, then Connor flipped behind her, probably assisted by magic given the height he got, and kicked her hard in the back. She fell forward onto her face and Connor’s foot planted between her shoulder blades. Screams rocked the arena and Zyacus grabbed me by the shoulders, lifting me from my seat! “AH! You were right, Princess!” Then he jumped up and down, fist in the air.
I’d never seen this side of him before. A friendlier, carefree boy who didn’t have his guard up. His enthusiasm infected me and I cheered so loudly my throat began to ache. Soon after, the
