When a chime sounded, ending breakfast, I made my way over to Connor. I waited behind him while he stood up from the table and stretched with his arms overhead. I cleared my throat and one of his friends tapped his arm and then nodded toward me.
Connor turned and stared at me, blinking several times. “Princess,” he blurted.
“Hi, Connor,” I said and smiled, heat flaring in my cheeks. “You did great in the tournament. I told the guy next to me to bet on you. It paid off.”
Running a hand through his short hair, he grinned. “Thank you, your highness. I’m glad you noticed my talents.”
“I’d seen you fight back in Delhoon.” I shrugged and was at a loss on what else to say. “Anyway, good luck in the next one.” I turned and started toward the exit. Oh my unicorn, get it together.
“Princess Visteal, wait,” he said, catching up to me. “We could spar together sometime. I mean, not that you need the practice or aren’t good enough already.” His face turned red. “Er, I’m sure you’re great. M-more than great.”
I had to hold back a chuckle. “That would be nice. Practicing with a tournament champion would make me better.”
He grinned. “Let’s talk more. After classes.”
“Sure,” I said and we parted ways.
When I walked into first class Zyacus was already sitting at the table. I took a deep breath and made my way over. As I sat down and scooted my chair in, he glanced at me and then faced forward. Seriously. After everything?
“Hi,” he said curtly.
What’s his problem? “Is something wrong?” I asked. After I told him about my curse and the vision about Aric, I expected something different. Even if I’d gotten angry and left after our sparring match.
“Nope.”
I rolled my eyes. Something is definitely wrong. “Nope? Convincing.”
He turned and looked at me. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said and faced forward once again.
I was burning with curiosity but I kept it to myself. Was he mad at me? Did I do something wrong? Something else happening in his life? While Professor Tessam lectured I kept letting my gaze drift over to him. I hoped he didn’t notice.
When class was nearly at an end, a pixie brought in a single white rose with a note attached, and dropped it in front of me. The pink-haired little thing with white wings burped and flew off in a zig-zag. She ran into the door, swore several times making the entire class giggle and then she was out. The pixie must have already gotten into the wine from whoever bribed her. I pulled the folded paper open and read:
Princess Visteal,
Would you give me the honor of being my date to the winter formal?
Connor
I chuckled. Well that was faster than I thought. I expected to at least talk to him once more before getting an invitation.I set the note on my book.
“Who’s that from?” Zyacus asked, trying to sound bored but his face said otherwise.
I took the stem between my fingers. “Someone who wants to take me to the winter formal. Don’t worry, it’s not Kyan.”
He snatched the note away from me.
“Excuse me, that’s mine,” I said reaching for it but he kept it out of my grasp.
“Connor?” he questioned, and then tossed it back to me. “Connor who?”
I huffed and tucked the note in my book. Tells me there can’t be anything between us and now this? “Connor none-of-your-business.”
“If it’s Goldheart, good luck with that bumbling buffoon.”
I scoffed. “He’s not a buffoon. Sounds like you’re jealous.”
“He’s a good fighter, I’ll give him that but otherwise what is there to be jealous of?” His lips formed a hard line. “But, you know what, he’s the type your parents would want you with. A Delhoon warlord’s son. A magic-born.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. Why would he say that?
A bird chirped, signaling the end of class. Zyacus shot up and left before I had a chance to say anything.
∞∞∞
At lunch I thought about how I was going to respond to Connor. Should I walk up to him and say yes? Send a note? I’d never done this sort of thing.
Legacy twirled my rose in her fingers. “If I was you, I’d go over to Connor right now so Prince Zyacus can see.”
“Why do you want to cause drama?” Taz asked, shaking his head. “Connor is a better choice for Visteal anyway. He’s a warlord’s son and Delhoon. Zyacus is—the rival.”
He may be the better choice but he’s not the one I want. Why must we always want what we can’t have?
“It’s not drama. And he is our ally now,” Legacy said, bopping Taz on the head with the rose. “It’s showing Zyacus that Visteal is a desired woman.”
I laughed and Taz rolled his eyes. I left the lunchroom unsure what to do. When classes ended for the day, I headed toward the girls’ dorms. Atticus sauntered out of a cat hole and bumped into my legs. “How long are you going to make Connor Goldheart wait?”
“How do you even know about that?”
“We cats know the gossip at this academy.”
“Right,” I said slowly. “Well, I was thinking I’d talk to him—”
“I can deliver a message,” Atticus offered excitedly.
Who knew cats liked to play matchmaker as well as gossip? I stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Delhoon girls’ dorms. “If you insist. Tell him I’ll meet him at his sparring practice.” I was pretty sure that the seventh year tournament competitors started to practice an hour after classes.
“Certainly, Princess.” Atticus darted through a cat hole.
When I arrived in the common room, I grabbed a snack and
