Page 68 of Lake of Sapphire

“And what is Reagan’s connection?” I asked.

“Reagan’s father is Heavon. He’s one of the lesser men on the High Council but still on the Council nonetheless. I think Reagan believed that Sie would make her his wife after all those years, but he never did. Then, when the High Council selected you instead of her… Well, Heavon was furious. To be honest, we were all kind of confused.”

“Why…” I paused, swallowed, then forced myself to meet Peter’s gaze. “Why do you think I was selected?”

“I honestly don’t know. Sie and I have discussed it, but we can’t figure it out. Not that I don’t think you are capable and will be an amazing Queen because you will, Scottie. It’s just odd. Sie thought that maybe it was to appease the lower ranks. Rumors are that some have wanted to join the reb—” he stopped mid-sentence.

“Join the what?”

“Nothing. It just doesn’t make sense. Sydner and Braven have been trying to pass a law eliminating the rights of rank zeroes. They don’t want them to have an education or a Trial. They think from birth, if you are a rank zero, you should be a servant. It hasn’t passed. It’s been turned down countless times, but it doesn’t add up. Why would the High Council select you to be Queen if so many of them want to make things worse for rank zeroes?”

“Make them all servants,” I whispered as a ragged breath left me. I couldn’t believe it. Rank zeroes were already treated poorly, and they wanted to make things worse. Sie mentioned to me that some Advenians felt that way, but I didn’t realize they already tried to pass laws about it.

He sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but I wanted you to know the truth. I want you to prove them wrong, Scottie. I know you are upset about what happened last night, but they win if you let it get to you. I don’t think it was a coincidence Alec chose last night to have you come to the party. He revels almost every night and usually forces me and Sie to attend. He could have chosen any night to bring you, to do that to you, but he did it right before the tour.”

He paused to look at me. “For now, don’t worry about why they selected you. Sie and I will figure out their motives. Don’t let it affect you. This tour is important. This is the first time our Kingdom will have a rank zero Princess. Don’t give them a reason to not want one. Don’t give them a reason to think that rank zeroes are not cut out for this. Prove that they can be more than servants. Prove that they can beQueens.”

I thought about what he was saying, and he was right. It didn’t matter if I didn’t want to be the Princess—I was. It didn’t matter, for now, why they’d selected me. I needed to use this opportunity to prove them all wrong. I needed to be better than them. Better than Alec and Sie and Synder and Braven and every other male on the High Council making my life difficult. I needed to be better for Ashley, Annabel, and even Roslyn.

I needed to prove that a rank zero was capable of this title. Not just capable but excel at it. That rank zeroes are capable of being more than just servants. We deserve an education. We deserve a fair Trial. That we deserve to be treated to the same standards as everyone else. My conversation with Sie from the first night on the monorail popped into my mind. He told me that Synder declared me a servant before he even saw me fight.

I needed to play the role of the Princess well.

I didn’t realize a tear had slipped down my cheek until Peter leaned forward and wiped it away. Slowly at first, then all at once as his hands cupped my face. “Be their voice, Scotlind Rumor.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice coming out shaky. “For everything. For telling me all that and for just being… my friend. Because you are my friend, Peter.”

He smiled at me. His gaze felt like it was piercing my soul and seeing through me. “You’re welcome,friend,” he said as he let go of my face and sank back into his seat. “We are heading to my hometown now. We will be spending the night in Kitlarn. Tomorrow we’ll head to Addler, then LakeWood. I thought you would like to spend the second night in LakeWood so you can see your friends and family.”

“I don’t have any family,” I said before I thought better of it. “But it would be nice to see Vallie and Miles. If they are still there.”

“I will arrange for them to be there.”

“Really? Thank you so much!” I beamed, unable to hide my excitement. My heart ached thinking about them. I didn’t realize how much I missed them. I meant what I said about Peter being my friend, but I needed Vallie’s hug and her warm smile. The thought of being able to see her again was overwhelming.

Peter seemed to notice and said, “Of course, it’s the least I can do.” He didn’t need to addafter last night.

“Will you be seeing your family when we arrive at Kitlarn?” I asked.

He nodded his head. “I’m actually going to be spending the night with them. I have a younger sister. Her name is Lilia. You two would absolutely love each other. She’s only fourteen but has the mind of an Advenian over the age of a hundred. She’s like you, a rank zero, or we think she will be at least since no abilities manifested yet. She adores that you are the Princess. You should have seen her face when she found out someone like her was selected.” He smiled broadly as he added, “However, she loves Sie and has had a crush on him ever since she could speak, so you might actually be fighting with her for his attention.”

I laughed softly with him, picturing a miniature girl version of Peter that speaks her mind. I didn’t doubt for a second that I would love her. It made sense now—why Peter was so kind to me, why he was talking to me today, why he wanted me to do well on the tour. He wanted a better future for his sister.

“She can have him,” I said. I meant it as a joke, but it came out rougher than I had intended. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Unfortunately, you won’t be able to tonight. The High Council has already selected your sleeping arrangements, and my home is way too small to host you. But someday soon, I hope.”

“Where will I be going?” I asked. I never thought about the sleeping arrangements for this trip.

“You, Sie, and everyone else has accommodations at the local inn.”

“Sie won’t be staying with his family?” I pried, remembering Peter saying they were both from Kitlarn.

“Not if he can help it,” he said with enough of a bite that I didn’t dare ask him to elaborate.

The sun moved across the sky as we continued on the monorail to Kitlarn. Peter happily sat with me, telling me all about his hometown and family and what it was like growing up by the ocean. I was thankful for his company. It was like he saw the downward spiral I was heading into and pulled me out before I got to the bottom. He kept me distracted so my thoughts didn’t dwell on the humiliation of last night.

I listened intently, genuinely interested in what his life was like. He was careful not to mention Sie at first, worried it would tip me back under, but my curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn’t help but ask.

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