Page 26 of Dueling the Suitors

Oh, if she had kept her arrogant mouth shut, this would have been a little more bearable.

So you are not mad at me?

Of course not.Astoria dropped her hands to see Skylar staring at her with hopeful eyes. She hugged him.If anything, Sky, your faith and confidence in me are what encouraged me to propose this duel in the first place. I wouldn’t have known—

She stopped short as a piece of parchment suddenly popped up on her bed.

Known what?Skylar prompted. His head was on her shoulder, so he wasn’t aware of her distraction.

What is that?

You tell me. You are the one talking.

Not that, Sky. Look at this.

She reached for the parchment and flipped it over. Unfamiliar, slanted handwriting greeted her.

Lesson no. 1:

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

It’s an old saying, and I hope that’s what you learned today, Princess.

I cannot wait to see you at dinner. The king insisted I should join. I’m looking forward to seeing your glaring eyes and scowling face.

Sincerely, Silas.

Astoria’s eyes bulged in pure disbelief. She crumbled the note.

“The nerve of that man!” She set it aflame in her palm and sent the ashes to the—

She paused and thought better of it. A smirk curled at the corner of her lips. She closed her eyes and focused. At Skylar’s astonished gasp, she opened her eyes and saw that the ashes were gone, leaving not even a trace behind.

What did you just do and how did you do it?

She smiled down at him sweetly.I just sent the sender my response, and I might have learned a new trick from him as well.

Another piece of parchment appeared on the bed. This time, Skylar grabbed it. Astoria took it from him.

By the way, running away like that was a coward’s act, Princess, definitely not suited to a supposed victor like you. You defamed the Unyielding Princess of Daliston. A truevictor, given you were a constant one until me, accepts her failure. That’s what earns your people’s respect the most.

Astoria fumed.How dare he?

Yes, how dare he! Burn it and send him the ashes again, my princess.

Astoria did just that. Soon enough, another note appeared.

Oh, so it’s you who is sending the ashes. For a moment, I thought the Daliston royals had a tradition of keeping ashes on their tables for good fortune—or is it to keep the bad omens away?

Astoria burned it without another word and sent the ashes back to him. A moment later, when she almost thought he had given up, four notes appeared on her bed.

She picked them up and realized that three of them were the ones she had burned. How did he transform them back from ashes? Or had he rewritten them just to annoy her?

She flipped the fourth note over.

Won’t you keep them, Princess? It’s our version of love letters.

He’s flirting with you!Skylar began to laugh, ignoring her glare.

---