Page 17 of The Princess's Pet

“You have an etiquette class today. I will be waiting for you when your class finishes,” the Princess began as we walked up the steps to the building.

“Yes, Ma’am,” I replied smiling up at her as we walked.

She glanced down at me and stopped walking, taking hold of my blazer in the same fashion as the previous day. She leaned down to smell me and pulled back, her eyes brighter, and grinned. “Try to keep away from dogs in heat,” she said with no playfulness in her voice.

“I will do my best, Ma’am,” I promised. She released my blazer and like the previous day, again left me.

I retrieved my schedule to find where my etiquette class was being held. It was further into the building than I had been, down long corridors and on the top floor. I was nervous as I approached the room. How was I going to handle Dylan if he was there?

Part of me wanted to give him a proper telling off for upsetting the Princess, but I knew I couldn’t. If the Princess wanted to punish him or even let him know of her upset, she would have done so herself. If she didn’t see him as worthy of her time, then neither should I. But I also wanted friends. I didn’t want to alienate myself from my peers.

It seemed I was running late to the class as no one lingered in the corridor. The door to the room was open as I walked in.

I saw Ana near the back and she smiled brightly and waved. I raised my hand in greeting, too, but dropped it when I saw Dylan with Harris sitting behind her.

“Percy, is it?” I turned to see the boy from yesterday, Edward. He was tall and skinny with black hair gelled back.

“Yes,” I answered curtly. There was something about him that was just a little odd and made me want to keep my distance.

He looked over to where my eyes found Ana, and he turned back to me with a sneer. “You should be careful who you associate with Percy.” He almost hissed. “Not everyone is as friendly as they seem.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, giving him my attention.

“Don’t trust a Viridis. They aren’t an ally of Borealis. They can’t be trusted,” he explained. “You’re our Princess’s personal servant and,” he hesitated, “bloodbag, you have a greater duty than most to ensure that your behaviour and associations do not bring our Princess and future Queen into disrepute or cause her harm,” he told me, his bright green eyes assessing me with a steely gaze.

“You serve the Borealis family?” I questioned, but I knew he did as he wore the same uniform as me.

“We each wear the Borealis crest over our hearts. You serve them as much as me,” he answered. I nodded. I looked up, noticing Harris making his way towards us. Edward turned to follow my gaze. “You are welcome to sit with me and the other Borealis servants today,” he offered.

“Yeah, sure.” I nodded. He smiled, and though it seemed a little slimy, I followed him to a group of servants in the same uniform as me, not looking as I passed Harris or when he called my name.

“Everyone, this is Percy,” Edward introduced me to a group of three more Borealis servants.

“We all know who she is.” A young woman with short brown hair and a face of dark makeup drawled. “I’m Evaline, but everyone calls me Evie,” she continued, pulling out the chair at the table next to her. “Sit next to me,” she said, and I sat down with Edward taking the free seat on my other side.

Across from me, two more young men sat, and I smiled in surprise when I realised they were twins. Both styled their hair very differently; one had long blonde hair tied back and the other had short messy hair. “These are the twins, Justin and Jasper,” Evie said, pointing to the long then short-haired boy.

“Nice to meet you,” they said together, and I laughed.

“We don’t mean to be creepy twins.” Justin smiled, running a hand over his long ponytail.

“Yeah, but it’s a habit,” Jasper added with the same smile.

“Percy, what’s it like being the Princess’s servant?” Evie turned to ask.

“Um, I don’t know what you’re asking,” I stuttered.

“What do you do all day? I heard you live in the royal residence hall, what’s that like?” she continued.

“I attend classes mainly with the Princess,” I said slowly, feeling like I should be very careful with my answers.

“Evaline, mind your own business,” Edward hissed beside me.

“Oh calm down Eddie, I’m just curious. The Princess has never had a personal servant before, and we hardly see the girl. She doesn’t even stay in the servant halls,” Evie spoke like I wasn’t there.

“What the Princess does with her personal servant is not yours or mine or anyone else’s business, regardless of your curiosity,” he spat back, and I pictured Edward as a perturbed house cat hissing at a bothersome lapdog.

Evie smiled at Edward, but it didn’t reach her eyes and her black lipstick cracked slightly as if her face wasn’t used to smiling.

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