Page 131 of Akarnae

A few moments of contemplative silence passed until Alex observed, “You know, I think this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had.”

“Desperate times,” D.C. said, but Alex could hear the humour in her voice. “You’re not as annoying as I thought you were.”

“Gee, thanks,” Alex muttered. “What high praise that is, coming from a princess no less.”

“Princess might be my title,” D.C. said, sounding irritated, “but it’s not who Iam.”

“Sorry. I’m still trying to get my head around it.”

“It’s okay,” D.C. said. “I’m just not used to people knowing my real identity.”

“Does anyone at the academy know?”

“Not many people,” D.C. admitted. “The headmaster, Jarvis and most of the teaching staff are aware for security reasons. And there are a handful of students who grew up around the palace and have known me since I was a child. But that’s it. Very few people have seen me out of the palace for years, and I’ve grown up a lot in that time which is why no one else would recognise me. But everyone who does know is sworn to secrecy.”

“Why?”

“A number of reasons,” D.C. said. “A hostage situation like this is one of them. But the main reason, for me at least, is that I didn’t want to be known as Princess Delucia at Akarnae. I wanted to be treated just like everyone else.” She trailed off before continuing quietly, “But it turned out that I’m too guarded. I haven’t exactly made any friends in my time here. And I was okay with that, until you came along.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“You were just alwaysthere,” D.C. said. “When I went to bed, when I woke up, in my classes. Everywhere I went, there you were. You had instant friends, you were good at the subjects without even trying, and you were so obviously happy.”

Alex found it interesting to hear about her life from an outside perspective.

“You’re so wrong,” she said. “For most of the year I’ve been completely out of my element. I was thrown into this world without any idea of what was happening, and I’ve been trying not to drown ever since. You’re right about my friends, but everything else has been nearly impossible to stay on top of.”

D.C. thought about that. “It’s funny, isn’t it? The things we’ve managed to hide?”

“I’m not sure if ‘funny’ is the word I’d use,” Alex said in a dry tone, “but it’s something, all right.”

“You do realise that if we make it out of here, you can’t tell anyone? About me being who I am?” D.C. said, her voice hesitant and uncertain.

“We’re in the same boat,” Alex said. “In fact, you know more about me than I do about you. No one can know that I’m Chosen, or that I’m—what did Aven say? Called?”

“I guess we have to keep each other’s secrets,” D.C. said, sounding pensive.

“That’s what friends do,” Alex said quietly, their closeness still a new concept.

“I like that,” D.C. admitted. “Does anyone else know about you?”

“Jordan and Bear do,” Alex told her. “The headmaster, apparently, along with Jarvis, the librarian and some of the other teachers. Also Darrius, who I mentioned before, and a weird old lady who owns a disappearing bookshop—please, don’t ask. Otherwise, no one else I know of.”

They descended into silence again, but it was more comfortable now, companionable even.

“You know what would be perfect right now?” D.C. asked, trying to wriggle into a more comfortable position. “A white knight riding in on his noble steed to save the day. That’s what happens in all the good fairytales. Why does it never happen in real life?”

Alex froze. “Say that again.”

“Say what again? The part about fairytales? You do have them in Freya, don’t you?”

“Not that, the part about the knight.” But Alex didn’t wait for D.C. to answer. “Sir Camden!”

“Um… Are you feeling all right?” D.C. asked.

“Wait for it,” Alex said, feeling giddy with excitement. Why hadn’t she thought of the knight before?

“Wait forwhat?” D.C. asked, exasperated.

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