Page 49 of A Storm in Every Heart
“Tell me what you were right about.”
“Oh, yeah,” I narrow my eyes, annoyed by the reminder of last night. “I met Prince Kastian last night.”
“Did you?” Daemon asks, seeming uninterested.
“Yes, and I was right. He absolutely was the boy from the harbor all those years ago.”
Daemon raises his eyebrows. “You sure?”
“Definitely.”
“Huh. I owe him fifty gold, then. I wonder what he was doing that day without all his guards.”
“Don’t you dare bring it up,” I hiss. “I don’t want him to realize we’ve met before.”
Daemon’s furrowed brows pull even lower. “Why?”
“I just don’t.” I glance around to make sure no one is listening to us. “Please don’t say anything.”
“Fine, I won’t,” he says with exaggerated annoyance.
I let out a breath. “Thank you.”
Daemon scrutinizes me closely. “Don’t tell me you’re still having fantasies of becoming a princess.”
My cheeks heat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Please,” he scoffs. “I thought you’d gotten over that, but you’re just upset because your little fantasy was shattered. Don’t tell me the prince wasn’t everything you hoped he would be.”
“You’re horrible!” I hiss, my face flaming now. “I hate you.”
He grins. “No, you don’t.”
I set my jaw in a scowl and refuse to look at Daemon again as we stand in the unmoving line.
Unfortunately, I’m only angry because Daemon is right.
After meeting the prince in the harbor, I spent years fixated on childish fantasies of becoming a princess. Eventually, I grew out of it, and I’d almost forgotten the entire thing until I was told we’d be visiting the court of Hydratta. Then perhaps I got my hopes up all over again.
MaybeI was a bit put out to realize that Prince Kastian was already engaged.
And then,it’s possiblethat I was startled when I walked out of the dining hall and found him, not only right in front of me, but yelling at me.
Andalright, perhaps I reacted badly to both those things and was a tiny bit rude to him. Very rude, actually. I’m probably lucky I wasn’t thrown out of the castle.
But all of that is behind me now, and I am completely and utterly fine. I’m unlikely to find myself alone with Prince Kastian again, and soon we’ll return to Vernallis, and I can forget all about him.
We’re just a few steps away from reaching the front of the line when a sudden roar erupts near the bleachers. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I stretch my neck to get a glimpse of the chaos. Instantly, a wave of regret washes over me.
Prince Kastian has just arrived with a group of guards, and he’s waving politely to the crowd of nobles as he walks toward the stairs to the royal observation box. Suddenly, as if drawn by an invisible thread, he pauses mid-step, his gaze sweeping the crowd before settling firmly on me. Our eyes meet, and his expression flickers with recognition.
“Oh no,” I yelp, ducking behind Daemon. “Hide me!”
Daemon leans out of my way. “What the hell are you doing? Stop being a freak.”
“Shut up!” I hiss, bending my knees and trying to make myself as small as possible. “Don’t draw more attention to us.”
Daemon laughs. “I’m not the one drawing attention. What is wrong with you?”
