Аманда Хокинг - Torn

“So it would seem,” I agreed. “Life isn’t a fairy tale, Duncan.”

“And you know what they say,” Willa chimed in. “Mo’ money, mo’ problems.”

“Well, that was embarrassing to hear you say that, so I’m good.” I stood up. “I’ve got lots of studying to do tonight. I’m going to squeeze in some training before I meet with Aurora tomorrow. Do you think you can keep her busy until I get there?”

“If I must,” Willa groaned.

“Don’t overwork yourself,” Matt said as I was leaving the room. “You’ve got to make time to be a kid. You’re still young.”

“I think my days of being a kid are over,” I said honestly.

Willa bailed early on the planning. She said she had to have supper with her father, but I suspected that she couldn’t take Aurora anymore.

We were in the ballroom. The skylights were finally fixed, but a layer of snow covered the top of them, making the ballroom dark and cave-like. Aurora assured me that the snow would be removed in time for my engagement party, as if I were worried about that.

She went about the room, mapping out where the tables and decorations would be. I helped as often as she let me, which wasn’t very often. Her poor assistant was running around like mad to do everything Aurora asked.

When she finally let her assistant go for the night, I was sitting at the grand piano, playing the opening to “Fur Elise” repeatedly, since it was the only bit I knew.

“You’ll have to take piano lessons,” Aurora said. She had a thick black binder filled with all her wedding information, and she dropped it on the piano, making it twang. “I can’t believe you didn’t already have them. What kind of host family did you live with?”

“You know what kind of host family I had.” I continued playing the same bars, louder now since it was getting on her nerves. “You’ve met my brother.”

“About that,” Aurora said. She pulled a few bobby pins from her hair, letting her loose curls fall free. “You need to stop referring to him as your brother. It’s in poor taste.”

“I’m aware,” I said. “But it’s a hard habit to break.”

“You have many habits you need to break.” She ran her fingers through her hair.

“If you weren’t the Princess, I wouldn’t bother to help you break them.”

“Well, thank you for your time and consideration,” I muttered.

“I know you’re being facetious, but you are welcome.” She opened her binder, leafing through it. “We don’t have time for Frederique Von Ellsin to make you a gown for the party, so he’s bringing over some of his best pieces tomorrow at noon so you can be fitted.”

“That sounds fun,” I said, and I wasn’t lying. Frederique had made my gown for my christening ceremony, and I enjoyed meeting him.

“Princess!” Aurora snapped. “Will you stop playing that song?”

“Of course.” I closed the piano cover. “All you had to do was ask.”

“Thank you,” Aurora smiled thinly at me. “You do need to work on your manners, Princess.”

“My manners are fine when they need to be,” I sighed. “But right now, I’m tired, and we’ve been at this all day. Can we regroup tomorrow?”

“You are so lucky I’m letting you marry my son.” She shook her head and slammed her binder shut. “You are rude and ungrateful and so unladylike. Your mother has almost gotten us killed repeatedly, and my son should be next in line for the crown, not you. If he didn’t have some unfounded fondness for you, he would overthrow you and take his rightful place.”

“Wow.” I stared at her with wide eyes, and I really had no idea what to say to that.

“It really is a disgrace that he’s marrying you.” She clicked her tongue. “If anybody found out the way that tracker Finn tainted you, he’d become the laughing stock of the kingdom.” She touched her temple and shook her head. “You are just so lucky.”

“You are absolutely right.” I stood up, clenching my hands at my side. “I am so lucky that your son is nothing like you. I’m going to be Queen, not you. Know your place, Marksinna.”

She looked up at me, her dark eyes startled, and she blinked, as if she couldn’t believe it. Her skin blanched. The planning had been as daunting on her as it had been on me, and for a moment, she’d forgotten her role.

“Princess, I am truly sorry,” she stammered. “I didn’t mean that. I’ve been under so much stress.”

“We all have,” I reminded her.

Aurora finished gathering her things and mumbled several more apologies. She hurried out of the ballroom, saying she was needed at home, and I don’t think she’d every left so quickly before. I didn’t know if I’d done the right thing standing up to her, but right then, I didn’t care.

What I did know was that I had a rare moment where I was completely alone. No guards around me. No Duncan or Tove or Aurora. And I could really use some fresh air.

I hurried before someone could find me. If I waited, I knew someone would come along and want something from me. Probably a conversation, but I didn’t want to talk. I wanted a moment to breathe.

I ran down the hall of the North Wing, and I burst through the side door onto a narrow, gravel trail lined with tall hedges. It curved around the house, leading down to the bluffs before it opened into a beautiful garden.

Snow covered everything, making it glitter like diamonds under the moonlight. The wintry weather should’ve killed off all the plants, but the blue, pink, and purple flowers were in full bloom. The frost on their petals only made them more beautiful.

The vines of ivy and wisteria that grew over the wall remained green and vibrant.

Even the small waterfall that ran through the orchard of blossoming trees still flowed, instead of freezing solid the way it should have.

The thin blanket of snow crunched cold under my bare feet, but I didn’t care. I ran down the side of the bluff, slipping in a few places, but I never fell. Two curved garden benches were next to a pond, and I sat down on the nearest one.

The garden was a little piece of magic, and I loved it for that. I leaned back, breathing in the cold night. My breath came out in a fog, and the moon sparkled off the ice crystals in the air. I’d been locked in the house for far too long.

A snap of a twig behind me pulled me from my thoughts, and I whirled around. I couldn’t see anyone, but I saw shadows moving along a hedge near the brick wall.

“Who’s there?” I asked.

I assumed it was Duncan or another tracker sent to fetch me. When nobody answered, I began to worry that I’d made a rash decision coming out here alone. I could defend myself, but I didn’t want there to be a need for it.

“I know somebody’s here.” I stood up. I walked around the bench and weaved through the trees.

I saw a figure standing by the wall. He was too far away to get a good look at his face, but the moon shimmered on his light hair.

“Who’s there?” I repeated. I straightened up and tried to look as imposing as possible, which is probably hard for a Princess in a dress, alone in a garden at night.

“Princess?” He sounded surprised and stepped closer to me. When he ducked around a tree and walked towards me, I finally got a good look at him.

“Loki?” I asked. “What are you doing here?”

“I came for you.” He seemed just as confused as I was. “What are you doing out here?”

“I needed fresh air. But I don’t understand. How did you know I’d be out here?”

“I didn’t. This is how I come in.” He gestured to the wall behind him. “I scale the wall. You should really get security on that.”

“Why are you here?” I asked.