Page 24

Dad snaps his fingers, and a servant scurries into the room. “Your majesty?”

“We’re done with dessert. Bring us some fruit.”

He bows. “Yes, your highness.” Then he rushes away.

My stomach turns. The last thing I want is to eat anything else.

Dad turns to Middlebrooks—I’ll never be able to think of her as Daphne. “Do you want to tell Marra your news?”

My head spins. “News?” I’m not sure I can take anything else today. If they say she’s pregnant, I’m going to lose it. Middlebrooks would love that—and to get me out of line for the throne so her spawn could be next.

She actually smiles. A real, genuine smile. “You’re going to be so excited!”

“I’ll bet,” I mutter. My stomach knots.

Dad taps my leg and arches a brow at me.

I sit up straight and force myself to smile at Mrs. Middlebrooks, certain I know what’s coming. “What’s the news?”

She taps her nails on the table and holds my gaze before finally answering. “I’ve enrolled you in the academy’s beauty pageant.”

“You what?” I rub my ears. “I think I misheard you. It sounded like you said you enrolled me in a pageant.”

“I did. Isn’t that wonderful? First-years almost never qualify, but you’re in. Don’t even have to participate in the preliminaries.”

I recoil at the thought. How barbaric that the academy even has that—and worse, that I’m being forced to participate. “What if I don’t want to? Or I’m too busy? I have to get ready for the sparring competition, you know.” I look at my dad. “Daphne has placed me against the reigning champion. Some guy who everyone says is four times as big as me.”

Middlebrooks plays with Dad’s hair. “She exaggerates. He isn’t that big. All of this is good for her. Preparing her for life as a leader one day. Valora needs a strong leader, like yourself.”

He grins. “That makes sense.”

“Dad, this is overkill! I just got to Valora. I’m not going to be reigning anytime soon. Just let me adjust and be a normal student. I don’t want to be in any competitions! Not a pageant, not sparring. I’m barely getting used to being back underwater.”

He looks deep in thought for a moment before turning to Middlebrooks. “What do you think?”

I close my eyes and shake my head. The man really doesn’t care about me.

She runs a finger down his chest and grins. “Like I said, it’s all in her best interest.”

Dad turns to me. “Then you’ll remain in both.”

A servant arrives with fruit and places it in front of all of us. Before he leaves, another hurries in and bows low to my dad.

Dad arches a brow. “I didn’t call for you.”

“No, your highness. Please forgive me, but I have news you need to hear.”

Dad waves for him to continue.

“There’s a protest in the central district.”

“About what?” Dad yawns.

“Some of your new decrees. They’re really angry over the thirty percent income tax increase.”

“The people will get over it.” He plays with a button on his shirt.

“There’s looting in the streets!”