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“You don’t want to talk about it?”

“Everyone resents me.”

“For what?”

“The Queen Sirena thing. And the ones who don’t resent me think it’s a huge joke.”

Her brows draw together. “The students have been warned to treat you well.”

“That’s not the kind of thing you can force. Besides, there’s still lingering feelings from everything Drake did. People still see me as his kid. It’s hard to break past first impressions, you know?”

She frowns and looks deep in thought. “There has to be something we can do.”

“No more edicts. If I never hear that word again, it’ll be too soon.”

“I wish you’d consider it, but I understand. I’m sure most of Valora would be happy never to have another new law placed on them after the uproar Drake caused. Do you think winning the sparring competition would help? I know how excited everyone gets about that, and from what I hear, it’s been years since the Dark Sea Academy had a champion.”

“Maybe. I suppose I have a better chance with Dad training me now.”

She gets a dreamy-eyed look and sighs. “You definitely do. He says nobody has beaten his score to this day.”

I glance over at the door where he left with Bash. “What do you think they’re doing?”

“Talking.”

My stomach knots at the thought of the conversation. I probably made it a hundred times worse for poor Bash.

“How are you feeling about the Queen Sirena connection?” Mom’s voice brings me back to the room.

“Honestly, I’m trying to make sense of it all. I don’t really get why me.”

“I wish I had answers. People have always been curious about the legend, but your dad has taken it to the extreme.”

“You think?”

She covers a smile, then sits on a couch and pats it for me to sit next to her. “I think it has always been a source of escape for him.”

I plop next to her. “From what? He’s king—he can have anything he wants.”

“Anything?”

“Well, almost anything.”

“His brother tormented him from the moment they were born, his father made every decision for him until his death, and he had to watch his twin marry the woman he loved. Your dad is only now seeing his dreams come to fruition.”

I nod, understanding. “Life isn’t perfect for royalty, either.”

She shakes her head. “Don’t we know it?”

“It’s definitely not like the cartoon princesses I grew up watching.”

“Not even close.” We sit in silence for a few moments before she speaks again. “Do you have any questions about the Queen Sirena link?”

I laugh. “Only about a million.”

She studies me. “Like what?”

“Where do I begin? Hardly anything is known about her. There aren’t any books in the public domain—only in the secret libraries.”