He rested his arms on the machine in front of him. “Of course I am. I’m just hoping you get tired of those assholes and come to me.”
I smiled, seeing the laughter in his expression. “Is that so?”
He grinned. Lord, he was just as gorgeous as the other two when he smiled. “Trust me, princess, I’ve been around them for a long time. It won’t take long.”
“I’m not a princess,” I said softly, my stomach churning at the thought. I was just plain Anna Komita, from the States, that no one liked. That was a fine title for me.
Max climbed off the rowing machine, grabbing his water. “Depends on who you talk to. Some say you are the next empress of Rome. Do you feel like an empress, Anna?”
“Not even close,” I admitted. “I don’t even know what an empress does.”
“These days?” he asked as he sat on the bench in front of some weights. “Just smiles and nods. Hell, most figureheads don’t have much power to begin with. They are just there for everyone to have someone to blame when it all goes south.”
I sat on the equipment next to him, watching as he fiddled with the weights. “That sounds like I should run away.”
He started to pull on the bar, his face red with exertion. “It’s not something you can run from, Anna. If you want to be empress, then be empress. If you don’t, then you need to formally give it up or you will never have a chance at a normal life.”
I didn’t even know what normal was like, really. My childhood and teen years had been less than normal and now I was on the verge of deciding if my future was going to be just as weird. I really didn’t want this to be over my head for the rest of my life, but I had to decide if I wanted to just walk away or marry one of these kings so that I could become that figurehead that Max was referring to. “I don’t know what to do,” I finally said, my voice sounding small in my own ears.
He stopped his motions and looked at me. “It’s your decision, Anna. It always has been. The will, the marriage, the title, all of it. No one is going to make that decision for you.”
I let out a harsh laugh. “Isauros would like to. She would like to see me wiped off the face of the earth.”
Max rubbed a hand over his hair. “Yeah, that’s a problem, Anna, a big one. She’s got pull.”
That was the understatement of the year. “I just don’t know why she’s dragging me along. She could just have me assassinated or something and go on with her life.”
“I think she likes seeing you sweat,” he replied. “But you know if you want her off your back, you are going to have to beat her at her game, Anna. It’s going to get ugly.”
I was silent for a few moments as he continued his workout, thinking about all the ways that I could get one over on Isauros. For starters, I could take the will and marry one of the kings or anyone else that was sovereign. It would catapult me to heir status, and I wouldn’t have to ever worry about Isauros again.
That was a guaranteed deal there. Heck, I could probably have her assassinated.
But then I would lose everything I was, who I was to the crown. I would be married, for one, a servant to my husband, and by the looks of what I had seen from the royal families, not an incredibly happy one at that.
My only other option was to deny the will and run away, always looking over my shoulder to see if Isauros was there.
That didn’t sound like a fun way to live my life either.
Max finished his reps and grabbed his towel again, wiping the back of his neck. “The problem that you have, Anna, is that if you are going to get one over on Isauros, then you will have to also handle any sort of backlash from the royal families protecting her.”
“What?” I asked. “Who’s protecting her?”
He narrowed his gaze. “You really don’t think that she can get away with the things that go on in this academy without some sort of protection, do you? How do you think we get into this fucking place to begin with? And graduate? Don’t forget about the girl’s death I told you about. Any other person would have been arrested and thrown in prison for the rest of her life. Isauros has some high-powered families backing her and if you really start to screw with her, you will have them breathing down your neck.”
“Great,” I muttered. This whole scenario just got even better. It was hard enough fighting the headmistress, but now I had to fight royalty? “This isn’t worth it. I should just leave.”
Max stopped his workout and I was surprised when he placed his hand on my leg, right above the knee. “If you leave, she wins. If you at least try, with our help, then you might stand a chance.”
His touch was comforting and not at all threatening to my poorly abused heart. It was like he was being a friend and I desperately needed them over any kingly bodyguards these days. “Thanks, Max. I don’t know why you continue to help me, but I really appreciate it.”
He removed his hand, giving me a tight smile. “Because you are the first one to stand up to her and to us. Why wouldn’t we?”
His words rattled around in my head after I left him to his workout, barely making it back to my room in time to change my clothes for the sword fight. I had actually asked Royce to let me be part of this one, but he quickly shot me down, citing at least a half a dozen reasons why I shouldn’t be handling a sword and fighting a stranger. In the end, I hadn’t won my argument, but he had relented and allowed me and Johanna to come and watch.
“Looking good, girl,” Johanna said as I stepped out of the bathroom. I had picked a pair of skinny jeans and a loose-fitting top that hung off one shoulder, the color a deep blue. Johanna was wearing one of her signature tight dresses, hugging her curves in ways I could never begin to understand. “You too,” I stated, flipping my hair over my shoulder. “Shall we go to watch the barbaric nature of this sport?”
She laughed, threading her arm through mine. “I think you are going to watch a particular king instead.”
I laughed as we exited the room together, my own body betraying me. I was excited about seeing Royce fight tonight. I knew how he fought and that ratcheted up my own bundle of nerves.
The place was packed by the time we slid in. Johanna paid her way in while I handed over the token that Royce had slid into my hand earlier. “Smooth,” she stated as we jostled our way to the ring. “Now he’s paying your way in.”
“Shut up,” I said jokingly, my breath catching as I noted Royce already in the ring. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
“Sure, it doesn’t,” Johanna murmured, her arms resting on the ring. “Just tell me you will be careful, Anna. I know you have a certain affection for the kings, but they are never ones to return it.”