Stellan burst out laughing. “Did Aunt Saffron and Uncle Julian tell you that during their recent visit?”
I grinned. “No, Aunt Saffron provided a much more sympathetic ear. That was Uncle Jasper. He accompanied them back from the Empire, remember? Aunt Clara is insisting they spend a couple of years in Corrin before returning since she’s hoping to get both of our cousins accepted to the University.”
Stellan rolled his eyes. “Of course Uncle Jasper would defend Mother. He always does.”
“Naturally,” I said with a straight face. “He’s her brother, after all. Just like you would always defend me.”
Stellan snorted, but Elsie slipped her arm around his shoulders. “He would defend you, Princess Verene. He’s very loyal.”
I smiled at her, wondering if she was thinking of herself or me. I knew how nervous she had been at the thought Stellan might have forgotten her in their months apart, her place in his heart taken by a mage girl from the Academy. But she needn’t have worried.
“Now that I’ve committed to supporting your cause, I think it’s time you dropped my title,” I told her. “Just Verene is fine.” I hesitated. “At least when we’re in private. If others are around, it would be better to maintain protocol.”
“Oh, but—”
Stellan squeezed her to his side, cutting off her words. “I intend to make you Verene’s sister, Elsie. You can’t keep using her title forever.”
Elsie, ducked her head, unsuccessfully trying to hide her flush. “Very well, then…Verene.”
“I just wish you didn’t have to disappear back to Kallorway,” Stellan sighed, burying his face in her hair.
I took that as my cue to escape and did so as unobtrusively as possible. If I only got to see Darius for a few short weeks each year, I’d want to make the most of our time as well, without one of my brothers hanging around.
Our carriage rolled out of the palace three days later. Stellan came to see us off—although I didn’t remember his having done so my first two years at the Academy. The thought made me smile, although it was easy to smile after the good news of the night before. It had been an exhausting evening, but I had hidden myself away in a small antechamber and checked every guest at my aunt’s soiree. None of them had carried the taint infecting Matthis. I had even checked him for good measure, seeing no sign that the working had reestablished itself.
Either Conall had been concerned we would pick up on a pattern if he infected numerous delegates and had picked Matthis as the most influential, or else their meeting truly had been a chance one. Either way, it didn’t matter, and we were spared the difficulty of deciding how to deal with a whole host of infected Ardannians.
My parents had also given me an affectionate send off, reminding me that they stood in opposition to Darius and my relationship only because they loved me. Knowing I was leaving them and returning to him for an entire year made it easier to accept their gestures of love. I couldn’t help the hopeful feeling that a year was long enough to find a way to change their minds.
But by the time we passed through the western gate, my smile had disappeared. Did I really have a year? Who knew how long any of us had with Conall bearing down on us? But the thought didn’t make me regret my parting with my parents. Now wasn’t the time to be leaving anyone in anger. I just hoped that finding a way to save the future of both kingdoms wouldn’t require throwing my own away.
Chapter 6
We pulled into the Academy courtyard the next morning, and I had never been so glad to see the austere stone building. After three years living within its walls, it gave me a pang to think I might never see it again after this year. At least if my parents had their way, and I was forced to return to my old life in Ardann.
Elsie looked less enthused about our arrival, but Layna smiled almost as affectionately at the old gray stone as I did. While we were inside the Academy, she didn’t act as my personal guard in the same way she did outside its walls. But she had never seemed to mind being posted here all year anyway.
When I climbed out of the carriage, she swung down from her horse and approached me. Her smile dropped away, and she looked as serious as she had during any of the attacks we had weathered together. I gave her a concerned look but didn’t have the chance to ask her anything before she began talking.
“We’re back in Kallorway now, and this is your final year.” She paused. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t know you intend to remain here.”
“Hope would probably be a more accurate word,” I said, trying not to sound too dejected.
A ghost of her earlier smile returned. “Princess Verene, you honored me with your confidence at the beginning of the summer, but I know you didn’t tell me everything that has been going on for the last three years. But I’ve always been observant. Since the age of sixteen, you’ve survived multiple assassination attempts, installed a new—and better—king on Kallorway’s throne, mastered an unheard-of new ability without proper training, saved an entire kingdom’s harvest, and stopped a killer storm. I have full confidence in you.”
I flushed. It did sound impressive when she listed it like that, but it didn’t reflect the reality of what had happened. I hadn’t done those things alone.
I shifted uncomfortably. “Layna, I—”
She held up a hand to stop me. “I’m not asking you to confirm anything. I’m just trying to tell you I’m behind you. Fully. After what my own superiors did at that ball back home—using their position to take my attention away from my charge while she was in danger…” Layna shook her head. “Well, they made it easy for me. I want you to know my loyalties are no longer divided. As long as you want me protecting you, I’ll be at your side.”
My eyes widened. “Layna, I don’t know what to say. Are you sure? Ardann is your home.”
She shook her head. “I think you’re forgetting you’re not the only one who’s spent a lot of time here in recent years. Homes can change.”
“I…thank you.” I didn’t have a chance to say more before a small blur catapulted out of the Academy and threw herself at me. Before I had time to take a breath, she had spun toward Elsie and was embracing her as well.
“You’re here! You made it!” Bryony cried. “I was beginning to think they were going to keep you locked in your room back in Corrin.”
“I wrote to tell you I was allowed to return,” I said, casting a final speaking glance at Layna as Bryony tugged me up the Academy steps. “I’m sure I did.”
“Yes, but then you didn’t arrive.”
“There was a delay.” I gave her a significant look, and her eyes widened.
“How very intriguing.” She gave a satisfied smile. “I’m so glad you’re back. Think how awful and boring the year would have been without you.”
“I want to hear all about how your summer went back home in the Empire.” I gave her another look, but she just shook her head despairingly.
“Far, far less interesting than it should have been, everything considered. I actually had high hopes, but my parents’ town is just as small and boring as it ever was.”