A Thousand Heartbeats

I woke up sore and thrilled.

“Noemi?” I asked groggily, rolling off my stomach. I kept forgetting I could go back to sleeping on my side.

“My lady?”

“What’s the time?”

“Breakfast is just ending, but I’ve had a plate brought up.” She gestured to the tray on the table near the unlit fireplace. “I thought you deserved some rest.”

“Oh, you angel. Thank you.” I stood, feeling the delicious ache in my legs and arms.

Noemi brought over my robe, and I settled into it. Slouching in the chair, I hooked one foot on the edge of the cushion, letting crumbs fall down my dress and sleeves. Even this tiny freedom made me smile. I took another bite and sighed in delight.

I sat up at the knock on the door. Noemi ran over and helped me sweep the crumbs from my face, pulling my hair neatly over one shoulder as she went. She patted at her own hair as she opened the door.

“The Duke of Canisse, Your Highness,” she announced, letting Nickolas in the room.

“Oh,” he said, seeing me there in my dressing robe. “I . . . I can come back.”

“Not at all. Is there something you needed?”

“Yes. I’ve chosen this waistcoat for today,” he said, gesturing to the pale blue fabric. “You would like to match, yes?”

I looked at him, wishing something in my heart would wake up. “Noemi, do I have something that would work with this?” I asked, but she was already crossing the floor to the wardrobe.

“I think we have a few that would do nicely,” she said, pulling out two light blue gowns.

Before I could speak, Nickolas did.

“The one on the left,” he said. “Very nice. I shall see you before the announcement?”

I forced a dutiful smile onto my face. “I’ll meet you in the grand hallway by the balcony beforehand. I’m sure we’re simply waving to the crowds.”

He nodded. “Very well. See you then.”

He went as quickly as he’d come, and it only took those few minutes for me to see the appeal of running off with a boy from the library. Rhett would let me choose my own clothes. Rhett wouldn’t care how I wore my hair. Rhett would not only let me carry a sword but would also smile when I knocked his from his hand. . . .

As I stood there, it got harder to swallow. I hated this feeling, the sensation that the room was closing in. I knew it was shamefully selfish to get claustrophobic in a palace . . . but I couldn’t help but think that I’d be able to breathe more freely in a cabin on the far edge of Kadier.

But almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I pictured my brother’s face. It was so very tempting . . . but for Escalus’s sake, I was positive I’d stay.