The servant girl led me to my new chambers, a much larger space that felt like it should already be occupied by some official. Perhaps it recently was, considering it already had a very large desk in the back of the room. My entire childhood home would nearly have fit inside this space.

  “These outfits were selected personally by His Majesty,” she said, gesturing at a generous wardrobe displayed across the bed. “He welcomes you to choose one to wear to dinner.”

  “How kind of him,” I said, glancing down at the five outfits lined up along my bed.

  He probably assumed I would hate being told what to do or what to wear. Unfortunately, I was so bad at choosing outfits that I’d have preferred someone just pick one for me. I looked to Ghost, hoping for some input. For some reason.

  “Don’t look at me,” he said, reading my intentions perfectly. “What would I know?”

  The servant girl jumped, covering her mouth to stifle a gasp.

  “I’m sorry. Ghost gets that reaction a lot. Renyi should’ve warned you.”

  “He did. I suppose I just… wow, he can really talk.”

  “Don’t get too excited,” I said, grinning. “He mostly just nags and complains.”

  Ghost narrowed his eyes but didn’t dignify my jab with a response.

  “He’s amazing,” she said, her eyes practically sparkling as she stared at him in awe.

  “Hear that, Ghost? You have a fan.”

  Again, he only stared. Get complimented on being a talking bird and have nothing to say about it. As much as I liked teasing him, I took the opportunity to draw the uncomfortable attention away.

  “Could you please pick one of these for me?” I said, sighing. “I’m not really… the dress type. Robe type. Gown. Whatever you want to call these.”

  She seemed almost frightened by the suggestion.

  “Oh, um… I think His Majesty would prefer you make the selection.”

  I lowered my voice, leaning closer.

  “Do me a favor. Which one do you think he’ll like the most?”

  She sheepishly pointed toward a green dress, which also happened to be the most complicated option. I was a bit surprised but shouldn’t have been. I should have assumed royalty would prefer as many layers, ropes, scarves, embroideries, emblems, and whatever other trinkets they could fit. Though that didn’t seem to apply as much to Renyi.

  “Green is often given as gifts to the royal family, either as emerald or jade.”

  I smiled and picked it up, holding it in front of me, but then placed it back down and picked up a simpler lavender gown.

  “You know, I think I like this one. Do you think it’ll look okay on me?”

  “His Majesty wouldn’t have made any of them an option if he didn’t think they were all worthy choices. I think lavender looks wonderful on you,” she said with a broad smile.

  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like putting something like this on every once in a while. It’s not like I’d had much opportunity in my life to think about something as trivial as dresses.

  “Would you like some help getting dressed?” she asked.

  “No, I believe this one is simple enough I can get it on myself. Thank you.”

  She bowed, then excused herself, exiting the room.

  I sighed and looked to Ghost.

  “Why do you think I have answers to any of these questions plaguing your mind? You should handle Renyi in whatever way you see fit,” he said, not even giving me a chance to speak first.

  Of course, he’d read me like a book.

  “Yeah… I guess I’m just nervous and a bit… uneasy?”

  Stolen story; please report.

  “Unusual for you,” he said. “If only this were a dangerous situation filled with certain death. You’d have no problem rushing straight into that without a second thought.”

  “Hilarious, Ghost. Well… wish me luck, I guess.”

  “Is luck needed?”

  I took a deep breath, sighing so loudly it nearly became a groan.

  “Just humor me, Ghost.”

  He tilted his head, the confusion evident even on his stoic bird features.

  “Good luck,” he said, in the most unconvincing way imaginable.

  ***

  A few minutes later, two palace guards arrived to escort me.

  I’d expected somewhere more open and was surprised to find myself led directly to the prince’s own private quarters. For someone warned so often about appearances, this seemed like an unnecessarily bold move.

  “The lavender gown suits you,” Renyi said, dismissing the two guards with a wave of his hand as I entered.

  “Despite what you may think, I have nothing against more feminine attire. Either way, it’s certainly an upgrade over what they give you to wear in your prisons.”

  He held back a chuckle, nearly failing as he worked hard not to spill any of the tea he was sipping.

  “Please, sit.”

  I complied, sitting on a soft cushion on the floor across from Renyi at the small table. He poured me a small cup of tea and gently pushed it toward me. I picked it up and couldn’t help but pause before drinking it. A fragrant scent filled my senses.

  “Flowers?”

  He raised his finger, smiling faintly. “Indeed. Care to guess which?”

  I raised a brow. This man was very clever.

  “Lavender. You knew which dress I’d choose?”

  “I’m learning a lot about you, it seems,” he said. He paused for a long moment before continuing. He had a rare look of uncertainty, hesitant to say what was on his mind. “Is there someone waiting for you back home, perhaps?”

  “My parents,” I said. “Though… I suspect that isn’t what you meant. Please be direct, Your Majesty. I’d rather answer your real questions than play guessing games about what you truly wish to know.”

  He was the one to raise a brow this time. I worried for a moment I’d angered him, but it seemed the opposite. He breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Speaking to you is much simpler than I’ve been taught to speak to women my whole life. I admire that about you. There is nothing wrong with being direct. Very well… I’m asking if you have a lover.”

  “I don’t. Do you?”

  Why did I ask that? Just because I wanted him to ask me direct questions didn’t mean I wanted to do the same. I really needed to slow down and think more before I blurted things out. And why was I so nervous anyway? Thinking about it was just going to make me more nervous…

  “I don’t,” he said, but the tinge of pain in his voice as he answered made me curious about something I worried I shouldn’t ask.

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “What do you mean?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

  “Your answer felt like it had a story behind it. I don’t mean to pry, but—”

  “No,” he said, holding up his hand. “You are free to ask me anything. Yes, thinking on that topic stirs up some old memories for me. It’s fine. I’m the one who brought up the topic.”

  “If you’d like to share, I’d be happy to listen,” I said.

  He took another sip of his tea, sighing as he placed the empty cup gently on the table.

  “There’s not so much of a story to it, I’m afraid. When I was young, I was quite ill. Much of my early life was spent on the edge of death. I’d often find myself admitted to the royal physician’s clinic. There, I’d often meet a girl about my age. Fool I was at the time; it never occurred to me that I always met her there not by coincidence but because she was a permanent resident. She would often talk me through my pain as I struggled with treatments, carefully hiding her own.”

  He paused, struggling more than I’d expected him to. I placed my hand on his arm.

  “What was her name?”

  “Xiuying. After a couple of years, I started getting admitted less and less. One day, I went back to visit her, only to find that she had passed. She had been far sicker and in far more pain than I’d ever been. I wasn’t even aware of it. For a long time, I chastised myself for my selfishness. I’d never told her my feelings and never had the chance to say goodbye. I learned that though my body had healed, I still had much more healing to do in my soul if I was to become the prince my people needed.”

  “It’s good that you didn’t waste that gift. Making sure the traits you admired in her continue to live on in the world is a fine tribute.”

  “It means a lot hearing you say that. I also detected the hint of a story in your answer. I’d be happy to listen to yours as you have mine.”

  I hesitated, feeling the familiar bite of this subject being brought up. At least a few years had passed now, and time had done what time does.

  “Shortly before my PanTech exam, I met a soldier. He had quite a mean streak and wasn’t much for following orders. I remember clearly him breaking our village leader’s fingers for mistreating a young woman. A lousy soldier, really, but… a good man. PanTech released a modified animal in our village to quell the population, and he helped me kill it before it was able to harm a single person. When they found out they…”

  Renyi looked at me in a way that strangely gave me the comfort to continue without getting pulled too far into the memory. It had been a while since I’d truly been able to speak to another human and feel listened to.

  “When they found out, two soldiers came and killed him. Gunned him down in the streets, and I wasn’t able to do anything but watch. I ran out into the desert alone. Funny enough, that’s when I met Ghost.”

  “That is certainly a curious coincidence. What was this man’s name?”

  “Linus.”

  “Please don’t take what I’m about to say the wrong way,” he said, a hint of a smile on his lips. “I can see that some of the traits you admired about this man have lived on through you too.”

  I smiled. How could I ever find such a thing insulting?

  “Perhaps you’re right.”

  We continued eating slowly, often pausing to share more stories until only moonlight and softly flickering torches lit the room.

  “Thank you for joining me today,” he said.

  I stood and bowed, doing my best to mimic the other women as closely as I could. I’m not sure why I did it, but it felt like the right thing to do. Without a word, I smiled and returned to my room to sleep.

  PanTech Chronicles trilogy and the series, both available on Amazon.

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