Page 9 of Falling Princess

Ohfuckno. In this day and age? How medieval can he be? I already have Cata. She’ll be there, too, although she won’t be living with me in the dormitories. She has some vaguely defined official role as a diplomat-adjacent Fellow doing minor administrative work for the school.

Dismay must be written on my face. My father’s expression turned into one of smug satisfaction. I won’t like whatever’s coming. Bracing, I closed my eyes.

Even so, I was shocked by my father’s decision. He couldn’t have devised a worse punishment if he reached into my psyche and wrought one from my most personal demons.

“Lorcan of Tenáho has demonstrated his loyalty to the crown, his ability to protect not one, but two princesses of the realm, and to keep you idiots out of the spotlight, thus preserving our reputation abroad. He has more than earned the honor of serving as your appointed knight. His lineage alone would be sufficient recommendation, in addition to which he has Cata’s strongest—”

“I’m sorry,whatdid you say?”

“Lorcan of Tenáho is to be your appointed knight.” My father enunciated each atrocious syllable. Unnecessary, for each word rang out with horrifying clarity.

My entire body burned as though I’ve been cast into the center of the Mountain of Fire. My vision hazed; when I could focus again, my fisted hands were numb with a cold deeper than Midwinter at midnight.

“Lorcan is to receive an education which he could not otherwise afford,” my father said with evident relish. “Auralia will pay for his tuition and board at Royals University, in exchange for his protection of its princess. I made this offer to him myself, not an hour ago. He did not hesitate to accept.”

I bet he didn’t.It’s an overly generous offer. Far beyond anything he earned by tailing two princesses to a club and herding them off the dance floor before a bomb exploded.

Royals U is an unusually prestigious institution, drawing the offspring of royalty, prominent politicians, and global titans of business. The connections alone are worth the exorbitant admission fees. Lorcan would have been a fool to turn it down.

Nicely played. I seethed. It’s almost as if he planned it. Perhaps he did.

“Why can’t I have Lord Kenton as my knight protector?”...if I must have one.

Probably because he’s tall and good-looking and a bit unscrupulous. No, my father would have seen right through that.

Lorcan? With Raina fawning over him constantly? Might as well stay home.

“Kenton is not from a family of knights. As skilled as he is at archery, he is not a fighter.”

“And Lorcan is?” I asked, incredulously. While I refrain from knowing anything about the man wherever possible, ours is a tiny country, and his father was my mother’s guard when she was murdered by Skía. I vividly remember once climbing up in my seat to look back at him, when I was around seven or eight years old. Even as a child, he hadpresence. A kind of quiet authority I can only dream of possessing. Bothersome boy.

Before my father could answer, I added, “I already have a Covari guard. Cata.”

I don’t know why I’m arguing. I won’t win.

“She cannot blend in with the other students. Lorcan can. You will go nowhere without him. Do I make myself clear?”

I nodded, wishing I could sink through the stone floor.

“The five of you will share an apartment, for security. Again, you are not to leave it without your new guard. Cata will be nearby in case of trouble.”

“I have tolivewith him?” I unclenched my fists and tried to breathe through my anger, unable to conceal my dismay. “I... how am I to have any semblance of a normal university experience, with so many people watching me?”

What if I want to go on a date—is Lorcan supposed to tail me? Ensure that some poor boy doesn’t take liberties with my person? What if Iwanthim to take liberties? (Not Lorcan, obviously.) Is he supposed to sit there and watch us? Turn his back and listen?

Blood drained from my body.

Am I never to experience what it could feel like, to fall in love, like Raina has? Just to be normal for a while? Why must that be forbidden to me, along with everything else?

How far do I have to run to escape this burden?

Maybe the only escape really is death.

“Zosia. Whatever you believed when you applied to study in another country, you must have known that your experience would be unlike anyone else’s.” My father’s tone gentled when he saw my distress. “Auralia cannot afford to risk the last of its line, Daughter. I am giving you as much laxity as I can afford to.”

Laxity.

What I wish he would say:I could not bear to lose you.

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