A Beast's Tale

Chapter 12

Ivetta set the books beside her on the carriage seat, careful to avoid my gaze. "Sorry for embarrassing you, your highness," she said, looking down at her lap self-consciously. She really was a mess, from her mussed hair to the powdered sugar on her dress to the dried blood and snot from the little boy on her apron. The most frustratingly beautiful mess I'd ever seen.

"Is this how you normally behave at festivals?" I asked coolly.

"I don't normally go to festivals, your highness," she replied, turning her gaze to the scenery outside the window.

"That may be for the best," I muttered. "You are an intolerable nuisance."

Especially since I couldn't take my eyes off of her. There was precious little of interest in the enclosed space of the carriage, and the plain green grass spread out beside the cobblestone road we were traversing held nothing I cared to see, either. Even the stack of rare foreign books spanning multiple languages and genres paled in comparison to the intriguing mysteries of the woman sitting quietly next to them. I had hundreds of books, enough to fill the walls of built-in bookcases in my bedroom, office, and private library. She had easily identified the mere dozen titles at the bookstall that I didn't own without any guidance from me, and I hadn't needed to give her a single word of instruction to do so. As usual. What was unusual was her silent acceptance of my insult right now. Her green eyes should be flashing, her soft voice snapping at me for my disrespectful behavior. But the way she sat still, staring out the window, unseeing, lost in thought...

For once, I couldn't read her.

"I'll have tea in the gardens. By the pond," I said, finally breaking the silence.

"Yes, your highness," she replied quietly.

"You may leave after that."

She winced, and I immediately realized my mistake. She thought I was angry with her and that this was her dismissal. There could be nothing further from the truth. I'd only intended to allow her to go home early, or even return to the festival if she wanted.

"Or you may stay and read for a while, if you'd prefer," I added.

She shook her head, missing the subtle reassurance I'd meant for her to hear. "I'll leave, your highness."

A more direct statement would be necessary. I reached across the carriage to catch her chin and turned her to face me. "I expect you to be on time tomorrow morning."

Her green eyes met mine with surprise. "You're not firing me, Prince Chevalier?"

I allowed myself a smile at her oblivious naïvety. "You were no embarrassment," I said, releasing her chin and poking her in the forehead. "And you are far too fragile to be released back into the wild."

The blush returned to her cheeks. "I do seem to attract trouble, don't I, your highness?"

"Indeed. Though your ability to charm any would-be predators is unparalleled."

"I don't know what you mean, Prince Chevalier," she said quietly, looking back out the window.

"No, you don't."

She didn't respond, withdrawing into herself again. I frowned as I watched her. She'd seemed to be enjoying herself at the festival until the food stall. No, before that, the child. Her comment to Leon when he rejoined us after locating the boy's parents flashed through my mind again.

"You had a frightening experience when you were that child's age."

She nodded.

"What happened?"