The Tales of a Cursed Warrior

IX

After answering most of the questions Dickson asked wrong, he kicked her out of his office chamber and told her to revise all that she read, gave her an essay to write and hand after two days when his next class was and told her how bad she was as a student—to which she nearly had to break her middle fingers off so that she wouldn't show them to him.

Sentinel Bryson helped her carry her books as she grumbled and stomped after him all the way to her chambers as she was released ten minutes before her next lesson.

"I hate him, I hate him already! Two hours and he pissed me off," she complained, looking up at Bryson. "Can you believe that? Two hours and I already hate him! Fucking Dick."

The guard coughed and someone seemed to choke on air. She whipped her head to find Cassius and Lex standing next to her doors with Cassius coughing into his hand as Lex grinned slightly.

She sneered at them, raising her head in the air and marching into her bedchamber, throwing the two books she carried on her bed and flinging the satchel to the other side of the chamber. She dropped into the bed and groaned into the covers. "Screw Dickson!"

"Easy there, Princess," said Lex's voice and the door closed after that.

She raised her head to find him and Cassius taking seats next to her window. "Get out," she hissed, pointing a clenched fists towards the doors. "I don't want to see anyone. I hate you all. Your stupid Sentinels, stupid instructors, stupid guards, stupid doors, stupid security, stupid Protocol, stupid Dick, stupid history—"

"You should write a list at this point," drawled Cassius.

She glared at him, grabbing the history book and opening it for Lex. "He made me read from twelve to sixty! Twelve to sixty, Lex! I haven't read more than a hundred pages in a week before! He had me finish them in an hour! That's not fair! He's an idiot and I hate him and I never want to take a lesson with him again!"

"And you're running late for etiquette," said Cassius, checking his silver watch.

Lex patted her arm, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I'll have a word with Dickson."

She grinned widely at him. "You'd do that?"

"Of course I would," he said with a teasing smile.

"I should've married you instead of your cousin," she cheered, rushing to the vanity to fix her hair. 

Cassius rolled his eyes and Lex laughed loudly. 

"You'll have a word with all the instructors, won't you?" she said, pouting at him. 

"Of course I will," he lied, shooting her a wink.

"Liar. Half of them hate you with passion," said Cassius, throwing a ring into the air and catching it with one hand.

Lex frowned. "Instructor Ayre is rather too fond of me."

His cousin sniggered. "That's because she's an old hag who hasn't had some in years."

Asteria gasped. That was not what she expected out of a Prince's mouth.

"Whoops," said Lex lazily, his gaze flickering towards her.

"Who's Ayre?" she asked, eyes lighting up deviously.

Cassius narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't you dare mention anything to her."

"Who is she?" she insisted. 

"Etiquette," replied Lex airily. "Cass is a liar and we'll get in trouble if any of that gets out of this chamber."

She frowned. "I'm not stupid. It's not like I'll go and ask her if she was in love with you or something."

He laughed. "I know, Princess. Just making sure you know how strict things are."