Lachlan raises his thick, dark brows. He looks up the table to his father, who’s talking with his mouth full, and quickly snatches my fork.

Idalia giggles when he passes it to her, then looks right at me. Her eyes are wide and bright; her smile takes over most of her face. I decide that I’ll do whatever I can to make her smile like this more often.

She holds the fork out to me as if she’s toasting me and then rips into the meat without hesitation. “This is wonderful!” she exclaims. “I’ve never had mutton with coriander and turmeric! Amazing!”

My grin widens and pulls to the right. When I’m King, mutton will always be seasoned just the way we like it.

When the morning feast ends, my father dismisses the children. Horrick appears in the corridor, and he stretches his thin arm to direct me forward. Idalia is flanked by two handmaidens, as are Lachlan and Theodore. I know we’re all meant to bow to each other and then part ways. Lach is staring at Idalia, and I don’t like it.

So when Horrick turns, I don’t follow. Instead, I catch everyone’s eyes and nudge my chin towards an opposite corridor. Lachlan seems confused; Theodore and Idalia send me wide smiles. I know they’ll follow. I mouth a silent countdown.

“Three… two… one!!!”

We launch ourselves down the hallway. Horrick sends a curse after me, but I drown it out with my laughter. The girls are on my heels as we race towards the castle entrance. I look back to see if Lachlan has joined us. Sure enough, he’s stumbling along, his face filled with terror. The two soldiers at the entrance look puzzled as we race past them, engulfed in giggles. Or at least the girls and I are laughing. Once outside, we pant and look at each other in bewilderment.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Theodore asks breathlessly, her curls now sticking out in multiple directions.

“I don’t have a plan,” I say with a shrug.

“But you’re the one who encouraged us to follow!” Lachlan bellows, scanning the people who are now avidly watching us.

Idalia laughs hard, and her dark hair snaps wildly in the wind. “I don’t care what the plan is. This is fun!”

Lachlan throws a hand to his brow and paces in an anxious circle. I know that he’s only afraid because his father is so mean. King Lester doesn’t let Lachlan behave like a child. Theodore chases after her brother pleading with him to stop worrying.

I can’t look away from Idalia. I walk to her and tuck a loose wisp of hair behind her ear. Her hair is as untamed as she is, as I am.

She stops laughing and is still. Then she smiles, and her cheeks turn red.

“Is that her? The Verdanian scum?” A crude voice cuts in from behind us. Two boys around our age prance towards us. Two noble sons, based on their clothes. The one speaking is tall and stalky, his long brown hair tied back from his brow. The other is blond, with eyebrows so light he seems to have none. Their faces contort in disgust.