“Oh!” Ariel’s lanky form burst from the adjoining bedroom. He blinked in surprise when his gaze landed on her. “Laya. What are you doing here? I mean⁠—to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I came to see if you were being treated well,” Laya lied. How strange to hear her name uttered in that awful accent. It rang out through the airless study like some discordant note⁠—but that wasn’t the only thing Ariel had said wrong. She gazed at him sharply and added, “Dayang.”

“I’m sorry?”

“If you wish to speak to a princess, you will address her as dayang.” She could have sworn she heard Ariel suck in a breath as she inched closer. Her eyes narrowed. “To be frank, Orfelian, your familiarity offends me. You’ve never been in the company of royalty, have you?”

Ariel stiffened. “No, Dayang,” he admitted.

Laya smirked to herself in triumph. It was hard to believe her father would have invited to the palace a common tutor who didn’t have the slightest clue how to comport himself around royalty. She continued in the same lofty tone, “To tutor a daughter of Mulayri is one of the highest honors a sovereign can bestow. I wonder what compelled my father to bestow such an honor upon you.”

In his fright, his curious spectacles slid down the abnormally high bridge of his nose. He pushed them back up, his eyes darting around the room. Was he looking for a treat to offer her, or a means of escape?

“I . . .” Ariel faltered, struggling to find the words. “I shall strive to make myself worthy of this post, Dayang.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Is that your best attempt at groveling, Orfelian?”

Ariel stared back at her. “Do you wish me to grovel, Dayang?” he asked, a discernible bite in his tone.

Laya glanced at him, amusement flickering in her eyes. “I know you’ve been told to lie to me, and I would hate for you to fall back on your word,” she said mildly. “But I will find out your true business here. Try to stay out of trouble until I do.”

“But⁠—”

“In the meantime,” she went on as if she hadn’t heard him, “you can keep me company this afternoon.”

Ariel blinked in surprise. “Yes, of course, Dayang. Um, would you like to sit down?” He gestured to the divan near the study window, the paneled shades rolled back since no one else was around.