Someone knocked, and I answered the door. A servant stood in the hall, a box in his hands. “From Prince Ericen, Your Highness.” He handed me the box, bowed reluctantly, and left. How many presents was I to get today?

Retreating inside, I closed the door and opened the box. A pair of brand-new, fingerless leather gloves rested inside. Beside them sat a note saying he’d be at the training grounds today if I wanted to spar.

Grinning, I set Razel’s gloves aside and slid on the leather ones. They were smooth and incredibly well made, and my satisfaction at subverting Razel’s order was all the warmth I needed as I dressed in my flying leathers and set out for the training grounds in the chilly air.

As it was just after lunch, the grounds were busy, but I easily spotted Ericen in one of the grappling rings, sparring with a stocky soldier. In the time it took me to cross to the ring, Ericen had struck him in the ribs, gut, and face, dropping him to the floor.

The Centerian was days away, and Ericen looked more than ready.

The soldier was back on his feet by the time I arrived, wiping blood from his lip with the back of his hand. He clasped hands grudgingly with Ericen and climbed out of the ring. The prince noticed me a moment later. I waved as he came to sit on the edge of the ring, his earnest expression dissolving into a smile that reflected none of last night’s despair.

“Did you get my present?” he asked.

I held up my gloved hands. “Not bad. And here I’d have expected something gaudy and gilded.”

“If you’re implying Illucians have a thing for gold, then you are entirely correct.”

Smirking, I jerked my head toward the far side of the grounds. “Do you have a second to talk? Privately.”

His smile faded, but he slipped from the ring, leading me over to the edge of the courtyard and into the healer’s quarters. The healer leapt up.

“Your Highnesses.” She bowed her head to us both. “Is something wrong with your hand?”

“No, thank you,” I replied. “Can you please give us the room?”

She nodded and gathered a few pieces of paperwork before exiting through the door we’d entered.

“I wanted to talk to you about last night,” I began. His expression darkened, and I hesitated but pressed on. “You seemed upset, and I kept thinking about it, and I…well, do you ever think about leaving? Abandoning it all and going?” More direct than I’d meant, but either Ericen was willing to hear me out or he wasn’t. And if he wasn’t… I shoved the thought away. He wouldn’t tell Razel, would he?