A Dove's Tale

Chapter 149

"Don't tell Chevalier" was a phrase I needed to strike from my lexicon. Just saying it practically guaranteed whoever I was talking to would tell Chevalier. The only question now was who would tell him: Licht, Julius, or Byron?

Who was I kidding? If, by some miracle, I convinced the one prince and two guards most intimately acquainted with my panic attacks not to tell Chevalier, Charlie would probably climb down from the coach box and march straight into his office to tell him.

And yet I persisted.

"I'm feeling better already," I tried again, steadfastly ignoring my still-racing pulse, which said otherwise. "There's no reason to interrupt his work."

Three pairs of eyes remained unconvinced. Three sets of arms remained crossed over three chests. And I was uncomfortably aware of the multiple additional pairs of eyes watching from guard posts scattered around the outer courtyard. I chewed my lip, wondering which was more embarrassing: being treated as a helpless damsel in distress who couldn't function without Chevalier, or continuing this losing argument.

"What if I stay with Licht?" I suggested. "We were supposed to spend all afternoon together, anyway. Then, when the workday is over..." I swallowed and forced my chin to remain lifted high when I wanted to let my shoulders droop. "Somebody can tell Chevalier."

I thought it was a good compromise, but Licht frowned.

"The domestic affairs faction is training with their knights right now," he said flatly. "Since we got back early, I was going to join them."

"Well, that's perfect," I said, my voice squeaking with a little too much fake enthusiasm. "I've been wanting to watch you guys train."

"By training, I mean sword fighting," he said dubiously, furrowing his brow. "I'm not sure—"

"I know," I interrupted hastily. "That won't be a problem."

Julius raised a strawberry blonde eyebrow, nearly invisible against his ruddy complexion.

I suppressed a sigh and added, "If it bothers me, I'll go straight to Chevalier myself."

Licht finally nodded. "I should warn you, though," he said, uncrossing his arms and turning to walk inside. "Jin's instructions to his knights can be...a bit crude."

I smiled and followed him, relieved to have the matter settled. "Theresa is my roommate," I reminded him. "Every recounting of her dates is 'a bit crude.'"

"Not like this," Licht muttered.

"It can't be that bad."

We paused inside the main entrance, and Mark helped me out of my coat. Mark. Not a servant. The thought crossed my mind that he might be planning to stop by Chevalier's office on the way to or from my room, but what could I do about that?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And there was no point worrying about it, either.

"I haven't really seen sword fighting," I said to distract myself. "When Chevalier rescued me...well, that wasn't much of a fight."

"I'm sure," Licht said. "The only people who can keep up with him are Leon, Clavis, and Cyran. And if he's mad, they don't even stand a chance."

He was definitely mad at the time. The image of his blood-spattered face and narrowed eyes filled with animalistic aggression flashed through my mind.

"Cyran?" I asked, exchanging it for a picture of the smiling red-headed knight. My limited interactions with Clavis' right-hand man gave me the impression he was a fun-loving guy, more a friend to Clavis than a subordinate. An often exasperated, often sarcastic friend. I'd never seen him with Chevalier.