I followed Lilliana further into the gardens to a small rod-iron table with two chairs. Lilliana motioned for me to sit and then sat in the opposite chair.
“I’m glad we could finally have a chance to talk like this,” Lilliana said. She rested both hands on top of the table.
I mirrored her for a moment, but it felt unnatural having my hands lifted so high. I lowered them into my lap instead.
“What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” Nervousness prickled at my skin. While it wasn’t unusual for the candidates to talk to each other, this still felt like a special event. Lilliana had called me out in front of Nicholas himself. She very nearly broke character to do it.
She gave me a sour kind of look. The way a disappointed principal would make to a rowdy student in their charge. “Prince
