"The sun is truly wonderful. Susan, is everything ready?"
"Yes, Princess. The head chef of the duchy is bringing the snacks personally as we speak."
I looked at the elaborate setup my maids had prepared. They still looked worried, as if they expected me to snap and start breaking things at any moment. I didn't care. I settled back into the luxurious outdoor chair they’d placed under the cool shade of a large tree.
From here, I could see the lake shimmering in the sunlight. It was incredibly peaceful.
I was just starting to relax when I heard the sound of a minor scuffle nearby. I closed my eyes, but the voices were too distinct to ignore. One was the firm, disciplined voice of one of my escort knights. The other was... familiar.
"This is a private area for the Altsbeit family. Please, step back," the knight said.
"Looking at that crest, it’s unmistakably Altsbeit. Isn't it?" the second voice replied.
My head snapped toward the sound. I’d recognize that smooth, almost musical tone anywhere.
"Princess Altsbeit, is that you?"
Ian Niño stood there, looking far too handsome under the afternoon sun. His gray-brown hair was perfectly styled, and his emerald eyes crinkled at the corners as he looked at me. My frown deepened instantly.
"Are you following me?" I asked.
No matter how good-looking a man is, I have zero tolerance for stalkers. Especially since his behavior reminded me so much of my own desperate pursuit of Askin. It made me feel like a hypocrite, and I hated that feeling.
"Following you? Perish the thought," Ian said, raising both hands in mock surrender. "I only came out for a bit of exercise. The sunlight in your room was so beautiful that I had to come out and experience it for myself. Finding you here... I’d call it luck. Pure, wonderful luck."
His voice was husky and full of a feigned kindness that set my teeth on edge. He looked at me as if I were a long-lost lover he’d finally found again.
'Player. He’s a total player,' I thought. I almost wished I’d learned some of his tricks back when I was trying to get Askin to look at me.
"Princess, if it’s not too much trouble, could you tell your knights to step aside?" he asked.
"Why should I?"
"Well, we’re technically quite far apart, but it’s hard to have a proper conversation with an escort standing between us, don't you think?"
His persistent, almost cheeky attitude was a mirror image of how I’d treated Askin. Back then, Askin had been an impenetrable shield, and I’d been the persistent attacker. Now, I was the shield, and this man was the one trying to break through.
'I feel like shit,' I thought. Why did I have to be on the receiving end of my own tactics?
I didn't want to waste my energy being angry. I was dying soon, after all. But seeing Ian trying to charm my guards made me stand up.
"Move," I said to the knights.
They stepped aside immediately. Ian stood up, brushing the dust from his trousers. His smile was as bright as the sun, but it didn't move me.
"Thank you for your courtesy, Princess."
"You smell bad. Don't come any closer," I said flatly.
Ian didn't even flinch. "How rude of me. If you’ll allow it, I’ll go wash up and return immediately."
"Don't bother. Just leave."
There was no actual smell—in fact, he probably smelled of some expensive cologne—but I wasn't in the mood for games.
"This kind of luck doesn't come around often," Ian said, his eyes fixed on mine. "I’d be a fool to let it go so easily."
I wanted to slap that smile right off his face. But I knew from our last meeting that a slap wouldn't stop him. He’d just use it as an excuse to stay longer.
'Should I just tell the knights to drown him in the lake?' I wondered. Charlize’s more twisted memories were whispering all sorts of creative tortures in the back of my mind. I pressed my temples, trying to quiet the noise.
"Do you come here often, Princess?" Ian asked. "This is the place I missed most while I was away. I feel like we have a lot in common. Would you like to walk with me? I can show you some of the hidden spots."
"Shut up. How much longer are you going to talk? They say a merchant’s time is precious, but you seem to be wasting a lot of it."
"The time I spend with you is more valuable than all the gold in the world," he replied. "Doesn't that make me the best merchant?"
I felt a wave of disgust. 'Ugh. I really can't stand him.'
I turned away and saw Jet approaching in the distance. And beside him... a smaller figure.
Arya.
A genuine smile broke across my face. I’d been so careful about my expressions lately, but seeing her made me forget everything else.
Ian noticed the change. He stopped talking and looked toward the newcomers, but I didn't care about him anymore.
"It’s time for you to go," I said.
"I’m afraid I can't do that."
"Do you really want to become food for my dog, Terry?"
"Terry? Ah, the fearsome hound from the rumors. Well, if being dog food means I get to see you every day, I might consider it."
What was I supposed to do with this idiot?
"Stop talking nonsense and get out of here."
"If I leave now, will you agree to see me next time?"
"Are you insane? Why would I go anywhere with you?"
"Then I’m staying. I’ll sit right here until you leave."
He actually sat down on the grass. I gave my knights a fierce look, and they moved in to surround him.
But Ian didn't look intimidated. He just sat there, looking up at them with a calm, almost bored expression. Then, he lay back on the grass.
"I can't possibly fight the Princess’s personal guards with my meager skills, so I’ll just wait here," he said.
"What are you doing? Get him out of here!" I snapped.
The knights tried to lift him by his arms and legs, but he didn't budge. He was either incredibly heavy or using some kind of trick to stay rooted to the spot.
"I’m not going anywhere," he insisted. "I can't miss out on this good fortune."
I burst into a short, involuntary laugh. 'Who is this guy? I thought he was a sophisticated diplomat, but he’s acting like a child.'
Ian’s eyes lit up. "Did you just laugh? Your beauty truly shines when you smile, Princess."
He started rolling around on the grass like a puppy. I watched him in disbelief. Was this really the man who ran one of the Empire’s most powerful guilds? The man who was famous for his silver tongue and his impeccable manners?
He was a member of the elite, a man who had traveled the world... and yet here he was, throwing a tantrum on the grass just to get a reaction from me.
And then it hit me. This was exactly what I’d done when I’d forced my way into Askin’s castle. I was looking at a mirror image of my own obsession.