Page 24 (1/2)

Prince Severin stalked inside, his black cat nose twitching before he turned to look at Elle and his servants He narrowed his cat eyes until they were golden glints of light He raised his upper lip in a sneer His white, alarainst the black of his fur A growl leaked fro the hair on the back of Elle’s neck stand on end

E the crown of her head to the prince Oliver scrambled to his feet and rocked forward in a bow When he popped upright he realized Emele hadn’t risen from her curtsey yet and hastily threw himself in an even deeper bow

Elle relad she did so when Severin turned away and stalked into the bookshelves, disappearing froed on the floor and propping hi, her mouth on the brink of a frown as she stared at the sea of bookshelves

"Eer to her lips and shook her head

Severin reappeared, holding a book in one large paw He stalked to the doors in his rolling, anilance when he left, pulling the door shut with hed and pulled out her slate I may have lanced at Oliver, but he was engrossed in his book Eain I knew His Highness would be visiting the library this hther arms across her chest

Emele nodded

"Why?"

Prince Severin needs coe it

"With all due respect, Emele, you are utterly mad The prince has no interest in me, and he has the friendliness of a viper"

You are mistaken It is not that he is not friendly but that he has no friends He sits in his study all day, fulfilling the desire’s of his brother’s heart As members of his household we servants cannot fill the void of friendship

"No one forced him to leave the courts of nobility He made the decision to closet hie in her book

Emele sat down He did it to protect us

"Pardon?"

The village boy you and I encountered was not the first person to insult aze "How many?" she finally asked