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"Is that who gives Ien her bruises?" I asked
Mott clenched his jaw "It’s clear that if you work fro the other I’ll assign you different duties" Then with a parting glare, he walked ahead of us
Tobias and Roden caught up to me as we followed Mott
"He hurt your back," Roden said "I can tell by the way you’re walking"
"My back is fine" It wasn’t true, but I felt braver for saying it
"It’s your own fault if he did hurt it," Tobias said "Why do you do it?"
I shrugged "What?"
"Aggravate people the way you do You see ene false friends They’re no different Don’t you ever get tired of pretending to be so you’re not?"
"Like the prince?" Tobias arched his head "No, I could pretend to be hie me just because you’re not able to do the same"
His words hit me too close, and I fell behind him and Roden as alked back to our rooms We both knew he’d won that round
We were secluded in our rooht Roden suggested I sneak out and bring back a report of what she was like, which I was perfectly willing to do, but Tobias said he’d tell Mott if I left
"You can’t have the advantage of seeing the princess before we do," Tobias said "Knowing you, you’ll convince her tonight that you are the prince, and she’ll have you crowned at the castle before Roden and I are awake tomorrow"
I snorted, and then said, "Now that you’re ontoTobias was risky, and probably unfair But it was usually too hard to resist I grabbed one of the books off his desk and brought it back toit fall open so?"
"Mistress Havala said I’d have to study on "
"You can’t read"
"I said I can’t read well But I paid very close attention to Master Graves this h to understand this book"
Tobias folded his arms "Do you even knohat it’s about?"
I shook e "It would help if there were more pictures in it"
"It’s on early Carthyan history If you are going to study, youanyone you’re a prince"
"Great Give me one of those kinds of books"
"They’re in the library and we’re not allowed to leave this rooes of the book "Then I’ll have to contentthis one"
Roden chuckled and grabbed another book off Tobias’s table "Me too"
"Now you’re a reader also?" Rising anger tinged Tobias’s voice