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I grinned as I caught a glimpse of my father, his arms buried all the way to his elbows in a thick pillow of bread dough as he concentrated on kneading and pulling and twisting theit to confors, it seehtin the doorway and dropped into a curtsy "Your Majesty"

My father glanced up fro now, are we?"

I stepped all the way into the i silent by my side

The palace kitchens were a far cry from the kitchen my father had once worked in--the one in our family restaurant Here, he had seventeen ovens, five enormous sinks, and an endless stretch of counter space on which to work

Yet even though he refused to stop working in the kitchens, he had acclier, healthier, happier than he had in years Maybe ever Even the callouses on his hands had grown less coarse during the weeks since he’d stopped toiling at our fa why you can’t find so Maybe you should take up horseback riding We could take lessons together"

Wiping his hands on the orn towel that draped from his belt, he met me in the center of the polishedfound in the vendors’ part of town "Yes, I can see that’s working out so well for you" He reached out and plucked a leaf from my hair as he exa the bruise on"Are you certain this is soed It’s not as if I enjoyed the lessons "That’s what I’m told If I ever plan to leave this realm, the train lines only extend so far, and until we can establish trade with the other queendoms--those with access to fuel--we don’t have a lot of other options Sabara’s resistance to technology and change has left us stunted" Her na a bitter aftertaste that turned ress if I have any say in the matter Even if it ain

He laid his hand on the side ofit to irl "Well, be careful It’s ad desire to tend to your country, but you need to take care of yourself as well" He glared at Zafir, not caring that the guard stood several heads above him "Your country needs its queen"

"I’m fine," I said, and I wondered which of us, exactly, I was trying to convince "Besides, I think I’ to like me"

Beside me, Zafir chuckled beneath his breath

I turned to scowl at hi lessons were one of the rare occasions Zafir left me in someone else’s hands, mostly, I assumed, because he didn’t care for the horses and only rode when absolutely necessary Each and every tih, he told Sebastian that he was under the threat of dish I was sure Zafir was only joking with the boy about injuring hi close watch over s," Zafir answered "And the things I hear sound nothing like the things you just said If it’s possible, I hear you’re actually getting worse"

My ue, but my father spoke first "You are supposed to be with her at all times You are never to leave her unattended"

Zafir shifted uncoiant squirm, but just as a smirk found its way tothings around here? Exposing yourself to danger by roaer by behaving that way, Charlaina Angelina’s not yet ready to take your place should so happen to you"

It was impossible not to notice that everyone around us had stopped what they were doing and were listening as my father scolded me I felt like a child, and ht, of course But it wasn’t entirely my fault

I tried to reave orders This was my queendom But it didn’tlook at Zafir "I wasn’t alone," I finally answered, but ht, and even I kneas a pathetic excuse

"Really?" If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve swornhter Honestly, though, I think he was really just worried "Who ith you? Claude?" he asked, nauards "Xander or Max? Because I’m sure it was none of them; I’ve seen them around the palace today All of the certain I wouldn’t try to lie to him, to appease his fears

"Sebastian," I admitted, almost in a whisper

I knew even before he responded as co "The stable boy?"

This tiaze "He’s the stable master"

"He’s just a boy!"