The Next Day
Carissa spewed a curse, and her lady-in-waiting stifled a gasp. It seemed her breakfast with Elon would have to wait after all.
She’d thought her schedule was clear this morning, but she’d forgotten she’d told Lady Dara she’d join her for breakfast—and to talk about her town’s defenses for when the Reapers came.
“Tervalyn, would you inform King Elon I won’t be able to join him this morning? Something’s come up.”
Her lady-in-waiting dipped into a curtsey. “Of course.” She scurried out of the room, likely worried cursing was contagious.
Carissa stretched her neck to one side, then the other. She’d barely woken up, and was already inundated with appointments. She squinted at the schedule she’d written out for the day, with back-to-back meetings, socials, meals, and etiquette lessons.
She’d find a way to squeeze time for Elon in. Somehow.
***
“Back straighter. And shift your jaw forward—you wouldn’t want people to think you had an overbite.”
Carissa did as told. Her last lesson had been on dining etiquette. Today’s lesson was on sitting—of all things. But a rather blunt lady had recently informed Carissa she sat like a commoner. At least that problem would be fixed after today.
Her etiquette teacher nodded approvingly. Though her gray-streaked brown hair was always scraped back into a painfully tight bun, it always managed to frizz around her head after a few minutes. “Lift your chin—or your jawline will look indistinct from the side.”
Carissa tilted her chin a notch upward.
“Quite good. We’ll make a majestic lady of you yet.”
“She’s already a majestic lady, in my opinion.”
Both Carissa and her instructor turned. Elon was leaning against the doorframe. He was dressed in common clothes, with a fitted green shirt, dark gray trousers, and brown boots. It was a good look for him—somehow, he looked wilder, freer.