Princess of Petals by Laura Greenwood

Author:Laura Greenwood [Greenwood, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Drowlgon Press

Nine

I fall into step beside Conan, sensing that something is bothering him. Perhaps he's rethinking last night's suggestion that we keep our courtship quiet for now. I don't mind if it is, I think there are advantages to not being silent about it.

"Can we sit?" Conan asks when we come across an empty bench.

I nod, smoothing out my skirts so I can sit without wrinkling the fabric. It isn't just vanity that makes me do it, but the knowledge of how difficult they can be to get out, and not wanting to subject the academy laundresses to the extra work. It's still surreal to me that I have someone else who will do that kind of thing for me here. I suppose on the off chance I do end up winning the Bellpoint Castle competition, I may have to get used to that.

"How was the test?" Conan asks.

"It was fine. I'm not sure how it went, though I'm sure we'll find out soon enough," I respond. "But that isn't what you want to talk about, is it?"

He shakes his head and lets out a loud sigh. "This is harder than I thought it would be."

I reach out and place a hand over his. "What is it?" I'm not sure why, but I'm certain he isn't going to end our courtship. Though I don't know where the confidence is coming from, and there's a chance I'm going to be hurt by the next words out of his mouth.

"You know that I'm a scholarship student?" he checks.

"Yes."

"And that I have a prophecy?"

I nod. "I have one too, if that helps with what you need to tell me."

He perks up, seeming almost relieved. "You do?"

"I think that's why I was offered a place at Grimm. My parents can afford to pay for my tuition, but I don't think they'd have let a merchant's daughter in without a prophecy too."

"You don't know that."

"That's fair, I don't. And maybe I'm being harsh on the administration to think they'd turn someone away simply because of their birth. Especially when they don't seem to do that."

"It's hard to be sure," he agrees.

"So you wanted to tell me something about your prophecy?"

He nods reluctantly. "I don't really know how to explain it."

"Why don't you start at the beginning?"

"There isn't really one," he admits. "I've never been told the full thing, only that I will start turning into a beast when the moon rises each night. And that if I don't manage to break the prophecy within one month, I will turn into a beast for good and I won't ever be able to return to human form."

My heart sinks. Not just because it's a horrible thing for him to have to deal with, but because of my own prophecy about ending up trapped by a beast.

"Astrid? Are you all right? You've turned pale," he says.

I swallow my nerves, knowing that I have to be honest with him. "My prophecy involves being chased by a beast through an eternal forest," I admit.

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