ALEX
Candace straightens, gesturing to the shattered glass on the floor in lieu of an explanation. I stare at Sabine, pressing my lips together, silently pleading with her to not misunderstand.
“Careful,” Frederick says when Candace edges too close to the sharp shards. “Watch your step.”
“I should call a maid.” She awkwardly hands off the napkin to me and hurries from the room.
“What happened?” Frederick asks me once it’s just the three of us.
Uncomfortable, I say, “It’s not…”
What it looks like.
I cringe as I cross the room to stand in front of Sabine. “Candace bumped the glass, and it spilled…”
“Why are you explaining yourself to me?” the princess asks, her expression difficult to read. She’s either irritated or amused…or possibly a combination of both.
I meet her eyes and lower my voice. “Because I don’t want you to come to the wrong conclusion.”
A dark smile tugs at her lips, and she averts her gaze to the table. “I thought you were with Candace’s fiancé, but he appears to be absent.”
“He had business to tend to after our meeting.”
Sabine pushes her golden hair behind her ear and finally meets my eyes. “Do all your people run from one appointment to another like you do in Davon?”
“I doubt it.” I give up on the stain and toss the napkin on the table. Without waiting for permission, I gently tug her hair free of her ear. Softly, I say, “Don’t push it back.”
The princess stares at me for several heartbeats, her lips gently parted, and then she comes back to her senses. She swats me away like I’m a mere pest and then takes a step to the side, putting space between us.
Next to me, Frederick clears his throat.
“How did Charles take your casting decision?” Sabine asks, smoothing her fingers over her hair to ensure it’s in place.
“It seems as long as Candace is on stage, he doesn’t object to investing in the show. He has made one stipulation, however.”
“And what would that be?” Frederick asks.
I avoid Sabine’s eyes, questioning whether I should have walked away from Charles and his money. “He’s requested Sabine’s part in the show be kept quiet. If Sabine agrees, the cast will be expected to sign non-disclosure agreements.”
“Alex,” Frederick warns.
I turn to Sabine, preparing to apologize and tell her I’ll refuse. Before I get the words out, she says, “I don’t see why that’s a problem. It’s not as if I can reveal my identity anyway.”
“Sabine.” I sigh, shaking my head. “It’s not right.”
“What difference does it make?”
“It feels…”
“Underhanded?” Frederick suggests. “Sneaky? Crooked?”
I shoot him a look. “Yes, all those. I want to be transparent about my casting decision.”
We stand in silence for several seconds.
Finally, I turn to Sabine, feeling like a fool in front of the princess in my wet trousers. “I don’t want to do that to you.”
She arches a brow. “Out of all the things you have to feel guilty about, this is the one you’ve chosen?”