She looked at me with a smirk on her lips and silver eyes flashing briefly. “Tell me, how are new laws brought forward and approved?” she asked and leaned back in her seat, raising one eyebrow. “I’m waiting,” she continued after a few silent moments when I didn’t reply.
“I don’t know how laws are decided. I thought the King made them,” I told her and looked intently at my coffee.
I wasn’t all too familiar with politics or how people lived in the cities under the rule of individual Houses. Because we didn’t believe in pureblood superiority, we lived as best we could away from their rules.
“That’s okay, pet. You have lived as much outside the system as it is possible to do. I suspect all you have been taught or exposed to is distrust and dislike of the Borealis Kingdom in which you live. However, the Kingdom works well and provides much for the citizens that fully participate. I am sure you will learn a great deal in your classes,” she replied reassuringly and did not mock my lack of knowledge as I had anticipated. “As for healing, did you not heal me?” she asked. I looked up from my drink to meet her liquid-silver eyes as she smiled softly at me.
“That wasn’t healing. It was a leap of faith that worked out. A wish came true. I only know plants,” I replied.
“My little pet, you saved my life when no one else would have known what to do. All healing starts from a place of experimentation, using pre-existing knowledge, taking an educated risk, and hoping for a positive outcome,” she told me firmly. “You saved your future queen. You cured a poisoning by Hades’ Delight. There is no other that can claim such a feat.”
“The story came from somewhere. Another Flores witch did it before me,” I countered.
“Maybe,” she agreed. “But it was you that took the risk to save me. I’d like you to learn at least the basics of healing for my benefit. Who should I trust more with my health if I ever require assistance than you?” she asked.
“I’ll learn as best I can for you, Ma’am. But I’d prefer if you never had any need for a healer again,” I told her.
“Thank you,” she replied and pushed her chair away from the table. “Take off your tie and come here,” she commanded.
I stood, my hands fumbling to loosen my tie so I could pull it over my head and avoid having to tie it again. When I reached her, she took the tie from my hands and sat it on the table.
“Straddle my lap,” she instructed, and I did, trying my best not to be awkward and holding onto her shoulders. She grabbed my butt and pulled me firmly against her until my core was pressed tight to her.
Her hands came between us, and she undid my shirt buttons in the small space and pulled the fabric aside to reveal my neck and shoulder. I sat heavily on her, my toes only able to scrape the ground in our position.
“Percy, darling, why is it I never tire of your scent and taste?” she asked, leaning forward and licking a hot, wet path up my neck to my ear.
“Because I was meant for you,” I told her. Her teeth nibbled on my ear, and she breathed hot air over the shell. “Because I belong to you.”
She growled possessively in response, her hands moving from my shirt to my backside and squeezing.
“Say it again,” she mumbled against my throat as she kissed and licked at me feverishly.
“I belong to you,” I said again, my breath coming harder, throwing my head back to give her more access to me.
Her teeth nipped at my skin and one hand snaked up beneath the back of my shirt, her nails running down my back, almost clawing at me, pulling me in tighter to her.
“Mine,” she spoke softly, running her tongue over her bite marks from the previous day.
When she was satisfied with her marking, she held me against her for a few minutes, simply holding me before helping me to stand and making my clothing presentable again.
“You’ll attend my first lecture with me; then you have your Political Structure class. We’ll meet in the café for lunch,” she explained as she straightened my tie.
The Princess guided me through the main school building with her hand on my lower back.
When we entered the lecture hall, Clara waved and called from her seat near the back. The Princess sat next to her friend, who seemed excited to see her.
“Selene, I’m so happy to see you. You look amazing. I would never think you had been close to death not so long ago,” Clara said, speaking quickly.
“It’s nice to see you too, Clara. I am as healthy as ever,” the Princess replied. Her tone was a little tight, her body stiff.
“Are there no lasting effects of Hades’ Delight?” Clara asked.
“None. My recovery was quick.”
“You know your recovery is all anyone has been talking about since the exact nature of the assassination attempt became public knowledge. I heard your father spoke of it openly at your mother’s funeral. I am sorry for your loss, my friend. But everyone wants to know, how did you survive?” Clara continued, either ignoring or utterly oblivious to the fact that the Princess did not seem to want to talk on the subject.
“I wouldn’t want to spoil a good mystery and end your gossip, Clara. Why don’t you reveal to me how you and others think I survived?” the Princess responded, with a clear warning in her tone.