Page 63 of Rule of Wolves

It was hard to believe the guard was just sixteen, especially beside the prince.

“Joran is always appropriate. Minding me is a great honor. Or so they say. But I know better. It was some kind of punishment. Joran ran afoul of the good Commander Brum, and now he must play nanny to a weakling prince.”

“You are not so weak as all that,” said Hanne.

The prince took another long breath. He’d lost some of the rigid set of his shoulders, and the sheen of sweat was gone from his forehead.

“Some days I feel all right,” he said. “Some days I don’t feel weak at all.” He gave a little laugh. “And today I actually find I have some appetite. Joran, have food brought to us.”

But the servants had already heard and were scurrying to obey.

“We saw that Vadik Demidov is here,” Nina ventured.

“Oh yes,” said Rasmus. “The Little Lantsov never misses a party.”

“And is he really of royal blood?”

“That’s the topic of conversation at every dinner party from here to the Elbjen. Why are you so interested?”

Hanne laughed easily. “Mila is obsessed with Vadik Demidov.”

“Sweet Djel, why? He’s a boring lump of country bumpkin.”

“But it’s such a marvelous story,” said Nina. “A boy of royal blood plucked from obscurity.”

“I suppose it does have the ring of a fairy tale to it. But it’s not as if he was found herding goats somewhere.”

“Where was he found?”

“I don’t really know. Shivering in some obscure dacha he couldn’t afford to heat. Or at least I think that’s the story.”

“You aren’t curious?” Nina pushed.

The servants returned and set a spread of smoked eel and herring before them.

“Why should I be?”

Nina felt her temper rising. “He will be a king, will he not?”

“So will I, assuming I live.”

An awkward silence fell.

“I … I’m in a mood today,” said Rasmus. It wasn’t an apology, but it was as close as a future king might come. “My parents felt it was essential that I appear in public quickly after what happened at the start of Heartwood.”

“They should have let you rest,” said Hanne.

“No, I was feeling quite well after that. But events like these … It’s hard for me to be in a room full of people I know wish me dead.”

“Your Highness!” Hanne exclaimed in horror.

Nina glanced at Joran, but the guard’s face remained impassive. “That can’t be true,” she said.

“I know the way people talk about me. I know they wish I hadn’t been born at all and that my little brother could be the one to inherit.”

Hanne’s face was fierce. “Well then, you must stay alive to spite them.”

The prince looked surprised but pleased. “You have a lively spirit, Hanne Brum.”