If Aliena thought surviving demons in the forest had been terrifying, she was sorely mistaken.
Nothing, nothing, prepared her for the looks.
The moment she rejoined the main training grounds, it was as though an invisible bell had been rung announcing her return. Conversations paused. Heads turned. Whispers bloomed like wildfire.
"That's her." "The girl from the horse—" "Did you see how the Prince looked at her?" "Who is she?"
Aliena resisted the urge to look behind her to see if there was someone more interesting walking along with her.
She kept her head down and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
Act normal, she told herself.
You were just privately trained by the Crown Prince. Perfectly normal.
She found her family near the outer edge of the grounds.
Hermia spotted her first.
Her face lit up instantly. "Aliena!"
She rushed forward, grabbing her hands. "Are you alright? You disappeared and then—by the stars, you were on a horse with him."
