CHAPTER 12
Keenan
He’d been at the Ryunic winter castle for four days, and he still didn’t know if Liesl was all right.
Keenan ran a hand along the bookshelf as he strolled through the library.
Even if he did know where she was, the inactivity would get to him soon.
Mori had been hesitant to unlock the forge after learning that Princess Sakura had seen them.
And Keenan could only walk the garden trails and the inside of the castle wall so many times.
He’d noticed Princess Sakura following him a few more times, but he hadn’t confronted her again. If she didn’t have anything better to do than spy on him, he wasn’t going to worry about it.
But he would have thought she’d be tired of him after all the random joint activities the queen made them do each afternoon.
When he reached the end of the shelf, he walked around it and started back down the other side.
If this library had books on blacksmithing, he hadn’t found them yet.
He could ask the old librarian sitting by the doors, but he was more interested in the movement of searching than in actually sitting and reading.
The library door creaked. Keenan was surprised it dared, given the perfection of the royals here. Quiet footsteps, no greeting for the librarian. The swish of fine fabrics.
He stifled a groan. She’d followed him even here?
If the princess was that bored, why didn’t she just talk to him instead of ignoring him when they were together and sneaking around the rest of the time? Oh, right. Because he and everyone else were beneath her.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he leaned against the bookshelf and waited for her to find him. But instead of searching, she meandered along the rows, much as he had been doing.
She stopped in the aisle behind him. Curious, he craned his neck to peer through the open shelves. Princess Sakura held a dusty tome in one hand, but she glanced furtively about before her free hand snaked out and snatched a book off the shelf. She tucked it under the one she already held.
Her quick movement dragged another book out of place.
It hit the floor with a loud whump, and she hissed in dismay.
Bending down, she grabbed the book off the floor and tried to stuff it back into its spot.
But when she pushed the leaning books upright and tried to slide it in with one hand, her knuckles pulled off another.
The perfect princess was struggling at something? Clamping a hand over his mouth to muffle his chuckle, Keenan watched as several more books clattered to the floor. She made a small noise of frustration.
He shoved off the shelf and sauntered to the end of his row. As he turned into hers, she slowed her frantic movements and pushed the leaning books upright. But there were half a dozen on the floor, and her other arm was full.
“Need some help?”
Her head whipped around. Two spots of red painted her cheeks. “Why are you here?”
Holding his hands up, he said, “I was looking for a book. Isn’t that what most people do in a library?”
The princess pursed her lips, then molded her features into her normal haughty expression. “I suppose. Since you’re here, could you…?” She trailed off, looking at the books in her hand and then the ones on the floor.
Stepping up to her, he took her books and set them down. Then, since her arms weren’t long enough to reach, he gathered up the ones that had fallen.
He skimmed the titles. So she was interested in physical science, even though she’d declined his offer at the forge.
He opened his mouth to ask her about it, but then he noticed the way she stood with her body turned slightly away from him.
She stared determinedly at the empty space on the shelf, her free hand pressing against her thigh as if she wanted to clench her skirts but was too proper.
Add the way she had checked for observers before hiding the book under another…
She was ashamed of her reading habits?
Reaching in front of her, he put the books back where they belonged. The princess pulled her hand back. Fast at first, but she forced herself to slow when one of the books tried to follow.
It was difficult to remember she was a princess when she moved so naturally. But the sparkling tiara in her perfectly styled black hair was a stark reminder. And she would remind him herself when she got over her self-consciousness.
Kneeling down, he picked up her books, setting the one on mechanics on top. “I’d start with this one. It looks much more interesting.”
Her black eyes finally turned up to him. The tiniest wrinkle marred her forehead as she accepted the books.
“You’re welcome.” When the wrinkle grew, he added, “It’s the customary response to the thanks that I don’t expect from a perfect princess. You may not be familiar with it.”
Her cheeks darkened. “I am quite familiar with proper etiquette. But princesses do not thank servants for doing their job.”
“I’m not a servant.” Folding his arms across his chest, Keenan resisted the desire to scowl down at her. “Nor was it my job to help you. My job is making weapons.”
A pang shot through his chest. His job had been making weapons. If he couldn’t convince the guild to reinstate him after he returned, he would have to find something else.
Princess Sakura opened her mouth, then looked away. “No, but you’re still a commoner. It’s close enough.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.” He bowed stiffly. “Am I allowed to take books from the library, or do I have to read them in here?”
“Ask the librarian.” She started to hug the books to her chest, then lowered them back to her waist. “It’s not my job to instruct you in the rules.”
Then turning her back on him, she minced down the row.
Shaking his head, he scanned the nearby books. He was no more interested in settling down to read now than he had been before, but the more he rested, the sooner he would be free. Or so claimed the physician and his nurse.
“Excuse me.” Keenan walked up to the old librarian and showed her the book he’d picked out. “Am I allowed to take this with me?”
She scanned him suspiciously. “Not until Her Majesty or Her Highness gives you permission. Why do you want it? That has a lot of words most commoners can’t read.”
“Then why is it in the library?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is blacksmithing a highly sought-after topic among your titled guests?”
“Don’t be impertinent.” The librarian waved him away. “If you think you can handle it, you can read over there. But leave the book on the table when you’re done; I don’t need you re-shelving it wrong.”
What a friendly soul. But at least he knew one person in this castle wasn’t trying to make him play nice with the princess.
When he turned the corner into the reading area, though, he jerked to a stop. Maybe the librarian was in on it.
“Did you need something?” Princess Sakura asked primly without looking up from the book in her lap.
He edged backward. “The librarian sent me here to read. I’ll find somewhere else.”
“There isn’t anywhere else,” she replied with a stifled sigh. Her eyes flicked to the other chair. “Unless you plan to read standing up, you’ll have to join me.”
She looked as excited by that idea as he felt.
Settling into the seat, he opened his book and began to read. It was as dry as most books on the subject, but Keenan would mind less if the information weren’t so old and outdated.
The princess dropped her book into her lap with an un-princess-like huff. “If you must sigh so much while you read, can you not go elsewhere?”
His forehead wrinkled. “I thought you said there wasn’t another reading area.”
“In the library, yes,” she replied, barely masking her frustration. “But could you not take it back to your suite?”
“The librarian said I needed permission from you or the queen.”
She carefully set her book aside and rose with all her princess-y grace. “Excuse me. I’ll return in a moment.” Pausing next to his chair, she asked, “Can you understand that? Or is that the reason for your constant sighs?”
“Anyone in Daraigh can learn if they want, and Mama and Master Elias both made sure I learned.” Keenan finally looked up. “The Daric royal family cares for more than just their nobles.”
She narrowed her eyes. “My family cares about everyone in our kingdom.”
“Do you?” he challenged. “Or do you only care about what they can do for you?”
“Yes,” she said vehemently, pinning him in place with her black eyes. “My parents may not fund education for the entire populace, but that does not mean that I don’t care about them.”
“She hasn’t always been like this. She used to talk to me.”
Keenan examined Princess Sakura’s slightly flushed face as he recalled her maid’s words. If she did care, what had happened to make her treat those around her as if they were no better than dirt under her heel?
“Congratulations, Princess,” he said blandly, dropping his eyes back to his book. “You not only displayed concern for peasants in general, you managed to treat one as worthy of social graces.”
Her chin pulled back a little. “What?”
“You excused yourself to me when leaving. It’s quite gratifying to be brought up to your level.” Glancing up, he winked at her.
“I—Excuse me,” she said again. Then turning away, she minced out of the nook at a faster pace than normal.
Chuckling, Keenan shook his head. He really shouldn’t talk to her like that. Fortunately, she’d be dismissing him from her presence as soon as she came back from granting him permission to borrow the book; it would be easier to contain himself in his suite.
A few minutes later, she returned to the small reading area with her usual measured pace. Instead of speaking to him, she picked up her book and resumed reading.
Strange. Maybe the queen had told the librarian not to let him leave.
They read quietly for about an hour before Keenan gave up on the book. He’d read enough for one morning; it was time to move again.
Not wishing to disturb the princess, he stood quietly and gave her a shallow bow. Then he set his book on the side table and strolled out to the exit.
“You’re still here?” the librarian harrumphed as he passed. “I thought you left an hour ago.”
Keenan gave her a funny look. “I was reading, and you said I couldn’t take the book.”
“The princess vouched for you.” Looking down at the record book she was filling out, she continued, “You can take any book you want as long as you return it before the end of your visit.”
He glanced back at the hidden reading nook. If she had given permission for him to leave, why hadn’t she told him?
It was as if—No, that was impossible.
Shaking his head, he strode out of the library to find something active to do before lunch. Maybe distance would help him think more clearly.
Because there was no way Princess Sakura had wanted him to stay.