The young man's eyes flickered subtly in his sudden alarm. "No. Queen Heloise, that is not—"
"It doesn't matter, Prince. I would spend neither of those coins on your Kingdom."
It was probably the first time in Leal's life that he was completely and utterly at a loss. Granted, there were many firsts for him that hour alone, but even before the Queen had spoken those words, he had already been painfully aware: the second-biggest obstacle to the future he and he alone had started to envision for himself was not his father or his plans—it was this monarch's judgment and those of the country she represented.
That she happened to be an elder sister as well was doubly unlucky for his cause. Leal also had one of these creatures in his life; he knew just how formidable they were even under ordin
