I cross my arms and scowl at him. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me why.”
“Because I said so.” His lips quirk up at the corner. “Isn’t that enough?”
“No.” I turn away from him, but he steps in front of me.
“You wound me, truly.” He places a hand over his heart in mock offense. “Here I am, trying to help you—”
“—help me?” I scoff. “You’ve done nothing but hurt people since you arrived.”
“Such harsh words.” He leans against the wall and folds his arms. “And here I thought we were becoming friends.”
“Friends don’t steal each other’s magic.”
“Steal is such an ugly word. I prefer borrowed indefinitely.”
Frustration sears through me as I curl my fingers into fists. “Stop playing games.”
“Games are so much more fun than being serious all the time.” He pushes off the wall. “You should try it sometime. That frown will give you wrinkles.”
“Aleksander…”
“Annora…” He mimics my tone perfectly.
“Just tell me why you want me to go to the Argent Chamber.”
He sighs dramatically. “Fine, if you insist on being boring about it. I want you to learn about your Phoenix. You need to understand her capabilities.”
“That’s all you had to say.”
“Yes, but where’s the entertainment in that?” Mirth sparks in his dark eyes as he continues. “Besides, your face gets all scrunched up when you’re annoyed. It’s quite amusing.”
“I’m leaving,” I say as I walk away from him.
“The Argent Chamber is the other direction,” he calls after me.
“I know that.”
His laugh echoes down the hallway. “No, you don’t. You’re going the wrong way.”
I stop, realizing he’s right.
“Come now,” he says. “I promise to behave,mostly.”
A scowl pulls at my mouth as I turn and follow him through the corridors.
Aleksander talks the entire way down the corridor.
“Good morning, Marcus.” He waves at a guard who just stares straight ahead. “Don’t mind him. He’s practicing his statue impression. Doing quite well at it too, wouldn’t you say?”
I roll my eyes.
“Oh, and there’s Mathilda.” He bows to a marble bust. “Looking particularly stony today, My Lady. That new polish really brings out your eyes.”
A maid scurries past with an armful of linens, and Aleksander grins at her. “Helena, those bedcovers look exceptionally crisp. You must tell me your secret.”
The poor girl nearly drops her load in surprise. “M-my Lord?”
“The secret to such pristine folding. I’ve been trying to master it for summers.” He leans closer to her. “Between you and me, I think the bedcovers are winning.”
