Autumn Rose (The Dark Heroine Sequel)

Autumn Rose (10)

I fastened the buckles on my bag, careful to avoid raising my eyes. The reality still hadn’t sunk in and I didn’t wish to hasten its arrival. I felt as though I could look up and he would not be there; everything would be normal and this unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach would disappear.

‘Autumn, Fallon, could I speak to you both for a moment?’

This time I had little choice but to look up, my eyes settling first on the prince, bag already slung across his shoulder, and then on Mr. Sylaeia, waiting behind his desk.

‘We’ll be in the quad,’ Tammy muttered, ushering the others out. At the same time, Mr. Sylaeia gestured for us to come closer.

My hand gripped the strap of my bag until my knuckles whitened and in the back of my mind, I was aware that the last time I had been so close to this boy was at my grandmother’s funeral.

Were you still ignorant then?

Mr. Sylaeia turned away, using a rag to wipe his name from the board. ‘As Autumn knows, any Sage on the school campus are my responsibility. Therefore, Fallon, I ask that you ensure you maintain shields when using magic on site and respect the privacy of the minds of humans. The paperwork I have to fill out in the event of an accident is enough to send any man or Sage to an early grave and I would rather like to make it to forty.’ The prince nodded. My grip tightened. ‘And Autumn, I read this over the summer. I thought it might interest you. Enlightening interpretation of misogyny in The Taming of the Shrew.’ He handed me a thick paperback volume, well-used judging by the creases in the spine. I mumbled my thanks, placing it into my near-empty bag.

Sensing he was finished, I moved towards the door. But as I reached it, Mr. Sylaeia’s voice sounded in my head. ‘It will not be as bad as you think.’

I fought the urge to freeze, yet I could not stop myself from glancing back at him. He was not facing in our direction, but typing something on the computer in the opposite corner. I turned back, carrying on along the short corridor until I reached the door to the staircase.

He is a wise man, but this time he cannot understand.

‘Duchess!’

I concealed a sigh, pushing through the door. It swung shut after I had passed through but quickly opened again.

No, I am quite positive it will be far worse than what I imagine it to be.

‘Lady Autumn?’

I knew I could not ignore him for long, so I turned, taking my time so that I could compose my expression into something resembling polite interest.

‘Your Highness?’

He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and shook his head, seeming puzzled. ‘On your timetable, there is no mention of your title and Lady is not placed in front of your given name. They didn’t even have the courtesy to use House in reference to your surname. Is this a mistake you intend to have corrected?’

Throughout his short rant – and a rant it was, judging by the irritated tone he used – I stared at a stain in the faded brown carpet, worn by the hundreds of feet that passed over it during the working week.

‘It’s not a mistake, Your Highness.’ I brought my eyes up to meet his, holding his gaze for as long as I could stand to, so my meaning was clear.

‘Not . . . a mistake?’ He turned the words over on his tongue as though they belonged to a foreign language.

‘No. I prefer not to use my title and I would be very much obliged to you if you would respect that wish.’

I continued down the staircase, hearing him mutter ‘Obliged?’ to my retreating back. As I reached the landing halfway down, he suddenly sprang forward, leaning over the banister.

‘For Pete’s sake, do you mean to say that none of the humans here know who you are? How can they not know?’

I tugged the strap of my bag higher on my shoulder, picking my words with care. ‘I’ve never appeared in any of the gossip magazines, or anything these people would read. So they know me as Autumn, Your Highness. Just Autumn.’ I bobbed into a quick curtsey and fled, marching straight past the others outside, knowing that there would be plenty of willing girls prepared to act as a mentor in my absence.

*

Keep reading Autumn Rose - find out where to order it on the front page of this story! Make sure you keep up with updates and news about the release by following me on twitter @AuthorAbigailG, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAbigailGibbs and here on Wattpad for status updates and messages. 

This is the last sample part, but AR is out on the 28th January in the US/American English speaking countries, and on the 30th January in the UK, AUS and NZ on sites like Amazon and all good book stores. If you don't live in these countries, don't worry! Try iBooks, BookDepositry.co.uk where there is free shipping worldside, or fishpond.co.uk or fishpond.com.au or fishpond.co.nz where there is also free worldwide shipping. If all else fails, ask your local bookstore to order it in for you. Translation editions are coming - they just take a little longer! 

Happy reading!

A x