Free The Queen by Kiera Cass

whole lot of you don’t have broken ankles all the time.”
    I giggled as he offered me his hand.
    “Thank you.” I started brushing my hair back and smoothing out my dress.
    “Any time. You’re sure you aren’t hurt?” He looked me over anxiously, searching for scrapes or cuts.
    “My hip hurts a little where I fell, but otherwise I feel perfect.” Which was true.
    “Maybe we should take you to the hospital wing, just to be safe.”
    “No, really,” I insisted. “I’m fine.”
    He sighed. “Would you do me a favor and go anyway? If you were hurt and I didn’t do something to help, I’d feel awful about it.” His blue eyes were terribly convincing. “And I’d be willing to bet the prince would want you to go.”
    He made a fair point. “All right,” I ceded. “I’ll go.”
    He grinned, his smile ever so slightly crooked. “Okay then.” He scooped me up, and I gasped in shock.
    “I don’t think I need this,” I protested.
    “All the same.” He started walking, so I couldn’t get down. “Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re Miss Marlee, right?”
    “Yes, I am.”
    He kept grinning, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “I’ve been working hard to keep all of you straight. Honestly, I don’t think I was the best in training, and I have no idea how I ended up in the palace. But I want to make sure they don’t regret their decision, so I’m trying to at leastlearn names. That way if someone needs something, I’ll know who they’re talking about.”
    I liked the way he spoke. It was as if he was telling a story, even though he was simply stating a fact about himself. His face was animated and his voice alight.
    “Well, you’re already going above and beyond,” I encouraged. “And don’t be so down on yourself. I’m sure you were an excellent trainee if you were placed here. Your commanders must have seen great potential in you.”
    “You’re too kind. Will you remind me where you’re from?”
    “Kent.”
    “Oh, I’m from Allens.”
    “Really?” Allens was just east of Kent, above Carolina. We were neighbors in a way.
    He nodded as he walked. “Yes, ma’am. This is the first time I’ve ever been out of my province. Well, second if you count training.”
    “Same here. It’s kind of hard getting used to the weather.”
    “It is! I’m waiting for fall to kick in, but I’m not sure they even have fall here.”
    “I know what you mean. Summer’s nice, but not every day.”
    “Exactly,” he said firmly. “Can you imagine how silly Christmas must look?”
    I sighed. “It can’t possibly be as good without snow.” I meant that. I dreamed about winter all year. It was my favorite season.
    “Nowhere close,” he agreed.
    I didn’t know why I was smiling so much. Maybe it was because this conversation felt so easy. I’d never had an easy time speaking to a boy. Admittedly, I hadn’t had a lot of practice, but it was nice to think that maybe I didn’t need as much work as I had thought.
    As we approached the entrance of the hospital wing he slowed.
    “Would you mind putting me down?” I asked. “I don’t want them thinking I’ve broken a leg or something.”
    He chuckled. “Not at all.”
    He set me down and opened the door for me. Inside, a nurse was sitting at a desk.
    The officer spoke for me. “Lady Marlee took a little tumble in the hall. Probably nothing, but we just wanted to be safe.”
    The nurse stood right up, looking happy to have something to do. “Oh, Lady Marlee, I hope you’re not too hurt.”
    “No, just a little sore here,” I said, touching my hip.
    “I’ll check you out right away. Thank you so much, officer. You can go back to your post.”
    The guard tipped his head to her and started to leave. Just before the doors closed, he gave me a wink and a crooked smile, and I was left there, grinning like an idiot.





COPYRIGHT
    THE QUEEN . Copyright © 2014 by Kiera Cass. All rights reserved under International and