Rowena nearly flinched away when she realized that she was dealing with a prince. She batted her eyes in confusion, followed by shock.
"What… What do you want from me? Is there a purpose for why you found me and then tricked me into thinking you were my friend? What are you after?"
Prince Liam didn't understand her sudden withdrawal from him, but then he smiled weakly.
"I simply wished to escape the palace and have some time for myself. With a lot of other princes and nobility traveling across to head into Ashland, I've been suggested to do the same but did not want to."
Rowena's heart pounded loudly in her chest as she heard his words.
"Did you seek me out?"
"No, of course not." Prince Liam insisted. "I simply saw someone who foolishly wanted to show off a Phoenix feather–well, I don't know whether you're lying or not, but others might have greedily plucked it for themselves and I wanted to stop you."
