Erik’s POV
I felt like a fool.
The princess made me out to be a fool.
I’d underestimated her.
Conflicting feelings festered under my skin. Part of me was pleasantly surprised. The other part was bubbling with a vehemence. Who did she think she was? Tricking me like that?
I knocked over a servant. The guards looked at me like I was a madman. I was turning out to be the palace jester. I wanted to make her miserable, but Poppy turned that right back around on me.
That was insulting. And a real hit to my pride.
The girl was smart, I’d give her that.
But the games had only just begun.
I had to play them carefully. She had clearly done this before. She knew the rules. And I had to learn them fast. She wouldn’t get the jump on me again.
She didn’t know I still had a few tricks up my sleeve though. One of them being Magnus.
And dear Gods, even he was laughing at me.