Alle Kapitel von Born of secrets, loved by a King: Kapitel 31 – Kapitel 36

Monday morning arrived far too quickly for Adrian's liking.The moment he opened his eyes and remembered exactly whatwaited for him at school, he let out a groan so miserable it could have wokenthe dead.A maid drew back the curtains, smiling gently at the lump ofblankets that was technically a prince. "Good morning, YourHighness.""It is *not* a good morning."She bit back a laugh and said nothing.Adrian burrowed deeper under the covers. "Wake me upwhen summer arrives. Or never. Never is also acceptable.""Your Highness, school starts in less than an 2 hours"The blanket flew off so fast it nearly took a lamp with it."What if I simply... don't go?"The maid blinked. "Then His Majesty will come lookingfor you."Adrian was out of bed before she finished the sentence — notout of duty, but because Albert finding him in bed was a fate strictly worsethan school.His cooperation lasted exactly 45 minutes. The moment he worehis uniform, he dropped to the floor ofthe royal sitting

Since morning, Frank had been sending me on one errand after another.Get his books.Refill his water bottle.Stand outside the bathroom and "make sure no one comes in."At some point he even shoved his unfinished homework at me in the middle of class."Finish question six before the teacher gets here, or you're dead."I'd finished question six.And seven, for good measure, just to shut him up.By the time the brunch bell rang, I wasn't just tired.I was done.The sound of it was the sweetest thing I heard all day.I didn't celebrate out loud—that would've been asking for trouble—but inside, I was throwing a parade.Free. For twenty minutes, I am a free man.Drake fell into step beside me before we even reached the cafeteria doors."You look like you aged five years since this morning.""Don't talk to me about morning."We grabbed our usual spot near the window.I dropped on my seat like my legs had given up on holding me up.For a second, things felt normal again."So," Drake said, s

The royal dining hall glowed beneath three magnificent crystal chandeliers and walls adorned with portraits of generations of monarchs. At the center of the hall stood an enormous mahogany dining table that could comfortably seat more than twenty people. Tonight, however, only the royal family occupied its seats.The center of the table was a feast. A whole roasted turkey, golden and glistening, sat at the heart of the spread, flanked by mounds of bread rolls, layered pastries, and platters of roasted meats. Bowls of salad, bright with cherry tomatoes and greens, sat next to trays of cheeses, fresh fruit, and candied berries. Towering candelabras with tall white candles cast a warm glow over it all, making the food look richer, the gold plates catch fire. The aroma alone was enough to make anyone's stomach growl.Yet no one touched a single dish.The family waited.It was a tradition established decades ago by King Theodore himself.No member of the royal family was permitted to begi