CYPRIEN'S POV
I chose a quiet corner of the palace gardens, where the morning sun filtered gently through the leaves and dappled the table in shifting patches of light. It offered enough shade to keep the heat at bay, enough shelter from the breeze, and enough distance from the bustle of the palace that Princess Oleina wouldn't be overwhelmed.
To my surprise, she had accepted my invitation.
After she'd fainted in the middle of the dance floor, I had been half convinced she would decline.
Instead, word arrived that she had agreed to join me for tea.
And so here I was, seated at a small wrought-iron table, my hands folded neatly before me, my posture composed. Every inch of me projected calm.
Inside, however, I was anything but.
I had rehearsed this conversation countless times, yet I
