CHAPTER 57: STAGE PRESENCE 7

"You have to kiss Princess Talia Stone for an entire minute?"

Queen Rosanna’s ghost doubled over, cackling so hard the air around her shimmered.

Her bathrobe hung loose, and every time she threw her head back laughing, the fabric shifted dangerously. One good breeze and those nipples would make their grand debut. Aegis swallowed, totally not hoping for that to happen.

"It’s not funny!" Aegis crossed her arms. That said, she was doing her best to hold back a chuckle herself. "She hates me!"

"Oh darling, that makes it infinitely funnier." Rosanna wiped away translucent tears. "The proud princess forced to lock lips with the commoner who’s been embarrassing her all semester?"

"While her secret girlfriend watches from the wings."

That set Rosanna off again. She floated backward, clutching her stomach.

"Stop laughing! This is a disaster!"

"This is comedy gold." Rosanna finally composed herself, though her lips still twitched. "In my day, we had to orchestrate elaborate schemes to create this kind of drama. You’ve managed it by accident."

"I didn’t want this! I wanted to seduce Liora on stage, not deal with Talia’s murderous glares while we practice kissing!"

"Practice kissing?" Rosanna’s purple eyes gleamed. "Oh, you’ll need extensive practice. A minute is quite long when you’re pressed against someone you supposedly despise."

[Great. Even my ghost mentor is enjoying this.]

"Well..."

"Hm?"

"I mean," Aegis looked away. "I don’t despise Talia. If anything, I’d be happy to make out with her. Just not when Liora is watching."

"Ahhhh, I see."

"Anyway, can you give me some advice on how to not get murdered by magical fire during rehearsals?"

"Well, I’d say lean into it." Rosanna adjusted her robe, which did nothing to make it more modest. "Make her so flustered she can’t think straight. Use that intense charm of yours."

"That’s what I’ve been doing! But, she still hates me!"

[Ugh, she might actually turn me into a pile of ashes this time.]

"Hatred and desire are closer than you think, dear." Rosanna floated closer, her breath cold against Aegis’s ear. "Besides, her girlfriend will be watching. Nothing makes a woman more possessive than seeing someone else touch what’s hers."

"That’s... actually terrible advice."

"It’s excellent advice." She drifted back to the platform’s edge. "Now, shall we practice your projection? You’ll need a strong voice to deliver those romantic lines."

"Can we practice me not dying instead?"

"Where’s the fun in that?"

---

The next afternoon, the cast gathered in the academy’s small theater for their first rehearsal.

The space felt too intimate, with its close walls and dim lighting. Perfect for a romantic drama. Terrible for avoiding your co-star.

Talia stood near the stage, script in hand, actively not looking at Aegis. Liora sat in the front row, trying to appear supportive while radiating anxiety. Scarlett lounged in a chair, already in her Captain Steele costume boots.

"Places, everyone!" Professor Loralei floated above them. "We’ll start with Act One, Scene Three. The garden meeting between Rosanna and Elara!"

[The initial seduction scene. Of course.]

Aegis climbed onto the stage. Talia followed, her footsteps sharp against the wood.

They stood facing each other. The princess wore her uniform perfectly pressed, not a hair out of place. Her yellow eyes could have frozen lava.

"From the top!" Professor Loralei clapped. "Elara has just discovered Rosanna practicing forbidden magic in the garden!"

Aegis glanced at her script, then set it aside. She’d memorized her lines last night instead of sleeping.

"Your Majesty." She stepped forward, letting her voice drop to something more intimate. "That’s quite the dangerous spell you’re weaving."

"Lady Elara." Talia’s delivery was ice. "This is a private garden."

"Nothing about you is private anymore. You’re the queen." Aegis moved closer. The script called for her to circle Talia while delivering these lines. "Every breath you take, every word you speak, every spell you cast becomes the kingdom’s business."

"Not this."

"Especially this." Aegis stopped directly behind Talia. Close enough to feel the tension radiating from her shoulders. "Shadow magic? Really? You know what the church would do if they found out."

"They won’t find out."

"Won’t they?" Aegis leaned in, her breath ghosting over Talia’s ear. "I found out."

Talia spun to face her. Too fast. Their faces ended up inches apart.

"You wouldn’t dare tell them."

"Wouldn’t I?" Aegis held her ground. "What’s stopping me?"

This was where Elara was supposed to touch Rosanna’s face. A gentle caress that turned into something more. Aegis lifted her hand slowly, giving Talia time to prepare.

The princess didn’t move. Didn’t even blink.

Aegis’s fingers brushed Talia’s cheek. The princess’s jaw clenched so hard Aegis worried she might crack a tooth.

[... I mean, to be fair, this is very fun. I can’t deny that.]

"You won’t tell," Talia said, voice strained, "because you want something from me."

"Everyone wants something from you. You’re the queen."

"But you..." Talia was supposed to grab Aegis’s wrist here, pull her closer. She did, but her grip was more ’I want to break your bones’ than seduction. "You want something specific."

"Do I?"

"Power. Wealth. Status. The usual."

"No." Aegis twisted her wrist free and reversed their positions, backing Talia against an imaginary tree. "I want something much more dangerous."

"Which is?"

Aegis leaned in. Their bodies were supposed to be pressed together for this line. She could feel Talia trying not to recoil.

"You."

Someone in the audience gasped. Probably Liora.

"Cut!" Professor Loralei’s voice shattered the moment. "Wonderful tension, but you’re both too stiff! This is seduction, not a hostage negotiation!"

"We’re just getting warmed up," Aegis said, stepping back.

Talia immediately put three feet between them.

"Again!" Professor Loralei demanded. "This time with feeling! Talia, you’re intrigued by Elara, not planning her murder! Aegis, more confidence! You’re playing a woman who knows she’s irresistible!"

[I am playing a woman who knows she’s about to be set on fire.]

They ran the scene again. And again. Each time, Talia’s touches felt like punishment and Aegis’s flirtation came out more desperate than seductive.

"Perhaps we should move on," Professor Whittles suggested after the eighth attempt. "The kissing scene in Act Three—"

"NO!" Talia shouted. "I mean," Talia cleared her throat, "we should perfect this scene first."

"Right. Build up to the... other stuff." Aegis nodded frantically.

Scarlett laughed from her seat.

"Let’s try the death scene," Professor Whittles suggested. "Liora, Talia, take your positions."

Finally, Talia’s shoulders relaxed. Liora climbed onto the stage, and for the first time all rehearsal, the princess smiled.

They ran through Lady Margarina’s death scene. Liora died beautifully in Talia’s arms, gasping out her final words about loyalty and love. Talia cradled her with genuine tenderness, tears actually forming in her yellow eyes.

"Beautiful!" Professor Loralei sobbed. "The chemistry! The emotion!"

[Yeah, wonder where that chemistry came from.]

Aegis watched from the wings as Talia held Liora just a bit too long, fingers brushing through honey-blonde hair with too much familiarity.

"Jealous?" Varyn appeared beside her, already in his Lord Blackthorne costume.

"Of what?"

"The princess clearly prefers her scene partner to you."

"Good. Maybe she’ll petition to switch roles."

"Doubtful." His smile was sharp. "The entire academy is talking about your casting. The commoner and the princess, forced to kiss for a full minute. It’s all anyone can discuss."

"Thrilling."

"Oh, I imagine it will be." He leaned closer. "I wonder what accidents might happen during such an intimate performance. Stages can be dangerous places."

Before Aegis could respond, he walked away, whistling.

[Did he just threaten me? In front of witnesses?]

"Places for Act Two!" Professor Loralei called. "The confrontation between Elara and Lord Blackthorne!"

More rehearsal. More awkward touches between her and Talia. More longing looks between Talia and Liora. More of Scarlett trying not to laugh at everyone’s misery.

By the time they finished, the sun had set and everyone looked ready to collapse.

"Excellent first rehearsal!" Professor Loralei announced, apparently living in a different reality. "Tomorrow we’ll work on the kissing scenes!"

Aegis and Talia exchanged horrified looks.

"Can’t wait," Aegis said weakly.

She gathered her things, ready to escape to her dorm and scream into a pillow. This was going to take so much work. So much patience. So much—

"Starcaller."

Talia stood behind her, Liora at her side.

"Princess."

"We need to..." Talia glanced at Liora, who nodded encouragingly. "We need to practice. Privately. The scenes are..."

"Terrible?" Aegis suggested.

"Unprofessional." Talia’s jaw clenched. "Meet me in the music room after dinner. We’ll run lines until they’re acceptable."

"Just the two of us?"

"Three," Liora said quietly. "I’ll be there too. To help."

[To make sure I don’t actually seduce your girlfriend, you mean.]

"Fine. Music room. After dinner."

They left together, Liora’s hand brushing Talia’s as they walked.

Aegis sighed. This was going to take so much work.

---

{Varyn}

In his room, Varyn Duskbane stared at the wall of papers documenting Aegis’s every move.

This play presented a new opportunity.

[If Starcaller gets to kiss royalty, it’ll be the talk of Rosevale for the rest of the year. The commoner who seduced a princess on stage.]

His lips curved into something cruel.

[I can’t let that happen.]