[Lavinia's POV]
[Imperial Garden—10 Minutes into Operation Forbidden Garden Romance]
"THEON?!" I gasped so loudly I startled a sparrow into cardiac arrest.
Ravick clapped a hand over my mouth. "Princess—quiet!"
But it was too late. I'd already declared a national emergency. I slapped his hand away and peeked again around the cherry blossom tree, eyes squinted like I was peering into a scandalous novella.
Teacher Evelyn was still there. Still blushing. Still giggling. Still standing way, way too close to Theon.
And he was smiling at her. That's right—smiling. Not smirking. Not raising one skeptical eyebrow. A real, actual, almost-boyish smile.
I was scandalized. Positively scandalized.
"I knew it," I whispered to Ravick. "There was no way she left the study room in that much of a hurry just because she has to reach her estate soon."
"Princess," Ravick warned softly, "we should go. This is… private."
