The royal carriage rattled along the cobblestone road toward Arethia University, and I couldn't stop bouncing my knee.
Malachi sat across from me, his golden eyes fixed on the passing scenery outside the window. He'd secured the clearance papers within two hours of our meeting, which was honestly terrifying. Having a prince who believed in you definitely had its perks.
"You're nervous," he said without looking at me.
"I'm not nervous," I lied.
"You've been tapping your foot for the past fifteen minutes."
I forced my leg to stop moving. "I'm just... processing."
"You're catastrophizing," Malachi said gently. "Everyone's choosing to help because they care about you."
I picked at a loose thread on my sleeve. "What if I mess this up? What if I get someone hurt?"
"What if you don't?"
"That's not how anxiety works, Malachi."
He reached across the carriage and took my hand. "I have faith in you. Even if you don't have faith in yourself."
