I produce a sunny smile. “Good morning, Instructor Thorne.” His narrowed eyes roam over me like he’s sizing me up. “You’re late.” I blink. “What? I’m ten minutes early.” He snorts his displeasure, reminding me of one of the alicorns. “You’re twenty minutes late, Duchess.” Just like that, my resolve to be agreeable fizzles. “You told me to meet you an hour before breakfast. And here I am, an hour and ten minutes before breakfast. I don’t know what kingdom you’re from, sir, but here in Aclaris, that means—” “An hour before my breakfast. The instructors eat thirty minutes before the recruits
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