Restless, I spend the day after my reunion with Dinah wandering the corridors by myself. There are still entire wings of the castle I have yet to explore, off limits to anyone who isn’t nobility. Luckily, I’m a princess now.

But even the novelty of my newfound freedom wears off in time. Instead, I find myself increasingly bitter thinking about how better I’m treated as a royal pet. The wall-sized paintings of past royals seem to be sneering as they look down on me. Half of these private chambers aren’t even in use. And when I happen upon the throne room, I leap onto the plush velvet seat half out of exhaustion, half out of spite, thinking of how my long white fur will shed all over it.

When it occurs to me that a maid will be the one to clean it up, I feel even worse.

I don’t know how much time I waste feeling sorry for myself before the King walks in.

“There you are! I was starting to get worried.” He practically sprints up to embrace me, but I flinch away with what I hope is a gentle version of a hiss.

In any case, the King doesn’t seem to notice. “You must still be exhausted from yesterday,” he says, settling on the top step leading up to the throne instead. “I thought as much when you didn’t come along to join the search for the maid again today, but I thought I’d find you back in your bed. What brought you out this far, Princess?”

So the search for the maid continues. Part of me had expected him to give up after yesterday’s failure. After all, he made the effort, which is more than most would have done. Didn’t that assuage him of any lingering guilt over my treatment?

“A bit much, isn’t it?” The King is smiling, though there’s no mirth in his voice. Even his eyes lack their usual twinkle. I’m surprised to see that he seems to regard the finery in the room much the way I did, reluctant admiration tinged with distaste. “I don’t come in here often. The very idea of a golden seat from which I control the entire kingdom is… Well, it doesn’t seem very ‘Champion of the People’ to me, does it to you?”

No, but no one’s ever asked. Figures that when someone finally does, I can’t respond.

“We went beyond the forest today,” he continues, and I have the feeling it’s as much for his benefit as it is mine, “out into the neighboring villages to see if anyone might know her. It made me realize how little time I’ve spent actually interacting with my people. I read about them, of course, the news and the census and the petitions and such. I thought that was enough to know, but it wasn’t. If I’m going to lead these people—all the people, not just the ones in court—I’m going to have to learn more about them, go out and be with them. But what if that isn’t enough? What if I’m the thing that’s lacking? Can I be what these people truly need?”

The King twirls his signet ring around his finger, an ornately rubied thing that’s adorned the hand of every King who’s reigned since Carbonel was founded. I’d thought nothing of it before, just another shiny bauble like so many others royals have. But now I know how heavy gold can be.

“I could do it, I think.” He speaks slowly, as if drawing out a reluctant confession from himself. “I have a plan to make our nation great. And I don’t believe the greatness of a nation comes from the power of its military. But if everyone is telling me I’m wrong, and all I know of kings and countries is what I’ve read in books that always make sure the ending’s right, perhaps I’ve been mistaken all this time. I should listen to those who know better. After all, that’s what a council is for, isn’t it? I don’t want to be like those power-hungry despots everyone fears and no one trusts.”

I wish I could tell him that alone makes him better than most kings I’ve heard of, if the rumors of unrest in some of our neighboring countries are to be believed. Instead, I nuzzle closer, nosing at his hair until he turns and smiles at me.

“Sometimes I think I should have abdicated after all, and let Demetria take over,” he says, scratching my ears. “She’d be a good ruler, too, you know. She’s not afraid of anything. King Incellus himself could storm the castle with all his troops and she’d have a plan for victory before he made it to the front gate. That’s what the people expect of a leader. We’re the only surviving heirs of the bloodline, no one could refute it even if she’s a woman.”

That stupid, archaic law. Regardless of whether I think Demetria would be a better Queen than the King, well, a King, the unfairness makes me growl. Luckily, this makes the King laugh. “See, you get it. You’re a princess, too, after all. Though I bet you never have to worry about things like bargaining chips or peace treaties with powerful neighboring countries in your kingdom of cats. Everything is naps and treats all the time.”

Well, that and attempting to break some sort of mysterious cat curse. Then again, I suppose that only happens during my human hour, so that doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the kingdom of cats after all.

“Would you like that now? A treat and then a nap?” he asks. “I’ve been talking at you for so long, I’d say you’ve earned them both.”

Now that he mentions it, I am pretty hungry. I eagerly bump my head against his before leaping off the throne, and he laughs again.

”If only everything were as simple as a treat and a nap, huh, Princess?” His smile is so warm, I can barely feel the cold marble floor beneath me. “That’s why I’m grateful for you. You don’t need anything from me as the King. With you, I can just be Gus.”

Gus. I’ve never dared think of the King as such, though it’s his name. It’s a nickname. It’s what Alvin and Demetria call him.

It’s what he calls himself.

Gus.