Page 57 of Of Monsters Of Kings

“Lady Patch,” he cried out, steadying me. “My apologies.”

I rubbed my nose, and made sure to look no higher than his chest. “It’s okay, Prince Is. I didn’t think anyone would be lurking outside my door, is all.”

“Really? That’s exactly what a monster does.”

“Of course, I should have realized. Can I help you with something? I might be late for a ball.”

He grimaced. “Yes, lady. That is exactly what I wished to speak with you about. You see, my liege… is… put out.”

“Put out where?”

“His emotions are put out. He’s upset.”

“Oh.” I nibbled on my bottom stitch. “What’s saddened him?”

“He’s less sad, Lady Patch, and more very, very extremely furious. Very extremely furious.”

My brow cleared. “He read my reply.”

Is quoted, “‘Dear King See, I have plans tonight, but would tomorrow night do? Wishing you great vision of all possibilities, Lady Patch.’”

He trailed off, and I waited for more. I already knew what I’d written.

Is sighed. “My liege feels you have purposefully omitted the truth of your plans tonight, and so he is doubly enraged because if you’re hiding your plans with King Take, then you must be open to him.”

“He can’t claim me. He has a princess.”

“He can share with you all that he shares with a princess without giving you a title.”

I might receive another concubine offer in other words. I wrinkled my nose. “I’m not hiding anything from King See. He must have known of the ball from you. I was simply saving ink with my short reply. Please inform him of this when you return to the palace.”

“You’ll need to come with me, Lady Patch.” Is stiffened and stood taller. His chalky abdominals tensed as though anticipating a fight. “King See would look upon you tonight for the duration of the night. He has decreed this will be so.”

I glanced back through the open doorway at Valetise and froze at the sight of the outfit folded on top. She’d offered it up at the potential change of plans, and my insides trembled at the thought of dressing in whatever that was. “No,” I dragged out, returning my focus to Is’s chest. “That won’t happen. Kindly return to your liege and inform him that I will uphold our deal another night. If tomorrow night doesn’t work, then I am otherwise free any other day this week. For now.” I shouldn’t teach him to expect I’d drop everything.

I walked around Is, who surprisingly didn’t reach to grab me. He usually gave me a choice in matters, but he wouldn’t defy a direct order from his king. I walked quickly down the stairs and across the courtyard, then unlocked the door in my wall of bars to slip out of Hotel Vitale.

Is didn’t give chase. How curious.

I slowed my steps after a couple of blocks, but Is didn’t pop from the shadows. He wasn’t coming after me then. How surprising, and how nice that he’d paused to understand my side of things. I didn’t relish the idea of King See’s response to my second refusal, and I shivered at the thought of his menace.

But there were things to achieve tonight. I should fix my focus on the present because Toil, Hex, and Sigil could be anywhere close by waiting to blink in and ambush me. I had to make the ball or matters between me and King Take might sour.

51st street. That was where I had to go.

Vitale only had fifty streets, but I wouldn’t let a little thing like a nonexistent street stop me. Seeing as all the blocks in Vitale were numbered, I guessed that walking to block fifty and fiftieth street was the best bet.

The heavy velvet ballgown made the walk feel much longer than it should, and upward of ten times I had to dash into the shadows when a human ventured close enough to see my monsterdom.

At the fiftieth block, I peered left and right. “Don’t tell me 51st Street is behind 1st Street.”

Oh. Straight ahead was a castle. “You weren’t here a second ago.”

I’d wager that King Take lived there. The white castle appeared stark and impersonal from where I stood, and not at all a place to enter. The sprawling castle was as wide as King See’s palace was tall. A closer inspection showed that pink tinged the white stone around the window openings and along the high walkways. The dripping pattern of the pink gave away its bloody origins.

I hugged my body. “My instincts tell me not to enter.” And my instincts should sometimes be listened to, but not always.

He had my one-fifth share. Take hadn’t said how long I had to remain at the ball. I could make an appearance, and then leave.

---