Page 38 of Pawns of Salistya

‘Because one of us doesn’t feel the need to show off our figure every chance we get,’ she said.

Well, she’s not wrong.

‘Hmm,’ he tutted, ‘Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, sister.’

‘What’s there to be jealous of? That obnoxiously big head of yours? I think not, brother,’ she retorted.

I watched in amusement as the siblings continued their exchange, both unwilling to give in. If anyone were around to see this, they wouldn’t believe they were royals. Their comments were that of any two siblings bickering and riling each other up. It was a little odd they were showing this part of their relationship in front of me, a person who was essentially a stranger. Maybe they felt comfortable around me as I did them?

In the meantime, I’d hopped down to place a picnic blanket on the ground and spread out the lunch we’d packed. Neither sibling had stood down from their argument and, from the look of their crossed arms, I had a feeling they adopted an agree-to-disagree mentality a lot.

‘Lunch is ready!’ I announced.

We ate our sandwiches in comfortable silence, but it took all my self-control to keep my eyes fixed on the landscape ahead rather than on Xylan’s dripping body. Credit to myself, I was doing well until I reached for the raspberries sitting next to him. Xylan beat me to it, grabbing the punnet and holding it an arms distance away from me, drawing my eyes to his chest. A bead of sweat trickled down his abs. Orlandia was right. He is a flirt.

You are a married woman. You are still sleeping with your lover. You do not need a third man.I breathed deeply, leaned over to snatch the raspberries from him and scurried back to my side of the blanket, all without meeting his gaze, which was burning into me. I didn’t want to see what was written on his face.

‘You two aren’t what I expected,’ I said, determined to distract myself.

‘What were you expecting, exactly?’ Xylan asked.

‘Well, for starters, I thought you’d come by yourself, Xylan. Secondly, you’re both so … normal.’

‘Normal,’ Orlandia chortled. ‘I think that’s the first time we’ve been called that, Xy’.

‘For the record, it was intended as a compliment,’ I said, sheepishly.

Xylan’s mouth twitched upwards. ‘I think what she meant to say is that we’re nothing like our father. And why wouldn’t I bring my twin sister with me?’

Twin sister? That was news.

‘Ah yes, Daddy Dearest,’ Orlandia drawled. ‘Well, I guess that’s a compliment. Although it’s not hard to think we’re normal in comparison to him. He was an oddball.’

Oddball was an understatement I thought. ‘You’re twins?’ I asked.

‘Don’t get Xylan started,’ Orlandia groaned. ‘I’ve lived my whole life listening to him rub it in that I was one minute too slow to be crowned Queen. No matter how much I insist I don’t want the job, big boss over here doesn’t believe me. I think he’s just in denial. He’s the jealous type. Just an FYI.’

Xylan scoffed, dismissing most of her statement. ‘What is there to be jealous over?’

‘Well, for one, I don’t have to worry about courtiers throwing themselves at me in the hopes they become royal,’ Orlandia started, before looking at me. ‘I guess I partly owe you thanks for my not being married. The King of Arlom was on my parent’s radar for a while there, but you took the grenade for both of us. And now Xy is King, so I’m free to pick who I wish to wed.’

‘You’re welcome, I guess?’ I mumbled, part of me wishing Orlandia and Eliasson’s union had come to fruition. What a luxury it would be to choose who you marry. ‘So, if you don’t want anything to do with being a royal, why are you here?’

‘Xy claims I need to be across everything in case something happens to him. You know, assassination attempts, angry ex-lovers, all that fun stuff.’ She must have seen my mortified expression before she added, ‘It’s completely dark and unlikely to happen. Well, maybe not the angry ex-lover thing. That Ophelie was a bit of a doozy.’

‘Ah yes, good old Ophelie. Those were the days,’ Xylan reminisced, his lips quirking in response to what was likely some nostalgic thoughts. Oddly enough, I felt like I’d been stabbed through the heart at that comment. Maybe his alleged jealous tendencies were rubbing off on me.

‘Those were notthe days, Xy. The girl was completely out of control.’ Orlandia scowled in disgust.

‘And who was the reason that I ended up in the situation, hmm? Don’t fault me for being a good wingman and getting with the wild one to help your ass with the one you wanted,’ he said.

Orlandia’s cheeks turned bright red. Maybe the girl was spicier than I thought.

‘Please tell me you at least got a little something-something out of it with the guy?’ I grinned at her while Xylan burst into laughter.

‘We don’t need to continue this conversation. And for the record Ophelie had a twin sister, not a brother,’ she said, looking away shyly.

‘Oh,’ I said. I didn’t expect that. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t presume.’

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