Page 28 of House of Demons and Bones

My chest heaved with rage. I was done with this humiliating shit.

“Calm down.” Drusilla shoved the fries and ice cream to the center of the table. I snatched a fistful of fries and three cups of ice cream. I was shy, but not with food.

“Your bestie spilled about your bad hygiene habits,” Cami said. “It’s all over Spinchat.”

I stared at Bea incredulously. “Why, Bea?”

Bea’s hands flew up, fury and confusion on her face. “I’d never share something that personal.” Cami’s crew snickered, and Bea whirled on them. “With respect, Princess—your attempt to drive a wedge between Barbie and me won’t work. Barbie might look naïve, but she’s too sharp to fall for this. She’s one of the most seasoned, sophisticated warriors I know. Plus, she’s quirky and funny.”

I blinked. I was sophisticated, quirky, and funny?

Sy’s ears twitched.Quirky means weird, Barbie.

“It wasn’t Bea,” Drusilla said. “I can vouch for her.”

“Can’t even let me finish before jumping into fight mode?” Cami sighed. “Well, Sy’s the snitch.” Sy stiffened at her name as Cami’s gaze fixed on me. “She broke into your room to steal yourjewels—the ones in the shoebox. Prince Killian caught her. When we checked the box, he found his missing pinkie ring. I found my mother’s pearl necklace. Took it back. Still wondering how they landed in your shoebox.”

The chaos house and my ghost familiar had tag-teamed to swipe the goods. The thievery had been done out of love and compassion, born from their need to spoil me rotten, making up for my shitty childhood. Plus, the house wanted me to stay. Mental note: visit the chaos house soon and tell its magic to quit stealing stuff. I’d known it would blow up in my face, but back then, Sy and I were suckers for sparkly things. Cade had warned me to resist the magpie urge. For now, I was behaving. I had to.

“I have no idea either,” I said, my cheeks burning. No way was I ratting out the house and Pucker. “The shoebox came with the shinies already in it. We can call it finders, keepers, or inheritance.”

“Inherited from whom?” One of Cami’s friends—the brunette, Lady Eva—narrowed her eyes at me.

“Whom or who?” I asked her.

“My stuff’s gone missing too,” Lady Lola cut in, looking ready to launch into a full investigation. Unlike Eva, she had pale skin and a high forehead. “Including my favorite gown and dress shoes. Word is, even Lord Cassius lost some expensive wine and rare candles from his room. Who’d be stupid enough to steal from him?”

Shit, Sy had drunk the wine, and I’d burned the candles while bathing. If I had known the candles were rare, I might’ve saved one of them. They were all gone now, and there was no evidence for the Silent Blade to find.

I kept my mouth shut, blaming the whole mess on Killian. I’d only grabbed that wine and those candles to romance him the morning I left his bed. He never showed up, and I wasn’t about to rehash that shit. Though seriously—wasn’t Lord Silent Bladesupposed to be busy assassinating people? Since when did he care about missing trinkets?

Even assassins need to fuck,Sy said.Someone’s gotta set the mood with wine and candles.

That’s not—I stopped short. Cami’s friends were drilling holes into me with their stares. I met their gazes despite my guilty face. Deny wrongdoings till you die, right? Sy flashed me a thumbs-up.

“I didn’t raid your rooms,” I said, throwing up my hands. “You’re not that fascinating.”

“Only Prince Killian can authorize a room search,” Cami said. “Nobody’s brave enough to file that complaint. But we’re not here to add to the rumor mill. Barbie’s reputation has taken enough hits.”

“My reputation?” I sneered. “Please. It’s already in the gutter. Give me your worst. I’ve got nothing more to lose.”

“You’ve got so much more to lose than you realize,” Cami said.

I swept a hard look around the table. “Are you here to ruin my lunch?”

The other bride candidates kept sneaking glances at us, hungry for drama, before darting their eyes back to their plates and companions. They had to maintain that silent treatment. Anyone who sided with me, except the heirs, got automatic enemy status in Grace’s army. No heirs had shown up today, so Bea and I figured we could eat in peaceful exile. Should’ve known better. There was no peace for the nice and meek.

“You might find it hard to believe,” Cami said, “but we’re here to show support.”

I blinked. “I don’t get it. Chicks usually come over to pick a fight.”

“Well,” Cami’s smile turned playful, like she was enjoying this little game, “we’re not your usual chicks.”

“Sadly, we’re not,” Drusilla added. “I do miss the good old days. Remember our vampire house? Pure chaos followed you everywhere.”

“I don’t miss Prince Louis making me watch his threesomes with random blondes,” I said, and Drusilla flushed. “I didn’t get paid for that heavy shit.”

The girls leaned in, faces flushed with embarrassment and eyes bright with curiosity.

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