Page 15 of Princess For All

I just wanted to be left alone and do nothing. I didn’t want to do anything.

But I shouldn’t ever have yelled at him and called him names or—it wasn’t acceptable.

“I’m sad,” I admitted. “My mother and brother were psychos. She killed herself to scar me. I had to kill him and two other princesses. I think I just need a day or two to do nothing and… I don’t know. I just don’t want to do anything.”

“I’m sorry you’re suffering,” he rasped as he squeezed my feet. “We will get through this too. We will thrive soon. I believe it.” He let out a slow breath when I didn’t say anything. “And I agree with Jaxon. You should take days off. I know it’s the apocalypse and we’re all working hard, but you are not everyone. We also must have compassion with others.”

“Yeah, I’m not the only one who needs a day off,” I agreed.

“They get it,” Jaxon assured me. “Everyone gets breaks and a day to rest here and there. And their jobs—once they’re done, they’re done. You never stop.”

“We never do,” I corrected, thinking it was true about all of us. I hurried on when they both went to reply. “But I don’t want to talk about it. I’m tired. I’m just really fucking tired.”

“Sleep, My Princess,” Kristof said quietly, rubbing my feet again.

So I did. I zonked out and woke to Nick setting out some drink ideas he was thinking of. He was pushing us all to drink more juice or juice drinks to get the nutrients we’d all lacked for years. To the humans and outposts as well.

I agreed. We had the dehydrated fruit factory and we were getting things back online.

“This is so good,” I groaned after having a sip. It was a blueberry lemon juice spritzer. Some juices were just too heavy or acidic, but mixing with the sparkling water was delicious and the right balance.

“What are you in the mood for?” Jaxon asked like it was no big deal, but I knew they were worried about me not wanting to eat.

I snorted. “Apparently, I’m simple. I want cheeseburgers and fries after watching all of the Krabby Patty stuff.”

“Well, I have great timing,” Darius chuckled as he walked in with a box. “I had the same thought when I heard you were watching SpongeBob. Plus, I’m always up for burgers.”

I groaned when I saw he had a bunch, the good fries, and toppings we could pile on as we wanted. Yeah, that was perfect.

I ended up not even doing a bun, making more of a burger salad with my tomatoes and lettuce. I mean I put mayo and ketchup on it with grilled onions and mushrooms but whatever.

Bacon went on salads too.

It really hit the spot. So did dinner and all of the snacks in between. I did sleep a lot. I napped and went to bed early and it really,reallydid help.

“Thanks,” I told Jaxon the next morning at breakfast. “I do want to do that more often instead of always breaking down.”

He nodded. “I totally agree. I feel fantastic after having a bum day. I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed it. I don’t need all that much sleep, but just zoning out—I forgot how nice that could be. The rest for my brain it is.”

“Yes, I’ve enjoyed my nights with Inez for more than holding our wife,” Kristof agreed. “It was hard at first to turn off my brain and not be angry with myself that I wasn’t doing more. But I was taking care of myself, of Inez, and of our relationship. Thatisimportant and doing something. I was raised that movement was doing something, and that is not true.”

“So I’m a good influence on you. That’s what I’m hearing you say,” I teased when he seemed a bit lost in his mind.

“I would easily say that always,” Kristof said so firmly that my face flushed lava hot. “You have made me into a man I never dreamed I could be, and I am still growing. I wish to still be a better man for you.”

“Me too,” I whispered. It didn’t hit me what I said until the others looked at me like they were a bit shocked. “I mean me for you—be a better man for—woman. I want to be a better woman for you and—”

My kind husband kissed me to stop my rambling. Then he chuckled and gave me another one. “I knew what you meant, my love. I speak Inez just as you speak Kristof.”

Okay, good.

We had a pretty boring day, even with having to deal with the ghosts and getting so much up and running in Boston and Ohio.

Boring was nice… Really nice.

The next day, I met up with Darius and we were going to have our first helicopter lesson. Part of me was sad that Ty wasn’t going to teach me, but I understood that he wanted to get out of the coven for a while after his breakup with Chris. He’d been worried about his younger brothers, but James and Trisha promised they’d be fine.

And they were. They were both staying in Ty’s suite in the castle and being a big help to the staff from what Nick said.

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