Page 59 of Their World

“Hurry up and eat,” he said. “We have plans we want to get to.” He sat on the couch and pulled out his phone, typing fast on it.

Trey squeezed my shoulder, startling me, since I hadn’t realized his hand was still there. “Eat, Lily.”

Mason finished his food and took his plate to the kitchen. He’d been avoiding making eye contact with me since we woke up. Was he mad I got off the couch so quickly? Did he think I had been upset to find us sleeping together?

My thoughts distracted me as I ate, but I did finish eating, though I didn’t really feel like I had tasted any of it.

The guys hurried me out to a waiting SUV, which Kayden drove. Trey had me sit in the front passenger seat, while he and Mason whispered in the back.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” I asked Kayden.

He smiled, but didn’t glance away from the road. “You’ll find out.”

My brows furrowed. “You know I hate surprises.”

“And you should give us this without arguing or whining. We went through a lot while you were gone.” He said it in a lighthearted tone, but the seriousness in his words had me closing my mouth and agreeing to give this to them.

I could deal with a little anxiety if it made them happy.

We pulled up to Trey’s house and I stared at it silently for a minute. As I squinted, it reminded me of a smaller version of Jol’s castle and a prickling sensation covered my body.

“Lily?” Kayden asked, breaking through my concentration.

“Coming!” I chirped as I threw open the door.

It wasn’t until the door hit Mason in the side that I realized he had been walking by the car door at that moment.

“Sorry!” I shut the door and patted his arm. “Did I hurt you?”

He frowned at me. “I’m fine. You just bumped me in the arm with the door. I’m not fragile.” His frown turned into a scowl. “Are you okay?”

“Right as raindrops on rooftops!” I said, repeating one of Mom’s favorite lines. Thinking of her sent a pang of anxiety and fear through me, making my smile drop.

“She’ll be fine. Your mom is one of the toughest people I know, which is saying something, since I know all the royals,” Mason said and put his hand on my lower back.

I nodded and followed Kayden and Trey inside.

Although it felt like I’d been there recently, something felt different. I couldn’t place it, though.

“Follow us, please,” Trey said as he walked up the stairs.

I looked at Kayden questioningly, but he just waved me up the stairs with a smile.

With a soft exhale, I followed Trey, remembering they needed this from me right now and the sooner I followed, the sooner I could find out what their surprise was.

My heart beat faster as I followed Trey; curiosity thrummed through me like a second heartbeat. What were they going to surprise me with? Did it have to do with what they had picked up at the jewelry store?

Trey stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway, spun around, and smiled down at me. “This has been a moment we’ve been waiting anxiously for. One we thought might not come to pass when you disappeared to the demon realm. I hope … we hope …” He paused, closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, and said, “I’m messing this up.”

This was the first time I had ever seen Trey at a loss for words or unable to clearly articulate his thoughts. He was nervous, but why?

Spinning on his heel, he pushed open the door and stepped back, bowing with a flourish. “After you, Princess.”

The urge to look back at Mason and Kayden was strong, but I straightened my spine and walked into the room.

The room was relatively large, definitely a master bedroom, painted a dark grey with black trim, but was brightly lit thanks to a cathedral glass ceiling with dark wooden frames. There were also two glass doors that lead to a balcony where a cute patio table with four chairs, a swing, and a table lay. Lilies lined the walls of the balcony, giving it a garden feeling.

On one side of the bedroom was a door that I could see led to a bathroom, white tile gleamed inside. On the other side wasa huge four-poster bed covered in a black fleece blanket with a white snake. A snake that looked almost identical to me.

---