Page 56 of Enchanted Kingdom
Owen tensed.
I didn’t want any rumors of that sort to start up and get either Owen or I in trouble.
Owen must have thought the same thing as he spun in the hallway, clearly glaring at her as he began walking backward. “Prince Keiran requested me specifically to stay close to Jorah and protect her. Because apparently he cannot trust the lot of you to not attack her.”
She looked pouty at his scolding.
“So I will continue to be close to her, Aiyana, becauseyoucannot be trusted. If you have a problem with it, you can take it up with Prince Keiran himself.”
Over my shoulder, I saw she was looking down at her feet, red-faced, when we turned to make our leave.
It took all my restraint, but I waited until we turned the next two corners before saying anything.“Why did you do that?!”
“What?” Owen asked.
“You scolded her like a child. You know she will do something because of it. To pay me back.”
Owen shook his head. “The last thing we need is for her to go to the king thinking that you and I are chummy.”
“Andthatreally prevented her from going to the king?” I asked, frustration clear on my tone.
“No,” Owen admitted. “But the four other guards present in the hallway, two of which I know are the king’s spies, both heard my response, and both know now that I am only following Prince Keiran’s orders.”
That had me shutting up. “Oh.”
We rounded the final set of stairs to my room, and I stumbled. There were people outside of my door. Quite a few.
“Is something the matter?” I asked Renna. “Did someone get hurt?”
She laughed. “No! If we can’t play in the commons, then we brought the game to you.”
My jaw almost hit the floor. “You want to play cards right now?” I looked to Molly, Gwen, and Nara, all their guards also present. What if one was also one of the king’s spies? “Are you sure that’s wise?”
Molly smiled. “We will say we were getting ready together, you know, braiding each other’s hair, that sort of feminine thing, if anyone asks.”
I was shaking my head. They were nuts. They were going to get us all in trouble.
“Are you going to let us in, or not?” Renna asked with a grin. “You created these monsters.”
I looked to Owen as if asking if I should. The very last thing I wanted was another hallway run in with the king. He shrugged and gave me a little smirk as if saying okay.
“Well, come on in, I guess,” I offered.
The lot of us, women plus guards, all entered the room. Owen split the guards up, three staying outside the door, he and another inside with us.
We all ended up sitting on my bed with the pillows around us. “Question?” I asked. “Did anyone happen to bring a deck of cards, then?”
Molly put a finger in the air victorious before diving that same hand into her cleavage and wiggling a deck of cards out from between her breasts.
Renna giggled and nudged me. “You should see your face right now.”
I shook my head and looked at Gwen. “Did that really just happen?”
Molly slapped the cards down in the middle of the bed. “Finally, a big bosom put to good use.”
Owen made a choking noise in the corner of the room, and I sent him a glare.
Nara handed me the cards to shuffle as we dissolved into fits of laughter.
