Page 89 of If The Crown Fits
The Evernean Forest
Lara
“What happened between you and Cai that I should know about?”
Cordelia gently dragged a comb through my hair. Somehow this had become one of my favourite things even though she no longer had to pretend to be my lady-in-waiting. In the days that had passed, Cordelia had turned into her old self again. She started smiling more, talking more, and though I knew everyone mourned differently, it was good to see her like that again.
“What are you talking about?” I played with my fingers, giving her a shrug.
“You may be a good liar, Lara, but I can see that something has happened between the two of you, and as your friend, I demand you tell me immediately.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I persisted.
“There is an undeniable tension between the two of you. It’s better you are honest with me, because you and I both know you haven’t the slightest idea of what you’re doing when it comes to romantic relationships.”
“What romantic relationship?” I scoffed. “You’re off your head, Cordelia.”
“You kissed him, didn’t you?”
I flung myself around on the bed to look at her. “How did you know?”
“It’s written all over your face.” She smirked and I covered my face with my hands, falling into her lap.
“Oh, what have I done?”
Cordelia gently patted my head. “There, there. It’s not so bad.”
“Technically I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me.”
“Did you stop him?” she asked, and I took more than a moment to answer.
“No.”
She took my shoulders and pushed me back into a sitting position. “Calm down. You’re being overdramatic.”
“He’s a prince, Cordelia. And if this war doesn’t us both, he will go back to Norrandale and marry a duchess or something and I will still be a thief.”
“You don’t know that.” She turned me back around to start brushing my hair again, before braiding it. “My point is, that man has been besotted with you since the moment he met you and I don’t think it would be kind of you to break his heart.”
“He’s not besotted,” I tried to argue, but she hushed me.
“I would give this a chance if I were you. You have no way of knowing how it’s going to turn out.”
“You and I know exactly how it’s going to turn out.”
She tied the bottom of my braid and I turned to face her again. “I told him I wasn’t in love with him. Right to his face.”
“And what did he say?”
“That I was lying.” I let out a breath. “He’s given me the time until he has to go back to prove him wrong.”
“So what are you going to do?”
I stood up and pulled on my jacket, giving myself a hard look in the cheap, dusty mirror.
“I’m going to try and make it out of this alive. And then I’ll allow myself to think about Cai.” Having him in the way I did was enough... for now.
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