Page 92 of If The Crown Fits
“We can’t let anyone see us.”
“It’s nice to be appreciated like this,” I teased.
“Shut up.” She hushed me. “I will not be known as the Evernean rebel who had an affair with the Prince of Norrandale.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing.”
“It is a bad thing,” she replied.
“How am I not supposed to get offended by this?”
And then we heard it again, more distant this time, but it was there.
Almost instinctively and for no reason whatsoever, I grabbed Lara’s hand and she interlaced her fingers with mine. Another laugh came and this time it was male. Lara pulled me in the direction of the camp. “Come on, let’s go before someone sees us.”
“No,” I whispered. “I know that voice. That’s Jack.”
“So?”
“So he told me he was going pheasant hunting this morning.”
“Maybe he got distracted by some female company,” she suggested.
“Jack doesn’t get distracted. He lied to me. And if my second-in-charge lies to me, I want to know why.”
She rolled her eyes, but walked after me nonetheless.
They were in a small clearing in the trees — Jack and, in his arms, Cordelia.
“Cordelia?” Lara half scolded in surprise, and Cordelia and Jack sprang apart.
“We . . . we . . .” Cordelia was at a loss for words.
“This is what you call pheasant hunting?” I grinned at Jack, who looked more than flustered.
“So this is why I can’t find you most of the time?” Lara asked Cordelia, and suddenly everything started to add up. I felt stupid for being oblivious to it all this time. Angry with myself that I had been too focused on my own problems to notice what was going on with my friends.
“What are you doing here?” Jack suddenly asked, turning the tables.
“We were discussing matters concerning our entrance to the palace on the day my uncle decides to attack.”
“We were?” I frowned for a moment before catching on. “Right, we were.” I cleared my throat.
“You see, I thought that it would be foolish just to storm the gates since all their forces will gather against us there. But if we used that as a distraction, it would be easier to enter the palace from a different position.”
“Right,” she confirmed.
Jack and Cordelia looked at us strangely. For a moment the four of us only stared at each other awkwardly.
“Best be on our way, then,” I said uncomfortably and turned in the direction of the camp.
“Right,” Lara said again.
“You’d think I’d see that coming,” I said a moment later.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” She ruffled my hair playfully and I pulled away. “One can only expect so much from a prince.”
I barked out a laugh and chased her back to camp.
