Page 5 of Wild Fury (Fallen Royals 6)

I gulp and wipe under my eyes.

“Yes.” I sound normal.

She opens the door and slips inside, leaning against the door. She lets out a laugh. “I’ve been trying to escape Mom and Dad for a while. I saw you come in and figured it was my chance.”

I lean my forearms on the counter and hang my head. “Just slowly dying.”

I wince at my own phrasing.

She pats my arm. “Well, you can wait here while I pee.”

“Gross,” I offer.

She laughs and hikes up her dress, and I stay where I am. After a moment of near-silence, she says, “That dress is beautiful on you.”

“Not as beautiful as that one on you,” I murmur.

Her dress is all gold, a shimmering satin that molds to her body, with gold lace and tulle and beading. She seems like a goddess.

And me… her hand-me-down is eggplant purple that fades down to black. It has a high front that wraps around my neck. There’s a little hole cut out in a diamond shape, revealing a patch of skin between my breasts. The back is open down to just above my ass save for a few criss-crossed ties, and the skirt falls straight to the floor. A slit that comes up to my hip helps me walk—and helped me tie it up earlier.

I glance down. The dark color hides anything nefarious. No blood or dirt.

“Wilder is kind,” she says.

I can’t tell if she’s trying to assure me or remind herself.

“Amelie—”

She flushes and bumps my hip with her own. “Let’s not talk about this, Luce.”

I step out of the way. She washes her hands and dries them slowly.

“Are you okay?”

I nod. “Yeah. Totally.”

“As your sister, I can read you like a map.” She narrows her eyes. “Did someone say something? Mom?”

“No,” I say quickly. “I just… I’m overwhelmed. Can you make up an excuse for me if I head home?”

She purses her lips and stares at me. She’s probably trying to do sibling shit, like read my mind, but I’ve perfected the art of an indifferent mask. It might’ve been a different story if we grew up together, but…

“Okay,” she agrees. “I’ll see you later.”

“Or tomorrow. I think I’m going to go to bed early.”

She squints, then nods. “All right.” She reaches forward and draws me into a hug.

I’m so surprised, I can’t move for a moment. My back throbs where her hands press into my spine. I hug her back, though, and then pat her until she releases me.

“Have fun,” I say. “Go drink all the wine you can get your hands on.”

She laughs and opens the door. I follow her downstairs, but then our paths deviate. I go to the front, nodding to one of the men standing there. The door shuts behind me, and a weight lifts off my chest.

Free, if only for a moment.

Since I came with Amelie and our parents, I have no way home except my own two feet. I contemplate calling someone, but I’m not that desperate. So I ignore the new bite to the air and head out, striding away from the DeSantis estate quickly. There’s a walking gate beside the one for cars, thankfully unlocked from the inside, and then I really am free.

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