Page 23 of Princess of Thorns and Ruin

I bite the insides of my cheeks not to punch the weasel square in the jaw. “Hell to the fucking never.”

He sobers up quickly, aware that, if he wasn’t family, I would be tempted to pry his head off his tiny little neck. “Shush. The order comes from the king himself, at my suggestion.”

I clench my fists. “Anything for the king, of course. Did you figure out what happened? Check my phone,” I dump it on his deck, “and you’ll see that I did send you the new schedule. And that little thumb’s up in the corner…it means someone approved it from your end.”

“I’ve already asked the tech department to look into it. Someone hacked into our system, so we’re tracing the source of the leak as we speak,” he grumbles, shuffling through his papers.

“What about Jason? Did he explain how his staff could have been bought off?”

“Let me worry about Jason, you’ve got plenty on your plate with the princess.” He raises a decided brow like he’s daring me to contradict him. “And Alec, no more fuck-ups.”

My blood runs wild at the reproach. “You’re blaming me for this? You sent me on this errand with no insight whatsoever and forgot to mention there was a specific threat, ” I say, testing a hunch.

This circus wasn’t a coincidence. They didn’t assign me to the princess’ transfer to punish me or make a point. They knew the princess was in danger.

“First, Eleanore slipped through your fingers, and now this… Tut-tut, you’re lucky I spun this right with the king, or you would be stuck scrubbing the floors of the barracks for a couple of years.”

“Tell me what you know.”

Jasper leans slightly toward me, his grin all teeth and condescension. “It’s above your security clearance.”

I dash around his desk and imprison him in a rear-chokehold, almost wrenching him out of his seat. “I’m a senior member of the royal guard. You might have gotten the oh-so-important promotion, but we both know I’m your best asset. How is a threat on the life of the princess above my clearance?”

“Watch yourself, Alec. Things are changing around here,” he croaks, still pleased with himself.

I release him and squint, studying the micro changes in his expression. He knows something important, that’s obvious, and maybe with enough time, I can goad him into revealing his secrets.

Spinning him around so we’re face to face again, I grin at my baby brother and dust off his fancy jacket. “Some things will never change, though, like the fact that I could kill you in my sleep.” I whistle out of his office with a dismissive wave, knowing it’ll piss him off like nothing else. “Later, boss.”

Chapter 9

Castle

ARIELLE

I slip the jade pendant I inherited from my mother off my neck, the cold silver chain gliding along my skin. A tremor quakes my fingers as I set the rose-shaped jewel down on my dresser with a loud thump.

Home at last, but I almost didn’t make it.

The bruise on my elbow from my tumble in the plane already faded. When the flight attendant tried to stake me, my new instincts kicked into gear. My teeth tore through her neck in no time, and though I wiped away the leftovers, the taste of her blood still thick in my mouth.

My first kill, and largely warranted, but I’m exhausted.

I sprawl on the bed and observe my new/old apartments, the size of the bedroom, walk-in closet, boudoir, and bathroom smaller than I remembered. Gone are the flashy colors and whimsical touches of childhood, the somber tones of the redecorated rooms reflecting my new position. I graze the golden accents of the bedpost with my black nails, my heart in knots.

The mind-reading incident was an isolated one so far, but my ears still buzz with the memory of Alec’s unspoken words, so loud in my ears he might as well have shouted. I wonder how many provocative, petulant replies he’s bit back over the years, and what was truly going through his head in the back of the car, when his eyes were so dark they would have blended with his pupils if not for the golden ring in his irises.

A quick movement in the walk-in catches my attention, and I bite back a gasp.

A girl about my age stands with her head bowed next to the concealed door of the annex. Frizzy blond curls frame her face, and the sash tied at her hips gives her handmaiden uniform some style. “Welcome home, princess. I hope you found your journey pleasant.”

Pleasant like a sour grape, but the staff wouldn’t have learned of my misfortune, yet, so I remain silent.

The girl shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “I’m Evangeline, one of the consort’s handmaidens. She offers my services to you as a ‘welcome home’ present.”

I blink at her a few times, wondering if I heard that phrase correctly. She’s got her hands tucked at her back, her cheeks rosy and fragrant, and not one ounce of bitterness or sarcasm laces her words.

The last few years in Hadria, I got used to Jason and Emilia’s ways, and they wouldn’t have dreamed to speak about their staff as though they were merely presents to be handed out at will to relatives. Despite all my studies, I’ve forgotten some aspects of the night court’s…drier sense of etiquette.

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