“Chloe! Don’t harass my personal guard.”
“Oh, relax. I’m only teasing.” Her eyes glitter with innuendo. “Speaking of which,teasinghappens to be one of my specialties… if you’re ever interested in a demonstration…”
I roll my eyes. “Quit it. Galizia isn’t interested. And even if she was… she’s way out of your league.”
“Rude! No one is out of my league. I’m an honorary princess!”
“Pretty sure that’s not a thing.”
“I’m basically royalty! By association!”
“Good for you. She’s still not interested.”
Chloe scoffs. “How do you know?”
I glance at my guard. “Galizia?”
“The only thing I’m interested in doing tonight is correcting your extremely poor punching form, Your Highness.” She pauses, lips twitching. “Now, I’m going to the locker room next door to grab some ice for your knuckles before they start swelling. Do not head back to the castle without me, understand?”
I salute her. “Sir, yes, sir!”
She sighs tiredly, as though I’m a tremendously bothersome child she’s been forced to babysit, and turns on one heavily-booted heel. I wait until she’s out of earshot before I meet Chloe’s eyes.
“Not to say I told you so, but…”
She scowls and plunks herself down on a stack of folded practice mats. Fishing a perfectly rolled joint from her bra, she lights it up and takes a long inhale. A second later, twin tendrils of smoke spiral from her nostrils up toward the lofty ceiling.
“So, why were you looking for me, anyway?” I ask, wincing as I unwind the tape from my bruised knuckles. “You’re usually out on the town by this time of night.”
“True,” she agrees, her voice scratchy from the pot. “But I was worried about you.”
“Me? Why?”
“A little birdie may’ve mentioned you haven’t been sleeping…”
I go still, my brow furrowing. “This little birdie wouldn’t happen to be your older brother, would it?”
“Maybe.”
“Wow!” Throwing the knuckle tape to the floor, I start pacing in tight circles. “Wow. Wow. Wow. He just— I can’t—Wow.”
“Darling sister, find a new word.”
“I don’t have any words!” I throw up my hands. “I’m too—”
“Pissed? You look pissed.”
“Iampissed! I mean, where does he get off talking to you about me? I’m not his problem to manage. I’m not some little girl who needs looking after. And I definitely don’t need him walking around the castle broadcasting my private affairs to anyone who’ll listen.” My voice drops to imitate his rasp. “Have you heard the gossip? Our poor little princess wakes up screaming in the dead of the night. How pathetic.”
“Was that supposed to be Carter? Because you sound more like a B-rate actor playing a character with mesothelioma on one of those awful daytime-TV soaps…”
“Not helping.”
“Honestly, E, you’re getting all worked up for no reason. It wasn’t like that. He knows I care about you, that I’d be concerned if I knew what was going on…”
“Your concern is noted and appreciated. But I’m just fine.”
“That’s not what Carter says.”