However, today is particularly irksome as I know KK was going to work on shifting with Slash. He missed our law class, despite Jasper’s orders, and now I’m itching to know how that went. After that, Kat should have had a great deal of alone time in the room, and I can’t help wondering what she’s doing. I know she planned on studying the books my lover painstakingly notated for her, but that only stretches so far. I doubt she sat around bored, but the concern about how strong our safeguards are and how determined the beings who wish to harm her are has monopolized my thoughts.
When I come back to reality, I realize I’ve been staring at the Games uniform I’m working on altering for Kat like a gormless fool for fuck knowshow long. I’m not the type to get lost in my head like Zav or Annie, but the stress of worrying about how we’re going to protect KK has taken over my brain today. I know she’s gettingsomethingfrom the doc that must be helping her stay hidden, but she hasn’t confessed exactly what she and the terrifying masked physician discuss when they are alone. In fact, while she’s been opening up a lot more recently, she’s still swarming with secrets that I don’t believe any of us are privy to yet.
Her trauma is bone-deep, just like the rest of us, but it’s unraveling slowly. Unfortunately, time is not on our side.
Sighing, I adjust the drape of the pants, studying them as I work out how I’m going to replicate the damn things with material that is infused with more protective fabric and enchantments. I know I can’t use thisactualset of Games clothes to make KK’s better version—it’s not made well, nor are the materials worth shit. I have to alter this to the specific cut and fit I want and then completely remake several sets in the expensive, preventative materials that I’ve already ordered from royal suppliers. Using this project for my portfolio means I can spend whatever the fuck I want on it and no one will question the requisition for outrageously costly and rare ingredients.
The polo and pants aren’t anything special, and the only marking is the Discordia logo. That’s pre-programmed into the embroidery machines, so I don’t have to worry about stitching it. Other than that, they’re plain black with no embellishments. Luckily, they didn’t ask anyone to do anything complex because they assumed they’d need bulk quantities when participants go through them like water during the various challenges and whatever. That cheap-ass corner-cutting makes it very simple to replicate on the surface.
“I want this to fit snugly enough to allow for protection, but not to give her away. The undergarments are going to be far more difficult to deal with, but I’m working on that in the Nazi-lover’s class.” I muse aloud as I tilt my head, squinting at the pants in particular. I want to add some hidden compartments for small weapons and secret things Annie and I can give her to stow away for emergencies. He’s a whiz at potions, and small vials and bottles tucked away could be the difference between escaping and getting killed.
There’s a knock at the door of my studio, and I whirl around, glaring at the locked steel door. Studios are kept secure to prevent design theft, so I will have to walk over and find out who’s rapping at my chamber door. I put down the chalk pencil I was using to mark the fabric, tossing my hair over my shoulder as I get close enough to open the slit. My breath comes out in a soft whoosh when I see Annie looking at me through the gap.
“What are you doing here?” I grumble petulantly as my heart stops thumping. I’m not afraid of being attacked, but I donotwant some asshole to steal my fucking shit. It’s important for my grades, but even more pertinent is making certain Kat is as safe as possible when we compete. I’m convinced it will begin after the holidays, and I have to finish, sew, photograph, and bring my adjusted uniforms to our room before they do.
“It’s late, and you’ve skipped all your afternoon classes to work in here. We should get back to the dorms so we can have dinner with the others.”
I frown, pulling my phone out to look at the screen. There’s still plenty of time left on my studio time, and I’m not sure why he’s here so early while claiming it’s late. “I have an hour left, and you’re out of your Fae class an hour early. After that, I have a two-hour period. What are you talking about?”
Annie shrugs, grinning at me boyishly. “We heard Slash skipped Law, too, so we ducked out of Cedar’s lecture early. You should come too. We’re going to see Kit and get dinner ready. It was a group decision.”
Snorting, I arch a brow. “It was, huh? One no one ran by the prince, right?”
“We don’t have to run every decision by him,” Anton says as his chin juts out stubbornly. “He’s the leader, but not our goddamn dad.”
Yep, Annie’s headed toward full-on obsession with our secret girl, and KK needs to tell him soon so he doesn’t feel betrayed.
“Okay, love. Let me put away my stuff, and I’ll be right out.”
Tonight’s dinner and our time together afterward is going to be fascinating.
Once I’m ready,I exit the studio and set the security. Annie offers me his arm, and I take it as we walk down the hallway to the elevator together. There are very few people on my floor this time of day on Fridays—I swear, they gave me the worst possible schedule for the day before the weekend on purpose. Knowing Darkstar and his lackeys in the admin departments, it’s not entirely out of the question.
“You’re working on the uniform for the Games,” Annie says. He doesn’t expound, which is normal for him, and I smile.
“Yes, I’m re-designing it so there are more options for keeping Kit safe. Extra pockets, better materials, enchantment patches… everything we need to help him before he sets foot on a competition field.”
Anton nods, processing that for a few moments before he says, “It’s a good plan. Jasper will be concerned with area-of-effect attacks and defense, while Slash will coordinate and execute from the ground. Anything that can give him a defensive advantage is worth focusing on. I suspect we will not have long after the break to prepare. They think they’re being sneaky about when the Games will begin, but it’s extremely obvious.”
I nod as we get on the elevator, and it lurches and then begins the descent to the main floor. “Those dipshits completely cannot hold their wad. Sending The Major was a huge red flag, and I have no idea why the King and General didn’t realize that. Most students wouldn’t grasp the significance, but certainly the staff, Darkstar, and our caliphate would.”
“Perhaps that was their intent?” Annie holds the doors open for me when the elevator dings, and I think about that. “Sending him signaled to us that they are aware of the committee’s plans, and that the Games are nigh. It also told Lucian that he’s not as safe in his machinations with the committee ashebelieves. It’s a dual-purpose middle finger.”
As we walk across the lobby to the doors, I consider the theory further. “It could be. It kicked us into gear, sent Jasper into a spiral, made Lucian stomp around bickering with the Major in front of us… There’s a lot of moving pieces that his arrival set into motion. I’d wager the idea to do it did not originate with the General or the King.”
“Shit,” Annie sighs as he runs his hand through his rainbow locks. “Oriel’s dad. Furfur wasdefinitelyinvolved in this plan. Of all the parents, he’s easily the most devious. He must be plotting with Slash and Jasper’s asshole fathers to change the chessboard. Not out of character, unfortunately.”
“True.” I look around the quad as we walk down the stairs, my eyes narrowed as I take in the small groups walking to various destinations. “Do you think the Bloodstones have spies within the student body? Oriel hasn’t balked at any of their jobs since he arrived, to my knowledge. There isn’t any reason for his dad to assume he’s not ‘following orders’ or whatever.”
Annie bumps my shoulder with his. “Love, none of our parents truly requires a reason to spy on us. You know as well as I do that they’ve been doing it since we were young demons. They won the Games and led a coup to take over Hell. They had to build powerful families full of heirs, but they feared those heirs from their births and summonings because of theirparanoia. That’s why all the firstborn heirs are hybrids, in my opinion. I’ve long believed that it was because they believed it ‘dilutes’ our power.”
“For fuck’s sake. You think they ‘bred’ us weaker—in their opinion—so we couldn’t dethrone them all?” My brows furrow as I try to imagine he’s wrong, but I can’t.
As we get closer to Canto IV, Anton finally responds. “Yes, I do. I believe one of them came up with the idea, and they all decided together as a caliphate to ‘poison’ the bloodline of the first heirs. Unfortunately for them, they failed, especially given our caliphate formation and the amount of things we have kept hidden from them. They didn’t account for how badly Tarron would abuse Jasper and how deeply it would seat his desire to send them all to the pits.”
“The General didn’t do them any favors with Slash, either. He’s hated everyone in his family and the crown from the time he and Jasper bonded.” I chuckle, shaking my head ruefully. “That’s pretty funny given the General and the King pushing them at one another.”
“It’s easy to miss the forest for the trees at their level. Both of them have grown accustomed to having others do the work for them, but this plan was only shared among the couples and their spouses. There weren’t any lackeys to risk their lives by pointing out the holes in their schemes.”
