I clutched my tea. “I know. But I don’t think we can.”
“Why not? We agreed not to say anything to the boys until the King’s Contest was over. And, well... it’s over,” Kiara said. “What’s holding us back?”
I held my breath. I’d told everyone that Gabby had been threatening me; though I didn’t quite explain why. The girls didn’t know Ethan was the Phantom... but maybe I could trust them with the bare bones of what I knew.
I had to tell someone. I couldn’t carry this burden on my own. So to keep Ethan safe, I’d just modify the facts.
“We can’t tell anyone about the murder because Gabby knows we overheard her,” I started. “She cornered me this morning. She told me if we turn her in for Professor Waldron’s death, she’ll kill Ethan.”
The girls let out outraged gasps. Odette’s hand covered her mouth. Kiara asked, “Are you serious?”
“That fricking bitch,” Delmare cursed under her breath.
“Yes,” I said. “She isn’t kidding around.”
“She can’t touch Ethan! Even though he lost, he’s still the prince regent!” Odette cried.
“She has power, though,” Kiara mused. “And now that she’s going to be future queen, she could get away with it.”
“So we’re just going to have to keep lying to the boys?” Odette whined. “This doesn’t seem fair.”
I took a heavy breath. “It’s not fair. But the more the boys know, the more danger they’re in. We have to keep this between ourselves. At least until we find a way to deal with Gabby. And you guys can’t tell Ethan she bullied me like this. He’ll lose his fucking mind.”
Odette and Kiara nodded in unison. Delmare made a scoffing noise. “That’s putting it lightly. You tell Ethan that Gabby threatened you, he’s going to tear this palace down to get to her. That boycannotcontrol his temper when it comes to you.”
“Exactly. He’ll make a scene and it’ll land us in even hotter water. So this stays between us. Promise?” I asked.
“Promise,” the girls said in unison. We pinky-swore— because, really, that was a magic in itself that nothing should break—to seal the deal.
“I have to go,” Kiara said, looking at her phone. “I have class in a half-hour.”
“We’ll walk with you.” The three of us followed Kiara (though Odette more or less waltzed) out of the parlor room and into the hallway. We dropped Kiara off at her class and decided to hang out in the Rec Room. I didn’t have another class until that afternoon, so I had some time to kill.
Delmare, Odette and I spent our time until lunch having an air-hockey tournament, until we got hungry enough to grab a quick bite from the cafeteria around eleven. Stefan and Theo were there, getting takeout. Though they didn’t stop to say hi, both of them waved. Odette had the nerve to blow a kiss to Theo, and his cheeks turned pink.
By the gods. What was I gonna do with this girl?
Stefan winked at Delmare as we passed— Delmare ducked her head and looked away. Stefan frowned, seemingly embarrassed.
“What’s the deal with you?” I asked as we moved through the lunch line. I piled shrimp cocktail high on my plate as I said, “You could at least acknowledge he’s alive.”
“I’ve already told you. I don’t need a guy,” Delmare said. “I just need space.”
I don’t think an Arcanea in the existence of ever had said that, until Delmare. “Why are you avoiding him? He’s into you.”
Delmare gave an obnoxious noise. “I’m not into him.”
“You’re a liar.” I fucking knew that Delmare liked Stefan. She had a crush on him, at least. That much had been obvious at the King’s Ball last year. I couldn’t figure out why she was pushing him away.
Delmare blushed, but she rearranged her features and said, “You’re looking too far into it.”
“He could be your mate,” I offered. “Why don’t you give him a chance?”
Secretly, I was a bit jealous. If Delmare and Stefan were mates, they could tell each other. They could show their affection without all this stuff hanging over their heads, like Ethan and I. Their love wouldn’t have to be a performance put on for the entertainment of other people.
“I’m not ready to have a mate. I like my privacy,” she said.
“Why can’t you go on one date with him? It’s not going to kill you, and I know you’ll have fun,” I said.
