I pretend to sleep, and like clockwork, Moth sneaks out of the room. This time, I creep down the dimly lit hallways until we reach the library. Because the heck if I’m not going to find out where he’s been going all these nights. Pausing at the door, I listen for voices, hearing only the scratch of a quill on parchment.
He’s hunched at the large desk, his dark curls pinned away from his face. Whatever he’s writing is taking his whole focus. Transfixed on his beauty, I stand frozen in the doorway, noting the way the shade of the ribbon that holds back his hair matches his eyes. Moth writes as if the whole world has fallen away. With every stroke of the quill, the creases in his brow fade. I gulp. Is he angry journaling? I stand in the hallway until my legs ache, and my curiosity gets the best of me.
“So, this is what you’ve been up to every night?” I say, breezing through the door. When it closes behind me, I expect something—anything—but a pin could drop in this room, and it would sound as loud as afirework.
“You didn’t say a word to me all night—and now you’re what?” I move toward the desk, and he snaps his notebook shut with a growl.
“I merely honored yourrequest.”
“You’relikeso stubborn.” I stomp, giving him a sharp look. I cannot believe this. “Anddid you seriously just growl at me?”
“You normally like it when I growl,” he muses thoughtfully—arrogantly.Jerk.
“That is not the vibe right now!”
“Heather—”
“You know what?I’mgoing to bed.”
“Fine,” he says through pursed lips.
“Fine!” I snap, puffing my wings out as I stomp back toward our room, secretly hoping he follows me so we can talk through whatever isgoing on.
But since he’s so good at honoring my requests, he doesn’t. And when he creeps back into the room after writing god knows what, he sleeps like a rock.Rude.
Meanwhile, I toss and turn, shifting my wings back and forth, unable to find a comfortable spot. The front of my ankles pop with each movement, but nothing gives the sore joints or my tense wings relief.
I rise into a sitting position, letting a giant sigh fall out of my mouth. I hate this.
As pissed at I am at Moth for uh… I don’t even know anymore, I’d rather not disrupt his rest. His day sucked before our fight. The least I can do is let him sleep some of the stress off. Slinking out of bed, I gather up my pillow and blanket, my joints screaming with each step and the dizziness building at the base of myforehead.
I snuggle up on the chaise by the window. The glow of the night sky blazes through the curtains, creating a cool light across my skin. Except, when I catch myself in the mirror, I don’t bask in the beauty of the moment.
The girl in my reflection is way too tiredfor that.
16.
“Argh!” I groan, my weapon once again cast aside by Holly. I came back out here thinking maybe swinging a sword around would be good stress relief. But wow, no. After getting knocked on my back for the third time in the last fifteen minutes, I think I’ll keep online shopping as my vice.
“Your moves are more reckless than last time,” she says, unimpressedas usual.
“I think it’s time for us to both call it—the sword girl life is not for me.”
“I did not assume it would be,” she says, giving me a pointed look. “And might I remind you, you’re the one who called me out here.”
Well, thanks for the encouragement.
“Perhaps next time your unexplained rage can be taken out on a embroidery,” she says with a shrug. “Besides, when my brother is king, you will not be without guards for even a moment. This is not a skill you need to trouble yourself with—unless you find it amusing, and clearly you do not.”
“But what about you?”
Her lips pick up into a grin. “I enjoy the dance.” Holly pivots before gesturing for me to attack. Ugh, Ithoughtwe were done.
“That’s the only reason?” I press, swinging—and missing—before dodging another one of her attacks. Geez, she’s fast!
“I do not have a second form I can use—should there be a battle,” she answers. The honesty—and her quick strike—knocks me off balance. “But even those who do sometimes choose not to fight. We have guarded Mother like a jewel for as long as I canremember.”
I pause. Now that I think about it, even when Queen Plume sends her guards away, they’re always just outside the door. The constant security might be comforting, but what about privacy? Knowing there’s always someone outside our bedroom listening might put a damper on our sex life. Unless you’re into that sort of thing, and the guards are too… “What if Moth doesn’twanttobe king?”
