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“That’s… good to hear,” I floundered, still off-footed from this whole exchange.
Not that I had never encountered a queen before.Just never one with a single shred of decency.
“So you have a way to make me big again?” Why did my chest feel tight when I asked that?
She nodded. “You are welcome to the tonic which restores your molecules to their original state, so long as you swear an oath on your life to never reveal the existence or location of Ellaria.”
“Of course,” I rasped out. The queen gave me a waiting expression, and I said the rest. “I swear on my life to never reveal the existence or location of Ellaria.”
She held my gaze with her own assessing one, before nodding.
“I’ll have the tonic brought as soon as you are ready to leave. It works instantly, so be sure you’re clear of Ellaria before you drink it. No need to terrify our citizens with a giant in their midst.” Her eyes twinkled with amusement.
Clear of Ellaria.Of course I had planned to leave, but this felt like it was happening so fast. I couldn’t quite bring myself to respond, and Lina was similarly close-mouthed.
Aster looked shrewdly between us before she broke the awkward silence.
“Mama, he can’t get big again until after the ball. It will give Lina a chance to say farewell to her friend, and me a chance to have a date other than the stuffy courtiers I go with every year.” She smirked.
The queen eyed her a bit indulgently.
“Aster, Darling, have you even asked our guest if he even wants to stay that long?”
“Please,” Aster looked at me. “It’s just tomorrow night.”
I looked at Lina, still sleepy-faced and wide-eyed, skin a pale shade of silver I couldn’t quite interpret. I could have given myself a thousand excuses, from manners to ensuring Lina really was safe, but I didn’t bother. I knew I wasn’t quite ready to leave yet, even if I was making things worse for myself in the end.
“I’d be happy to.” I dipped my head at Aster.
“Perfect!”
“Oh, and Lina, dear?” The queen arched an eyebrow.
“Yes?” Lina spoke at last, her voice pitched unnaturally high.
“Next time aguestof yours arrives in the middle of the night, you know we would be happy to show him to one of the suites. Aster, you can do that now, in fact.” She turned back to Lina. “Any friend of yours is welcome any time, but perhaps the room of an unmarried princess is not the ideal place for him to stay.”
With that, the queen swept out of the room.
Aster exchanged a look with Lina that clearly said,Yikes.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “She knows nothing happened or even she would have lost control of her colors. She already thinks of you as family, you know, and sometimes, that will mean getting chastised in front of your sexy little human friend with a handful of guards outside when you forgetdecorum.”
“Thanks, Aster.” Lina blanched, but didn’t say anything else in response.
“Anywho, you can dress for breakfast, Lina. I need to take this one to get fitted for a tux for the ball.” The princess looked me up and down before adding. “And something to wear for our outing today.”
Without another word, she grabbed ahold of my arm and tugged me toward the door.
* * *
Aster had been givingme a look far too scrutinizing for my liking while the tailor, Buckthorne, poked and prodded me, pulling his measuring tape around every part of my body.
“I would never really go on a date with someone who spent the night with my friend, you know,” she blurted out casually, when the man stepped out of the room.
In spite of my generally black mood, I found myself smiling at her unveiled honesty, wanting to return it.
“Well, I would never really go on a date with the friend of someone I spent the night with,” I said darkly. Whether it had been technically platonic, Aster clearly knew there were complications. “But it does make me question why you wanted me to stay.”
