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“You’re such a jerk,” I say with a laugh.
“I know, but it’s why I’m the favorite.” Her smile slips off her face. “But you do know that for a big brother, you’re pretty amazing, right?”
“You think?”
“I know so. You’ll be a great king.” She holds my stare for a few moments, letting the words sink in. “Pity you won’t be a handsome king.”
I bark out a laugh and she does too. “You talk so much shit, Orlena. Our poor mother.”
“Bah, she’s fine. I think she secretly enjoys it despite all the motherly scoldings.”
We both avoid mentioning the other parent. Orlena isn’t totally wrong, of all my siblings, she and I have the most in common. We’re both nothing like what the king wanted, and we’re both stuck heeling to him until I take the throne.
“If you could do anything, what would you do?”
She shrugs. “Easy. I’d join the army.”
Humming, I take in the seemingly casual way she sits. Orlena plays nonchalant well, but the leathers and holsters full of weapons make it clear where her heart lies. Our father will never let her have what she wants.
“You’d be a good warrior.”
“You made sure of that,” she says with a nod. “Oh, by the way, Daisy wanted to see you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?” I stand, preparing to leave then realize I don’t know where she is.
“Because,” Orlena rises from her seat, “I knew you’d hurry to leave and I wanted to talk to you.”
Dammit. There it is again. Me being more like my father than I care to admit. I don’t want anyone to feel like they have to corner me to get my attention.
“I haven’t been a very good brother lately, have I?”
“Sometimes you have to take care of yourself. I get that. I’m not mad. Just remember to make time for the rest of us, okay?”
“I promise.”
She nods and walks toward the door. “Come along, your mate is tiny but she is mighty. Wouldn’t want to piss her off.”
* * *
Orlena leadsme to the private cave I love and leaves me with a parting punch to the shoulder. I rub the spot and wait for a centaur carrying a basket of fruits to pass before stepping into the cave, finding Daisy on a large blanket full of food. She pops a grape into her mouth and wiggles her fingers at me.
I sit beside her and grab a grape of my own. “I thought you were busy today.”
“That was a lie,” she admits. “I needed time to get the surprise ready.”
“Is this the surprise?”
She spreads her hands before her. “A picnic with your favorite human.”
“Myonlyhuman,” I say, plucking her from the blanket and dropping her into my lap so her back rests against my stomach. “What’s a picnic?”
“It’s where you eat somewhere that isn’t at home. Usually it’s a park, but I asked your sisters where your favorite place was and they brought me here.” She pushes her red hair away from her forehead. “It’s humid, but I see why you like it. Maybe we could hide in here forever?”
“Hmm. We could do that but what happens when you need to poop?”
“Good point. There’s not exactly a special room for that like there was on our mountain or in our room.”
“Our mountain?”
