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“Now let’s get out of here. This place is giving me the creeps,” he growled.
When I wasn’twith Jace, I spent time in my art studio, painting like crazy. Almost from the minute I returned from Ironhelm, I couldn’t stop the ideas from flowing from my hand to the canvas, and I didn’t squander my inspiration.
One afternoon, ten days after we returned, I heard voices in the hall outside the studio through my open ear. Popping the other earbud from my head, I padded toward the ajar door and listened as the chatter grew louder.
“…his father, that’s for sure,” one of the maids said to the other as they dusted the pictures on the wall, their backs to me.
“No, he’s not. His father was the first one in the cabinet every single morning—even on weekends. King Jace can’t even get his first whore out of his bed by noon.”
Both of the servants laughed, and my neck stiffened.
"You think this engagement will stick?” the first maid asked the other one.
“Who knows? I mean, she’s not really in his league, is she?”
I stepped out of my studio before I could stop myself and cleared my throat loudly. They whirled around in unison, blood draining from their faces collectively.
“M-Miss Elix,” the first one sputtered. “Can we help you, miss?”
“Yes,” I replied coldly. “You can tell me why you’re collecting a paycheck from the king and talking shit about him behind his back.”
Her friend released a squeal of humiliation, taking a step back, but I advanced on them both, fire in my eyes. “Well?” I demanded. “Can you tell me that?”
“I—you must have misheard us…”
“Oh, then please, do tell me what I misheard.” I retorted furiously, my hands raising as if I were about to perform a spell on them. They screamed and cowered. “If you feel that poorly about King Jace, why are you working for him?”
“I—we don’t!”
“You don’t know anything about the kind of fae his father was,” I continued, my words like whiplash. “Jace is ten times the fae he was!”
“Elix…”
I whirled around to see Jace behind us, and the maids took the opportunity to flee, the footsteps retreating as I faced him, shaking.
“They were talking shit about you—about us!” I growled.
“I know,” he sighed, striding toward me, his hands extended, but to my shock, a small smile touched the edges of his mouth.
“What do you mean, you know?” I countered. “Why are you smiling?”
“It’s household gossip, Elix,” he told me, gathering me in his arms. “You’re bound to hear some talk about you, too.”
“NO! It’s unacceptable,” I insisted as he tilted his head back to stare down at me.
“I love your passion,” he told me. “And your loyalty.”
My heart fluttered, my breaths evening. “It’s not right. You should fire them.”
“I will,” he agreed. “I don’t stand for disrespect in this palace. But you can’t get yourself worked up every time you hear it.”
I scowled. “They talk as if your father was the bigger man somehow.”
Sadness crossed over Jace’s face, but he brushed his mouth against mine, preventing me from getting any angrier, and his kiss immediately did what it was designed to do… melt away all of my upset.
“It doesn’t matter what anyone says,” he rasped when he lifted his head. “You and I know the truth, don’t we?”
I nodded, still distinctly irritated, but I also trusted what Jace had to say. We didn’t have to listen to anyone as long as we believed in each other.
