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Chapter8
“You’re going to get killed if you keep staring at him like that.”
I sputtered and choked on the dry food I’d just absentmindedly stuffed in my mouth and turned my head to the side to find Nicole holding a plate of food with a smirk spread across her face. A repetitive clanging sound had stopped and I realized I’d been tapping my fork against my own plate as I stared at Prince Noah interacting among the other royals.
I glanced down at my plate to see the potatoes stabbed and scattered around like a toddler had been playing with them.
I sat up straighter. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
She cocked an eyebrow at me, as she bumped into me with her hip.
I obeyed the silent gesture, scooting over so she could squeeze in.
“Don’t watch them. Friendly advice.” Nicole said as she began eating her meal. She didn’t waste any time diving right into her food, and she certainly didn’t spend her time taking in the other royals as I had. She just dove right into her plate like nothing in the world was of interest.
I, on the other, hand was obviously the newbie. I couldn’t help watching the people around me. For the first time in my existence I wasn’t worried about sleeping soundly or how much there would be for me to eat. Even though the threats of death seemed to be second nature here. But it didn’t feel dangerous like that. After all, I received hot meals three times a day, comfortable clothes, a bed—everything I could ever want was right here. The only price? My freedom.
But had I ever really been free?
“That starry eyed look on your face means you’re not listening to me.” Nicole’s accent combined with the mouth full of potatoes muffled her speech. “’Specially if the queen sees you. They’ve got zero need for ditzy human girls swooning after the prince.”
“Excuse me?” I spat.
Nicole blinked a few times, then shrugged and continued eating.
I leaned down closer. “Look, I’m not swooning. You don’t know anything about me.” When she didn’t respond, I pressed further. “I was thinking about our role here.”
She didn’t look up at me, and my bravado returned. Something I’d thought I’d all but lost. I didn’t need to explain myself to Nicole.
After a few moments of silence, I picked up my fork and began eating again.
“You get used to everything.”
“What?” I asked.
Nicole put her own fork down and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. “You get used to everything. Especially being taken care of.”
I watched her, but her tone and body language held no signs of sarcasm. I nodded in complete understanding.
She finally looked up at me. “Foster kids recognize their own, right?”
I gave her a small smile. “Right,” I said.
“It took me some time too. I’m just giving you shit.”
In that moment Nicole had revealed everything she needed to. She acted self-absorbed and maybe she was, maybe settling in here gave her the freedom to be who she wanted for the first time in her life. Who was I to judge her for that? She knew more about me than anyone here ever would. Foster kid camaraderie. From the strangest place.
“I meant what I said though.” Nicole leaned closer to me as she spoke. “The only person you need to be wary of is the queen. Everyone else is pretty shallow, too shallow to care much about what we do as long as our roles are done. She,however, is an overprotective bitch with her son and has assumed one too many of us to be in love with him.”
I snorted. “She’s awfully confident in her child.”
“You have no idea.” Nicole laughed.
We settled into easy banter as if we were old friends. The kinship that I felt with her after her reveal of being in the system was unexpected and welcome; our mutual experience changed my view of her.
The group of royals that surrounded Prince Noah scattered momentarily as one of the larger men approached a table two long rows down from us. He touched a woman on the back and she nodded.
She looked uncomfortable and hung her head as they walked back to the pack of privileged.
