Page 38

I turned to find Aspen locked in a staring contest with another woman. The woman who’d spoken those words. Her face matched her voice perfectly, all fake smiles and smug glances. A heavy dress bag hung over her arm.

“What do you want, Lavinia?” Aspen said tightly.

“From you? Nothing.” Lavinia laughed. “Here I was, just picking up my gown for tonight, and who do I find here? The most unexpected person imaginable.” The smirk sizzled on her lips. “I don’t know why you’re even bothering getting a gown, Aspen. There’s no reason for you to go to the Ball at all. You won’t be participating in the Princess Games. You don’t even have your paperwork ready.”

Aspen stood there, so cool and collected. So regal. I felt the urge to express outrage on her behalf. Yes, and that outrage would be best delivered via a punch to Lavinia’s pretty little plastic face.

But I didn’t do that. I couldn’t. The only real way to strike back at Lavinia—the only way to make her pay for being such an insufferable menace—was to get Aspen’s name on that princess list.

As Lavinia left the shop, she turned to fire a parting shot. “You were meant to remain forever trapped, Aspen,” said the snotty princess. “It would have been better for everyone if you’d just stayed in that tree like you were supposed to.”

And with that said, Lavinia left the shop.

Gods, she was as sweet as acid, wasn’t she?

“Don’t worry,” I told Aspen, more determined than ever before to help her. “That woman is about to be booted out of the Princess Games.”

“Oh?” she replied. “I haven’t heard anything about that.”

“It hasn’t happened yet, but it will,” I said, a plan taking seed in my mind. “We’re going to kill two birds with one stone. We’re going to get Lavinia kicked out of the running for Queen. And while we’re at it, we’re going to make sure that you take her place.”

“How are you going to do that?”

I flashed her a grin. “With the help of an old friend.”

CHAPTER 4

THE ROYAL NOTARY

We left Sierra and Angel behind at the shop to supervise Nero’s continued tuxedo search. Our next stop was the royal notary. We had to get Aspen’s papers in order so she was qualified to take Lavinia’s place when the snotty little princess got herself kicked out of the running for Queen. Unfortunately, the notary’s receptionist was proving somewhat of a challenge.

“Princess Aspen, you say?” She made a big show of checking the appointment calendar. “I’m sorry, you’re not on the list.”

But I wasn’t backing down. “I’m sure the notary can spare just a few minutes?—”

“Mr. Barrens is very busy,” the receptionist cut me off. “If you want to see him, you will need to make an appointment, just like everyone else.”

“Ok, then make us an appointment,” I said.

“What time works for you?” she asked.

“How about right now?”

The receptionist continued her show of looking through the calendar. “Mr. Barrens is really quite booked up. The earliest he can possibly see you is…” She flipped through the pages. “…in five years.”

This was ridiculous.

“Ok, let’s just cut to the chase.” I started slapping gold coins onto the table. “How many coins will it take for you to ‘find’ us an appointment for this afternoon?”

The receptionist pretended to look offended. “You are attempting to bribe an agent of the Crown!” she said, her chest puffed out.

I shrugged. “I suggest you take the gold.”

She pulled a gun on me. Seriously? What was wrong with this woman?

I considered her coolly. “Put that away before you hurt yourself.”

That’s when the crazy bitch shot me in the shoulder. Luckily, my jacket was bulletproof. It was such a pain in the ass to dig bullets out of my body.