Page 44

Chapter 14

“Come on! Get out of bed!” Halen pulls on my arm, but I pull harder.

“I’m not getting out of bed.”

“It’s been two days. You’re going to fail your classes—king’s daughter or not.” She continues yanking on me. “Will you at least tell me what has you so upset?”

“I already told you, I can’t speak of it.” I pull my arm from her grasp and bury myself under the covers.

“You can’t even tell me? I won’t tell anyone.”

“I’m sworn to secrecy.” I’ve spent the last two days in bed, refusing to go anywhere. Haven’t practiced for the sparring competition or the pageant. Haven’t gone to any classes or studied for the exams. None of it matters. I’m probably going to be forced back to my life on land. Sure, I’ll be thrilled to see Mom and Ivy again, but it’ll kill me to leave Bash and Halen behind. Not to mention figuring out what all the Queen Sirena stuff really means.

The mattress shifts as Halen sits next to me. “Bash says he’s going to come visit after band practice. I think he’s hurt that you’ve been avoiding him.”

“I’m not avoiding him. It’s complicated, and I can’t talk about it.”

“Either way, you’d better get dressed because he’ll be here soon. And not to be mean, but you don’t look your best. I’m sure you don’t want him seeing you like this.”

I pull the pillow over my face. “I don’t care.”

Halen yanks it off. “You and I both know that isn’t true.” She grabs a handheld mirror from my nightstand and shoves it in my face.

I grimace at the sight. My hair is knotted and sticking out in all directions, dark circles decorate the skin under my eyes, and two-day-old makeup is smeared across my face. Then there’s a sprinkling of blemishes forming on my nose and forehead. I definitely don’t want my gorgeous-as-Hades boyfriend seeing me like this.

I sit up. “Fine. You win.”

“Good. It’s about time you get up. I’m also done bringing you food.”

“That’s fine. Most of it’s still in the fridge if I get hungry.”

“You’re impossible, you know that?”

“I can’t face anyone else.” I push past her and sit at my vanity and wipe off the makeup. Try to run a brush through my hair. It’s all pointless. I need to get cleaned up. “How long until Bash gets here?”

Halen glances at the time. “Thirty minutes?”

“Hold him off.” I race to the shower. And yes, I know it seems unnecessary while underwater, but it really isn’t. Still need to soap up and get clean.

By the time Bash knocks on the door, I’m presentable.

Halen opens the door while I add a clip to my hair and double-check my makeup. My friend gasps. “Mrs. Middlebrooks, what are you doing here?”

My heart sinks. She’s just about the last person I want to see. But the fact that she’s alive and back at the academy gives me hope that my dad must be okay.

Middlebrooks enters and looks at me through the mirror. “Where have you been? Your teachers say you haven’t been to classes. Haven’t shown up at your practices.”

“What’s the point?”

“You need to pass your classes and win the competitions.”

I spin around and narrow my eyes. “What’s the point?”

Her expression tightens. “People are starting to talk.”

“About what?”

“You missing everything.”