Page 91 of Destined Dawn

The girl stares at me with her pale eyes but doesn’t say anything.

I smile, ignoring the way Pip is licking at my ankles. The girl’s gaze drops back down to my pig and then back up to me. I keep on smiling. I bet she thinks I’m mad.

“The pig is yours?” she asks a little unsure.

“Yep, Pip.”

“We have a stable in the palace grounds where livestock are kept.”

“Oh, no, that’s okay. Pip stays with me.” I reach down and pick him up, careful this time not to flash the girl, and Pip licks at my face.

“The pig?”

“Yes, he’s kind of my best friend.”

The girl stares at me unblinking. “You have five fated ones?”

“I do.”

“And you also need a pig friend?”

I frown and decide to change the subject. I take a step closer to her, ignoring the way that seems to alarm her. She probably does think I am mad after all and now I have pig slobber all over my cheek.

“Charmaine, actually, I was hoping you might be able to help me.”

She bows her head in response.

“I’m about to get my, erm, period, and I don’t have any pads or–”

Her pale cheeks redden. “Of course, I’m so sorry we didn’t provide you with this already. How thoughtless of us.”

“Oh, stars, don’t worry about that. But do you think you could get me some?” Everything has happened so quickly the last few days. I didn’t exactly have time to pack a bag, certainly no time to stock up on toiletries.

“Right away,” she says, bowing her head and dashing away.

She returns about fifteen minutes later just when things are getting on the urgent side and my mates are circling the breakfast table. Her arms are full with a box and she gestures towards the bathroom.

“Your Royal Highness,” she murmurs.

“Please, just call me Rhi,” I say following her.

“What’s all that?” Spencer says, pointing towards the box.

“Sanitary stuff for my period,” I say loudly, giving certain other mates some pointed looks.

In the bathroom, I shut the door and Charmaine places the box on the vanity counter next to the sink. She pulls back the lid of the box.

“I wasn’t sure what you needed exactly,” she says, “so I brought you a selection. There’s also chocolate and a hot water bottle inside.”

“Oh my goodness, you are a lifesaver,” I say, diving straight for the nearest bar of chocolate. I unwrap the heavenly stuff and break a corner off, shoving it straight into my mouth and groaning. Charmaine gives me another of those worried looks and I remind myself she has enough reasons to think I’m coo-coo. I break off another chunk and offer it to her. “Want some? It’s amazing. Divine. Possibly better than sex.”

“I couldn’t possibly …” she says, gaze falling to the three squares of chocolate in a longing manner.

“Of course you can.” I shake my hand at her. “Here, take it.”

A little skittishly, like this action is one of the most forbidden in the kingdom, she reaches out and takes the chocolate from my hand, then brings it to her lips and nibbles. Her eyes fall shut.

“See, told you it was good.” I peer back inside the box. There are plenty of other bars and I pluck one out and offer that to her next. “Take a whole bar. There are plenty here.”