Page 5 of Rebellious Royals

There, covered in dirt and plant water, was the Winter Crown. Millions, possibly billions of dollars' worth of gems - and some I was sure weren't even from Earth - had been tucked at the bottom of Spike's pot, and the plant was entrusted to keep it safe.

Considering Spike could sling thorns like bullets? It was probably the safest place for the crown. No one would be able to get close enough to find it except those of us Spike liked. I was near the top of that list. Aspen, naturally, was even higher than me, but Spike wasn't a fan of everyone. Wilder got a pass. Hawke was too nervous to get close to her. Torian made her leaves tense. Keir? Spike reached out to touch him every time he showed up. I thought she had good taste.

"I think," I said, looking over the massive plant with deep blue flowers, "that if we try to tuck her in a corner, it'll look suspicious. Monarch's Assassins are guardians, right? Well, she's guarding the door. If we move her, it'll make people wonder what she's guarding."

"Good point," Aspen said. "What do you think, Spike? Want to stay here?"

The plant wrapped one of its vines around the leg of my desk. To me, that was a pretty clear answer: here was good. Aspen's giggle proved she thought the same. So, after caressing a few of the leaves, my girlfriend made her way over to my bed and flopped down on her back.

"The black mini is a yes," she said, flicking her finger at my closet. "Use the dark green blazer, the white socks, and..." She hummed to herself and waved her hand. "You need some green on a shirt."

"Rain!" Jack said. "Rain, Rain, Rain!"

He was jumping in place excitedly, so when the door to my wardrobe opened, I wasn't overly shocked. When I saw my shadow reaching for a shirt, however? Letting out a heavy sigh, I made my way over to see which one it was looking at.

"Oh, I like that one!" Aspen agreed. "Let me just..." And she wiggled her fingers a little more.

I barely had the thing in sight before pale white embroidery began to curl across the collar and down the part with the button holes. Then green joined it, adding a very subtle accent. Leaves and vines, of course, but shadowed crows were mixed in with all of it.

"Snowflakes," I told her. "The leaves look too summery, Aspen. I need some Winter icons on here too."

"Oh!" she squealed. "I can do that!"

Sure enough, more designs appeared. These were almost silver. Pale, but like a metallic white. Just enough sparkle to catch the eye, but not enough to break the uniform rules. Nodding, I hung the shirt on the outside of the wardrobe, making it clear I was going to wear it.

"Looks like your magic is behaving," I pointed out.

"Yeah," she agreed. "But that's the weird thing."

"Court!" Jack said. "Court-court."

"I don't think being on the court is a part of it," Aspen told him.

But Jack shook his head, proving she had that wrong. "Court..." he said, looking right at her. "Court!" And he flapped his wings, making a ruckus.

"You mean because she's the queen now?" I guessed.

He slung his beak up and down. "Jack! Court! Shadow!"

"And I have no clue about that one," I admitted as I crawled onto my bed to curl up beside Aspen.

"Torian says claiming the crown gives me more access to power," Aspen explained. "I thought it would be a problem. You know, since my control isn't great."

Jack shook his head vehemently.

"I think that might not be the case," I teased as I slipped my arms around her. "But how are things in your head? Any better?"

She shrugged. "My brother's a mess."

"Knew that."

Which made her grin. "Wrong kind of mess." But her body stilled.

I simply reached up to push a few locks of her silvery hair away from her face. "So he's still in there, huh?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "It's better, but we burned open the connection between us." Then she tensed back to see me better. "Not intentionally, I mean. It was when the Huntsman had me."

I groaned. "Ok, that makes so much more sense. A magic thing?"