Page 97 of Rebellious Royals

I paused tapping at my desk. "Have the staff reinforce the building's protections. We've been focused on the Hunt for too long. We need to make sure we're able to withstand an attack from our own kind as well."

She dipped her head again. "Yes, General."

"Thank you, soldier," I replied much too easily.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

RAIN

Over the next few days, things were weird. That was the best word I had for it. Too many people wanted to grovel to Torian. Needless to say, he wasn't impressed. Instead - thankfully - he went out of his way to be nice to the various Winter users he came across.

Aspen had gotten a few death threats, though. One had been slipped under her door, but we hadn't found it right away because we'd both been in my room. But face-to-face, people weren't really going out of their way to give her shit. Most were gaping, but that was better than shoving or screaming at her.

And the sentinels had noticed the change as well. On Monday, Bran cornered me the moment I walked into the gym to make sure the stories were real. Not that their ranks were a surprise, but that Torian had made a scene in the dining hall? He'd been sure someone was telling lies.

Pascal smugly pointed out that Torian liked to make a scene when he could. It had started with Harper, back when she'd tried to pit him and Keir against each other. Then he'd attacked the jesters, and now he'd made it clear he really was royalty. Likely, the jesters regretted ever putting that title on his group of friends.

For the court, this meant we had to be even more careful. None of us left our rooms alone. Not for any reason. Torian was already grumbly about that, but Keir shrugged it off.

"He's kinda cute when he's not getting his way," he'd told me as we walked back to the main building after practice on Tuesday.

"That," I countered, "is not cute, Keir."

"Sure it is." He flashed a grin at me. "He gets all growly and smoldering. Now tell me you don't have a thing for smoldering."

"I don't."

"Hawke?" he countered.

Damn. Ok, he had a point. "Ok, I didn't realize I did," I tried next.

Which made Keir bump his shoulder into mine. "I think you scare Hawke a bit, though."

"Me?"

"Mhm." Keir looked like he was enjoying this immensely. "Now, here's the reason I'm amused by that: he's a jevadu. That's an actual monster, Rain. I mean, imagine if a vampire and a fallen angel had a love child, then gave it fae magic."

"Have you been reading my romance books?" I teased.

He chuckled. "No, but I know the genre tropes. I mean, I'm basically a walking example, aren't I?"

"Mm." I reached over to take his hand, lacing my fingers between his. "I think you might count as the golden retriever type."

"Mighty warrior," he countered.

"Doesn't mean you can't be both." I glanced back to make sure the rest of the court were still meandering in basically the right direction. "So what are you going to do about this crush you have on the arrogant prince, oh lowly peasant boy?"

He pulled his hand free and slapped it over his chest in mock horror. "You don't think I'm worthy of royalty?"

"Oh, are youonlyinterested in those of regal birth?" I teased in return. "What's a poor nobody to do, unable to catch your eye?"

And he rushed in, catching me around the waist with both arms. "The Morrigan is pretty much the opposite of 'nobody,' Rain. I mean, I dunno. I think she might be more like the main character. Or at least part of the cast."

"Oh,youwant to be a main character!" I taunted next.

But Keir pulled me to a stop. "No, I'd actually like to be one of your supporting cast." Then he reached up to smooth away a loose strand of my hair. "And I've missed this. I feel like we're always going two different directions, needing to focus too hard for me to laugh with you like I want."

"Kiss her!" Aspen's voice called across the grass.