Guzzling it down, she spit it out when it burned her throat, coating the plate of pastries in a thin layer of regurgitated tea. The coughing fit didn’t end, and she pounded on her chest, unable to breathe in the tight dress. Once it finally subsided, she built up the courage to look at her aunt—the queen—which still seemed ridiculous to her.
The queen was too slow to cover up her look of horror, and Brea couldn’t blame her. It was the moment Regan realized she’d made a huge mistake, that her niece wasn’t fit to clean the floors of a palace, let alone live in one.
“I’m sorry, they didn’t teach etiquette at the Clarkson Institute,” Brea blurted.
Griff shook in silent laughter, the grim expression he’d worn since seeing his brother gone. She had the urge to reach out and punch him, but that would probably be frowned upon—just like spitting her food all over the queen’s impeccable table.
A brown stain spread over the white lace tablecloth where tea dripped from the corner of her plate. Brea couldn’t take her eyes from the evidence that she didn’t belong here.
A slow smile overtook the disgust on the queen’s face, and before long, she joined Griff in his laughter, the sound high and vibrant like the tinkling of a waterfall.
Brea clasped and unclasped her hands in her lap, not knowing exactly what to do. She absently picked up her scone again before staring at it in accusation and setting it down. “The scone was dry.” She cringed at her words. “I just mean… at Starbucks, they’re more like cake. I wasn’t expecting a biscuit, and I bit off too much, but then the tea was hot, and—”
Griff cut her off. “We saw it play out, Brea. We don’t need another account.”
Brea scooted her chair back and stood. “I’m so sorry, Auntie. I wanted to make a good impression, but this is all a little too much. I’ll understand if you want to send me back—not like I have much to go back to other than a murder charge for killing my best friend and parents who think I’m insane.” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Please forget I told you about that. I’m not a murderer. I swear. I miss Myles, and it was my fault, but I didn’t mean to kill him. I swear.”
“Brea.” Griff raised a brow. “You’re rambling.”
“I know!” she burst out before clapping a hand over her mouth again. “I just yelled in front of a queen. It’s just, I ramble. I’m clumsy. Sometimes I even talk to myself. I’ve lived my entire life with people telling me the things I see aren’t real. This is who I am, Aunt Regan. I’m totally not calling you Auntie because I’m not a hundred. Do you want me to stay or not?”
The queen’s keen eyes didn’t stray from her face as she studied her. “Yes, dear. I knew all these things about you already.” She stood. “You will stay. But I believe you could do with some rest. I will send my own personal Lady’s maid to look after you.”
“But I already have maids.”
“The triplets are wonderful housemaids, but they can be a bit… over stimulating, and they haven’t trained as Lady’s maids yet. You will still see them from time to time, but I think Neeve will be a perfect fit for you, dear. Griff, please escort Brea back to her rooms.”
Griff stood and bowed at the waist. “Yes, your Majesty.”
The queen bustled away in a swish of skirts, her heels sounding against the floor in her retreat.
“She hates me.” Brea flopped face first onto the bed, yanking at the bottom of her dress so it stopped pulling on her.
“She doesn’t hate you.” Griff hesitated in the doorway. “She just doesn’t want to overwhelm you.”
“Or overwhelm herself.” Her parents never let her forget what a burden she’d been to them with her hallucinations and outbursts. “I don’t want to be a burden anymore.” Tears gathered in her eyes, but she blinked them away.
“Is that really what you think?” Griff stepped into the room and shut the door. His long strides brought him to the edge of the bed. “That you’re a burden?”
Brea sat up and shrugged.
Griff’s eyes met hers. “Brea, you’re wanted here. I don’t know everything you’ve gone through in your life, but that’s over.” He bent so they were eye-level. “This is your home now.”
“Can you sit with me for a little while?” She patted the spot beside her.
“On your… bed?” He jumped back. “I shouldn’t even be in here. It’s not proper.”
“Please?” She didn’t care what was proper in this world. As recent as a few months ago, she’d spent the night at Myles’ house sharing his double bed. They’d never questioned it. “I’m not asking you to sleep with me, Griff. This place is so different than what I’m used to. At your house, I could imagine I was on some idyllic vacation. But this, here, is real, foreign. I can’t do it alone.”
“You’re not alone.” He sat beside her.
She nodded. “Okay, talk to me about anything else to make me forget I spat tea at the queen.”
He laughed. “I haven’t been that entertained at a tea in… ever.” He bumped her shoulder. “Okay… something different. Confession time. Seeing Lochlan here in this palace completely messed with my mind.”
She swatted his arm. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me he was your brother. I knew you guys were familiar from your fight in the woods over yours truly, but brothers? Talk about whoa.” She paused. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He sighed. “Our family is complicated.”
“I understand complicated. Try me.”
“I lied to you before. Well, I don’t think I actually said I’m Fargelsian… maybe just implied.”
“You’re not from here?”
He shook his head. “Do you remember I told you about the three kingdoms of the fae world?”
She nodded.
“The frozen kingdom is Iskalt. Lochlan and I were born at the ice palace to the king and queen.”
“You’re a prince?” Her jaw dropped. “A real, honest to god prince?”
“Was. Our parents died when we were children, and our uncle took the throne. He sent us away, me to be raised in the Gelsi court and Lochlan to be raised in Eldur. It was a compromise, a way for the other kingdoms to allow my uncle to remain king. We were supposed to bring the kingdoms together.”
“But that didn’t happen.”
“No, it didn’t. Lochlan hates me. Really, he hates everything. I’ve never been able to get through to him. When I saw him in the human realm with you in his possession, I realized the Eldur queen wanted you as well.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “We don’t know. Maybe Loch being here will give us some answers. Whatever the reason, it can’t be good. Queen Faolan of Eldur is born of fire. She can’t be trusted, and neither can my brother. That is why I didn’t tell you.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I didn’t want you to think less of me because of him.”
The corner of Brea’s lips twitched up. “I couldn’t think less of you, Griffin O’Shea.” Her eyes found his as she turned her head. “I don’t claim to be the authority on genuine people, but I would bet my last horse you’re one of the good ones.”