Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Boden
Seated under the largest oak tree, I survey the party. We crushed it. Katri outdid herself. I’ll have to thank that girl—she always comes through, meets expectations. Next year I’ll be too busy with my Challenge Epoch to put effort into something as menial as an institute party.
I have to stick to The Plan. The Plan, of course, is to increase my popularity in the polls throughout the realm.
In order to do this, I have to be effortlessly perfect.
I need to engage in charity, social events, and public speeches as well as write and implement public policy.
I must remain number one in combat, uphold my perfect grade point average, and go undefeated in Sciathán.
All so I can go unchallenged for the Throne of Light. It’s a lot to juggle, but I’m a Lamont.
I’ve been working toward this goal since I was a toddler. It is all I’ve known, it is all I’ve ever wanted. It is what I was made for, and nothing will stand in my way. Certainly not the daughter of a traitor who wouldn’t know her ass from her nonexistent wings.
I explicitly told Michi to stay away from her, and here he is, arm around her waist and whispering in her ear. I consider screaming at them both and banning them from the party.
What’s he thinking? Not only is she strictly off-limits, but she’s not even a Transformare.
It’s not like they have any kind of future.
I know his family; there’s no way they would approve of anyone who isn’t a lion shifter.
Moreover, anything serious with her is outright illegal due to the cross-kingdom laws.
Why would he risk pissing me off for an easy lay?
Is he trying to get back at me for fucking Crystal when they were sort of talking?
Once again, he had no shot at long term with Crystal either.
Everyone knows you can fuck around outside of your kingdom, but you can’t be anything official.
It’s an unwritten rule that sex means nothing without an official courting agreement.
They’re at the bar; Lena’s laughing and smiling up a storm.
I’ve never seen her laugh. It’s captivating in an irritating sort of way.
She shouldn’t be over there fucking enjoying herself.
She should be in the library studying everything about our world.
Just like Callum and I had to do for the last two decades.
But she’s too good for hard work, isn’t she?
Living as a flighty human and ignoring her magica existence, doing whatever she wants. Showing up to my party, with my friend.
“Callum!” I call them over to where I’m sitting in a wingback chair at the center of our group. “Aren’t you supposed to be on babysitting duty?”
“I am, obviously.” They flick their fingers in dismissal.
“She’s over at the bar laughing.” I give them an exasperated look.
“And I can see her from here,” Cal says. Even though their face is the picture of cool indifference, I know Cal’s annoyed by the way they tap their fingers.
“She’s laughing.” I curl my lip. “Why is she laughing? She shouldn’t be laughing.”
“Bo, she’s allowed to laugh.” Cal’s expression turns bored.
Their mouth is set with casual apathy, but their fingers are still tapping.
“She’s allowed to not be completely miserable.
” Cal’s probably annoyed that she’s having a good time, too.
I roll my eyes, choosing to redirect my attention.
They agreed to babysitting duty, so I’m off the clock and going to enjoy myself.
“Come on, let’s dance.” I grab the hand of the first girl I see, pulling her to the dance floor. The girl giggles, and I spin her around by her hips so her back’s to me. Suns, that’s an annoying laugh. It’s nasally and high-pitched, nothing like Vladlena’s.
Oh right, this is Crystal. The reason we stopped hooking up is because she laughs like a damn hyena.
I take a gulp of my drink and pull a joint from my pocket.
I need to chill out. I won’t be able to do that while this girl’s cackling like a stereotypical portrayal of a witch.
Human depictions of magicae are wildly offensive: Witches are not green and most do not cackle, fae are not thumb-sized human-bug hybrids, most vampires I know love garlic bread, shifters do not require a full moon, and angels have nothing to do with the human gods.
After a few songs, I trade Crystal out for Camilla.
She’s a better dancer and doesn’t laugh at anything but the misery of others.
Someone brushes my side, and I turn to look down at Vladlena Solis.
My eyes travel up her body. She’s completely underdressed in fake fox ears and a tight cocktail dress that slides over her curves with finesse.
There isn’t a speck of magic on her whole outfit.
Suns, why does she always insist on sticking out? Has she never read a dress code before?
Her hair does look nice tonight. The red is glowing in the light of the bonfire.
I gaze over her head at Michi, who’s smirking at me, like he wants to get punched in the jaw for disregarding my orders.
Technically, since he’s not my constituent, the authority granted to me by social expectation only stretches so far.
Still, I have a feeling Teariki wouldn’t be too happy with this turn of events.
I snap a picture of them dancing and send it to the group chat.
Boden: I made it known that no one was to touch Solis. Ariki, you might need to set your citizen straight.
Boden: Michi needs to keep his paws to himself.
Teariki: WTF? Is his hand on her ass?
Boden: Yup.
Callum: As I already informed Bo-Bear, she’s allowed to have fun.
Teariki: He’s not bothering her?
Callum: Only if you find flirting and dry humping bothersome.
Nik: Which we all know you don’t. Those are like your two favorite things.
Teariki: My humping is never dry!
Someone bumps into me, and my phone is thrown from my hand. “Watch it!” I shout into the crowd. Great, just great. I bend down, searching for my phone amongst high heels and bare feet. Got it! After picking it up, I dust the grass from the now cracked screen. Damnit!
Boden: Stop getting off
Teariki: I’ll never stop getting off!
My text was sent before I could finish it, and Teariki is not taking this seriously!
Boden: Stop getting off topic!
Nik: Ariki bring my bottle of bourbon back here!
Teariki: Come and take it!
Boden: They shouldn’t be dancing!
Callum: They came to the party together.
Nik: She didn’t seem to mind his arm around her when I saw them earlier.
Vladlena and her friends flail around without any elegance.
I bet she’s never had a sip of fae wine in her life.
I can’t very well prohibit her from having friends completely.
Like Aki. I know Cal likes him, and his parents aren’t nobles, which would be fine, but they’re social climbers.
All the groveling and scheming tend to leave a bad taste in people’s mouths.
Her friend Naomi comes from a pretty prominent family, technically she’s like Teariki’s fourth cousin.
But she’s half human, and magicae tend to be a little, if not outright, speciesist. They have a fourth member of their group, though I can’t for the life of me recall her name. She’s pretty forgettable if I’m honest.
Boden: You’re all missing the point. Kian help me out here?
Kian has left the chat
Nik: Guess who’s in charge now suckers!
Callum: Fuck. We’re doomed.
Nik: Hey you have no idea what I was about to say!
Callum: Please continue.
Nik: Callum is correct, she’s allowed to dance.
Callum: I take it back. Nik’s the voice of reason.
Nik: New policy: Sex dungeons for everyone!
Callum: I take back my take back.
Boden: TOPIC. AT. HAND!
Teariki: She needs to perfect her right hook.
Teariki: If he touches her without her consent, I’ll pull his fucking claws out of his tiny, little, below average sized paws, one by one.
Teariki: You can tell him I said so.
Shaking my head, I head over to the bar.
I just can’t take being in her general vicinity.
I order an Enchanted Oak Old-Fashioned and sip my drink in blissful peace.
Other students talk to me, and I put on my Prince Charming mask.
How’s your family doing? How was your summer in the Hamptons?
I heard you just closed on a new townhouse.
Congratulations on your job in the Devorare court!
Will I see you in the South of France over break?
“You look lonely over here.” Katri’s voice slices through the monotony. She’s cute in an all-white shimmery minidress, her pastel wings on display. I don’t know what she’s supposed to be; I’m not sure if it matters.
“Just surveying my kingdom.” I gesture to the clearing, leaning back against the bar. “Hey, you know you did a great job with all this, right?”
She flashes a cavalier grin. “Yeah, I know.” She tucks her ice blonde hair behind her ear. “So Connor and I had an idea for the evening’s entertainment.”
“Isn’t it a little late to make changes?” I ask. Later in the evening, we’ll have fire fae dancers and sword swallowing performers. A little too bachelor party for my taste, but the group loves a spectacle.
“We were thinking something a little more impromptu.” Katri smirks mischievously. “Where a certain traitor’s daughter becomes the surprise guest of honor.”
“I thought I made myself clear,” I say. “No one is supposed to engage with her.” I scan the dance floor to find Solis, but she’s gone. Of course Callum wouldn’t take their job of babysitting seriously. Anxiously, I glance around the party. Where is she?