Chapter 32
32
I wake up in Scott’s arms, pressed close.
Yes, our position is partly due to the luxurious confines of the twin bed we enjoyed for the night. It’s not the whole story, though. I have to think our proximity has more to do with the new closeness between us. Even if our sleeping situation were suitably sized, I’d want to sleep cozied up with him exactly like this.
I smile to myself. Scott has me romanticizing a mattress the size of a refrigerator. He really is magic.
I start to shuffle out surreptitiously from under the covers, wanting to run to my room to grab my toothbrush without waking him.
I fail. My gentle stirring rouses Scott. His hand, clumsy with sleep, finds my wrist, half caress and half constraint. “You’re not slipping out on me, are you?” he asks. “I was hoping we could get breakfast together.”
“ I was hoping you could join me in the shower in twenty minutes,” I reply.
He wakes up more fully very suddenly. “Yes, that’s a better plan,” he agrees.
I kiss him, lingering on his lips, damning my toothbrush for forcing me to leave his room. While he watches—I feel his gaze on me, content yet wanting—I pull on my dress. It’s early. My phone clock corroborates the soft crispness of the daylight and the quiet in the hall. I slip out and tiptoe barefoot over to my suite. Once inside, I close the door quietly and head for my room—
“Now who’s the traitor.”
Erik’s voice startles me. I whirl, having figured my roommate was sleeping. He sits up on the couch, where it looks like he spent the night. Waiting up for me?
Despite his words, he does not regard me with accusation. No, Erik looks…pleased. Even happy for me.
“I may have joined an enemy alliance,” he pronounces, “but you joined with the enemy.”
I frown, even though, honestly, it’s kind of funny, and his delight in the pun only makes it more so. “Gross, Erik,” I admonish him, not meaning it. Just the reminder of Scott, along with Erik’s unexpected warmth, leave me incapable of holding my grimace for long. “But, yes, I…you’re right. Obviously you’re forgiven and we’re all on the same side now.”
Satisfied, Erik smiles. In the morning light, he stretches his arms over his head, showing off his ridiculous muscles. “Good. One big, happy alliance,” he says.
“Right,” I reply, smiling with him. I have to admit—I guess Erik is my friend, too.
“You can root for me in my duel against Fred,” he goes on, his demeanor changing instantly, serious in strategy. “I know he’ll have most of the guests on his side, so you and Scott need to cheer extra loud for me.”
He stands up from the couch and promptly starts doing shoulder stretches in the middle of the common room, continuing on into pantomiming swings of a sword.
“Duel?” I ask, admittedly concerned despite my morning plans.
“Yes, I’ve challenged Lord Valance himself to a duel,” Erik announces. “It’s scheduled for tonight.”
“Erik…” I say, shoulders slumping, not even sure where to begin.
“It’s not a real duel,” he assures me.
“I should hope not!”
“It’ll be fun,” Erik goes on, heedless of my horror. “I mean, it’ll be very competitive with the highest stakes possible,” he amends. “Brotherly bragging rights. And it’ll be in front of Heather Winters herself. She looked intrigued when I challenged Val in front of her at campfire s’mores. I declared myself an enemy from the Lost Revenants, remember? From the visit Val makes into the Realms Past in Ashen ? I knew she was impressed with my mastery of the lore.”
“Oh, that is clever—” I begin, then stop myself. “I mean, that’s not the point.” Honestly, I really would love to buddy-read something with Erik. Maybe the next Winters release with him, Amelia, Brit, Laurel, and—
“The point is, we had a whole audience watching,” Erik says. Stopping his imaginary sword fighting, he looks me right in the eye, imploring me to understand. “I know this is my chance. I’m not winning the scavenger hunt. And besides, a staged sword fight shows off my real skill set.”
I let out my breath. I know he wants to impress Heather—I understand, I do. Nevertheless…“Is this really the best idea?” I ask. “Perhaps there’s a lesson for you in what happened with me and Scott. That sometimes the person you think is your enemy”—I pause for effect—“is actually your greatest ally.”
Erik makes a face.
“No. No way,” he says. “That’s boring.”
Well, never mind my literary flourish.
“I mean, boring for me,” Erik clarifies. “For you, it’s lovely. We’re all very happy you and Scott are together.”
“Sure you are,” I reply dryly even though Erik’s loving sarcasm lights up familiar fireflies in me. You and Scott are together . “Of course we’ll come support you, Erik,” I say with a sigh, making sure he knows I still don’t approve literally dueling his brother. “Not because we’re in an alliance. Because we’re friends.”
Erik beams.
“But,” I interject before he thanks me, “ because we’re friends, I’m going to insist you have a real conversation with Fred afterward.”
Erik returns to the couch. He eyes me, petulant, while he considers.
“Maybe I prefer being just alliance members to friendship, then,” he poses. The confrontation doesn’t reach his expression. His grin gives him away.
I roll my eyes, fondly chastising. “You love us,” I retort. Erik has no objection.
Leaving him in the common room, I head into my room to change into my robe and grab my shower stuff. As I reach for the hem of my dress, I hear the rustle of paper and feel something unexpected in my pocket. Reaching in, I pull out a folded piece of parchment, the kind all the clues are written on.
Scott , I realize, smiling. He stole a clue from my pocket once. It’s a neat reversal he’s done now.
Sure enough, I recognize his handwriting on the outside fold.
It’s my hope to make all your fantasies come true. Even this one.
Swoon.
I feel my heart swell with joy, not to mention even more eagerness to get into that shower. I collect my towel and set the parchment down without opening it to read the clue inside. Riddles can wait—right now is for certainties.