Chapter 71
Preysee flies into my room in a panic. “Roachy bastards,” she mumbles as she hurls my covers off me.
The brisk air bites my exposed skin.
“Good morning?” I say, trying to organize my schedule in my mind. Breakfast, training, tutor session—which I’m excited about because I have a theory for Thaddeus—
Preysee shakes her head and tugs me off the bed. “Not a good morning, my lady. Your final duel has been moved to now. Decreed by King Rajim and King Tigous.”
My feet stop moving as Preysee’s still tugging. “What? Why?”
“Because they can.” She lets go of my arm to draw a quick bath—no fancy oils, just soap. She yanks out a towel and hairbrush as the water fills the giant tub, then she bustles to my closet.
“To catch me off guard?”
A muffled reply comes from the depths of my closet, “I’d bet gold ren on it.”
She emerges with my favorite set of duel leathers. Black with metal spikes down each arm and an X belt down the front that holds more daggers than any other suit.
“They only need two kings in favor of a schedule change,” she says, pointing me to the bath. “Zem is still bitter about your stunt at the Winter Rave, and Zo is no doubt resentful they lost the tournament again, so they want to get it over with.”
I climb into the water while she drops my leathers onto my chair that’s still slid out of the way from Dae.
Dae!
He’s gone for the day.
“When is my duel?”
Preysee dips the loofa in the water and begins scrubbing me. “The cars leave in thirty minutes.”
I yell out to him in my mind, but he’s gone.