Chapter 12 Royal Blood
Royal Blood
Why aren’t you saying anything? Bones murmured in my mind. I thought you’d have things to say about this. A lot of things. Or would you rather I be the bad guy?
I glanced at him surreptitiously.
Nyx, who sat on a nearby armchair, followed my look to Bones.
Clearing my throat, I lifted a bone china teacup to my lips and took a sip of black tea with just a touch of milk and honey.
As always, the tea was perfectly brewed, but honestly, I would’ve drunk it even if it tasted awful.
Despite everything else going on, I was still tired from the night before, and struggling to keep my mind alert and my eyes open.
I was also stalling as I turned Bones’s question over in my head.
Not so much the bad guy, I thought at him, swallowing the tea in my mouth. But maybe I was waiting to see how much you’re willing to tell Luc and Nyx on your own. I feel like I said too much in the lab already, talking about your father like I was.
Feeling him flinch, I flushed, setting down my cup.
When I glanced at him that time, his mouth had firmed into a line. He didn’t look angry. More than anything, he looked puzzled, even surprised.
Setting my saucer and cup on my thigh, I went on thinking at him quietly.
You’ve always been so secretive about anything to do with yourself, even beyond you and me, I added, quieter. Obviously, that’s changed more dramatically than I’d realized, since you’re now forming academic partnerships with friends of mine––
I’ve known Mocking a lot longer than you have, he thought at me sharply.
I paused on that, nodded.
Right, I thought back. I do know that. Luc told me.
My point was more that, two weeks ago, you wouldn’t have been remotely friendly to me in front of Luc or Nyx, or even Alaric.
Again, obviously that’s changed, with your father in prison and everyone making assumptions about the two of us, but I don’t know how much it’s changed, or in what ways.
Even when you were in hospital, you didn’t want me telling Forsooth anything––
About me, he cut in, his mental voice sharper. That was about me, Leda, about what’s wrong with my magic. You still can’t talk about that. At all. I can’t have you saying a word about that to anyone, even Alaric.
I nodded perceptibly, keeping my face carefully neutral.
I understand, I thought back. And frankly, I assumed that was the case.
But is that the only thing? I’ve been trying to figure it out from what you’re saying, but right now, you’re saying a lot more than I would’ve done on my own.
It likely doesn’t help that I was up half the night drinking that lighter fluid your family calls whiskey.
When I glanced at him again, his mouth had firmed a second time.
That time, he looked annoyed.
Maybe more than annoyed.
Just how late were you up with Greythorne? he asked.
I fought the urge to smack him.
We were talking, I thought back. I was still torn between wanting to smack him and wanting to reach for him, but I didn’t dare do either in front of the others.
Last night was the first time I’d seen Alaric since he got taken by his father at the beginning of term.
We ordered dinner and drank and caught up on everything we could in a few hours.
As for why we ended up in your bed, it was snowing too hard to go back to our rooms in Valarian.
I glanced around the high-ceilinged space of Frumpy’s.
I’d honestly thought I’d sleep down here, I added, flushing.
Alaric didn’t think it was safe, and in the end, I agreed with him.
But I should have slept on your couch. I must’ve been drunker than I realized, because I don’t remember getting into your bed at all.
I have no memory of making that decision whatsoever.
He stared at me, his expression unmoving.
I would’ve liked to find you in my bed, he thought quietly. That was pretty much the worst way you could have surprised me with that particular present, Leda.
I smiled at him the smallest bit. You did find me in your bed. Technically.
His thoughts grew icier. I have a few things to say to you about that still, so you might not want to yank my chain too hard on that topic, kitten––
“Are you two talking to one another?” Nyx asked, her voice curious.
I jumped, and nearly spilled my tea.
I managed to surf the cup and saucer off my leg without most of it landing on my lap. I felt my face flush hotter as I gripped the cup’s handle. After glancing at Bones, and seeing his lifted eyebrow, I looked back at Nyx.
“Yes,” I said, clearing my throat. “Sorry, was that rude?”
“A little,” Luc muttered.
When I glanced at him, I saw him looking between me and Bones, a harder suspicion in his blue eyes.
I looked back at Nyx. “It’s just a habit,” I said. “We took Seeing Arts together for a few terms, and it was easier than trying to pass notes without the other royals noticing.”
I felt more than saw Luc flinch at my words.
“Just how long have you two been friends?” he asked. He looked at me, his voice the smallest bit accusing. “You don’t act like this is a new thing. Neither of you do. And you just said you’ve been talking this way for several terms, which certainly sounds like it’s been going on since last year.”
“We couldn’t talk about it, Luc,” I said.
“Not even with us?” he asked, that accusing note sounding a lot more like hurt. “Your friends? What the fuck, Leda?”
I glanced at Bones, maybe for help, but his expression was sphinx-like.
I turned back to Luc. “No. I really couldn’t, which probably will make more sense to you when school is back in session and you see how we’re treated.
” Subduing my voice, I added, “It was too risky. It wasn’t the gossip we were worried about, it was Dark Cathedral.
His father had spies everywhere. It was easier to let everyone think we hated one another. ”
Leaning back in the couch, I glanced at Bones. Was that okay?
It’s fine. It’s all fine with me, Leda. I told you, it’s really only my magic I need you to not talk about with anyone.
He gave me a sideways look, one eyebrow cocked.
If we’re going to work with Mocking and Minh, there’s no point putting on a show of hating one another, or even of not knowing one another well.
He shrugged, his fingers back to stroking Wraith’s head.
As for when school starts up again, that’s up to you, he added, his thoughts neutral.
I nodded, feeling a shiver of relief. I think we should keep it to just us, just this group here, I mean. At least for now.
I really didn’t want to tell Miranda yet, or Jolie, much less Draken.
I just hoped I could convince Luc of the same.
Bones’s thoughts sharpened. If you don’t trust Mocking, you’d better tell me now.
I trust him, I assured him, holding up a hand. I trust him, all right? It’s just they’re his closest friends. The three of them have been best friends since Middle School. It’s not about him being trustworthy. It’s more about asking him to keep things from people he loves.
Well, if that’s what you want, then convince him, Bones thought coldly. Or I will.
I rolled my eyes. I was about to answer back, when I realized everyone was staring at us again. Nyx, Luc, and Alaric were just sitting there, watching us talk.
Nyx grinned at me when I glanced over at her. She raised an eyebrow, propping her chin on her hands, and batted her eyelashes. When I glanced at Luc, I saw that Alaric had leaned forward too, and was looking between Bones and me in open curiosity.
“Are we talking about this now, then?” Alaric asked, when the silence stretched.
“Because I’ve got many, many questions. Many questions,” he emphasized, when Luc gave him a half-irritated look.
“Frankly, I’ve been simply dying of curiosity on this topic since the beginning of last year.
” He looked past me to Bones. “She wouldn’t tell me anything at all last night, Cal. It was infuriating.”
Bones rolled his eyes. “You’re all making far too big of a deal out of this.”
“Are we?” Luc asked, his voice skeptical.
“You are,” Bones said, his voice warning. “And you’d better get over it these next few weeks, because you can’t tell anyone about that, either, not once school starts up again.”
“Everyone thinks it already,” Nyx pointed out.
“No,” Bones said, looking at her. “Everyone suspects it. That’s not the same thing.
If it becomes a known thing, or even a credibly corroborated thing…
say by being confirmed by one of her closest friends…
” Bones added, giving Luc a hard look. “It’ll have a whole different set of repercussions.
Rubbing this in the face of Dark Cathedral isn’t going to do anything to help us. It’s only going to get Leda killed.”
“Or you,” Luc observed.
“Don’t worry about me,” Bones said, a touch colder.
“I’m not,” Luc retorted.
There was a silence while they glared at each other, then I nudged Luc gently with an elbow. I gave him a slightly chiding look, and exhaled.
“Look, Bones is right,” I said, wincing at Luc’s frown.
“There’s no reason to rub it in the school’s face when classes start up again.
But there’s also no point in Bones and I putting on an act of hating one another around the three of you.
” I glanced at Bones, and saw some of the heat leave his eyes.
“We’ll talk about everything else when the end of the holiday is getting nearer. All right?”
Alaric held up a hand.
“I still have questions,” he announced.
“Not now, Alec.” Luc gave the other royal an annoyed glance. “Maybe we can agree on what everyone’s going to work on over the next few days until Yule?”
Bones had gone back to petting my cat, his fingers rubbing along her spine. Wraith stretched out her arms and claws, kneading the air.