by Leigh Walker
Alone in the big bed, I stared out at the tops of the fir trees. Mira’s words threatened to rub the shine from my happy glow, leaving it tarnished. He told you he loves you, I reminded myself. I permitted a small smile to grace my lips as I wrapped my arms around my chest. He had said it, and it hadn’t been the first time. The contest might still be underway, and the other girls would have their chance to shine, but in the quiet of the bedroom, I let myself have a moment.
I let myself believe.
Flouncing
I gave myself the luxury of having breakfast in the tree house. I enjoyed some tea and a plump croissant while staring out at the Realm’s square and the castle beyond. My thoughts meandered. They returned again and again to the previous night—right before I’d fallen asleep with my head on Rhys’s chest.
I love you.
I love you, too.
After leaving the overnight suite, I headed to the village square. I stopped at the fountain and watched the water bubble over the golden roots of the tree. I wasn’t in any hurry to face Dae and Joely, not to mention whatever was happening with Maya.
“Why do I always see you here?” Duncan called. He was loping from the castle through the square, probably en route to the construction at the children’s center. He stopped and sneered. “I’m glad Rhys isn’t here. I have something to say to you, and it needs to be uncensored.”
“Ah, and it involves your lip curling. I knew you were upset, so go on. Let’s hear it.” I knew it was about moving Maya upstairs.
He tucked a pale-blond lock behind his ear. “I’m not happy with you, Missus. You’re making decisions outside your authority.”
I looked around to make sure no one else was near. “Because of Maya? I couldn’t in good conscience just let her rot in the dungeon!”
“Why not? She’s the one who sent that little vampire up here, the one whose lies started all sorts of trouble.” He frowned and shook his head. “You humans never learn—that’s why you die so easy. When someone crosses you, you must cross them back. You must show them you’re their master. If you don’t, they’ll never fear you, and that’s dangerous indeed.”
“I don’t think we need to look at it in such a black-and-white manner. Maya’s not a threat. She’s merely a nuisance.”
He jerked his thumb in the direction of the castle. “She’s all made up and flouncing around in there. She’s making quite a scene. You mark my words, she’s dangerous.”
“What do you mean, flouncing around?”
“Rhys made a deal with her.” Duncan sneered. “She’s back on the show, and she’s shoving it in everyone’s face.”
“She’s what?”
“Go on and see for yourself. And then come and find me when it gets out of hand so I can say my four favorite words: I told you so.”
I put my hands on my hips. “You know, you were starting to grow on me, but now I can see it was like a fungus.”
“Ha! Well then, that makes two of us.” He started walking away. “At first, I thought you were a sophisticate, then I thought perhaps you might be all right, but now I see the truth—you’re a bleeding heart. Bleeding hearts bleed out, Missus.”
“Good morning to you too, wolf.”
He turned and gave me a mock salute then loped away.
I waited until he was out of sight and could no longer see me, then I ran for the castle.
Once inside, I was confronted with a bustle of activity. The camera crews were busy setting up, and I could see the hair and makeup team working on Joely and Dae inside the salon. I hurried to them. “What’s going on?”
Joely frowned when I entered the room, and Dae screwed her face up. Neither one of them looked at me.
“Did you hear something, Jo?” Dae asked.
“Definitely not. If I did, it was only the buzzing of an annoying gnat.” Joely’s voice was hoarse, and there were telltale signs of mascara smudged underneath her eyes. The makeup artist gently wiped at them then applied a thick coating of concealer.
“You guys.” I sighed. “I’m right here, so stop pretending. I’m sorry about my date. You each get one—Dae’s is tonight. I expect it’s my mascara that’ll be running next.”
“I doubt that.” Dae’s sounded sour. “Your date was a triumph. I don’t even know why we’re going through the motions of finishing the contest. It’s a mockery.”
My skin grew hot. “That’s not fair.”
“You didn’t have to say it.” Joely’s eyes filled with tears. “You didn’t have to say you loved him.”
“You’ve said it,” I reminded her gently. “You’ve been very forthcoming about your feelings and the fact that you want to live happily ever after with the king.”
“Th-That’s because I mean it.” Joely’s shoulders started shaking. “That’s because I do l-love him.”
“I know you do,” I said. “But I do, too.”
The makeup artist sighed. “Lady Raine, I thought we agreed: no more crying.”
“But I’m going to lose the contest.” Joely’s tears spilled over, and she shooed the makeup artist away. “I’m going to lose because he loves Tamara, and they spent the night holding each other in the tree house of love.”
I went and sat by my friend then gently took her hand. “The contest isn’t over yet. Dae has her date tonight, and then it’s your turn. Please don’t cry. Two of us are going to lose. We’ve known this was coming all along. No matter what happens, I hope that we can all be friends.”
“That’s because you’re the frontrunner.” Dae snorted as a hairstylist secured a braid to her crown. “It’s easy to be chummy when you’re convinced you’ll be wearing an engagement ring by the end of the week.”
“I’m not convinced of anything. Not yet.” The happy security of the previous night slipped away and was replaced by competitiveness, guilt, and nerves. “Can we agree to call a truce? Please? We don’t have much time left together. I don’t want to spend these last days angry with each other. I’m not sorry that my date went well, but I am sorry that you had to watch it. But that’s not my fault, remember? It’s reality TV. It’s designed to make us uncomfortable, to squeeze our feelings for the masses.”
“You’re right. It’s not your fault.” Joely patted my hand and nodded. “I agree to a truce. I’m sorry I called you a gnat.”
I laughed. “I forgive you. What about you, Dae? Are you game for a reconciliation?”
She opened one eye as the stylist continued to work on her hair. “I can’t very well be the only one holding a grudge, now can I? I forgive you for your blasted perfect date. Hopefully mine will go as well, and then you two can be angry at me tomorrow. Deal?”
“Deal,” Joely and I said.
“Now, what’s going on?” I asked. “What are we filming? There’s quite a bit of activity this morning. I don’t remember having anything scheduled.”
“Ugh, you haven’t heard yet.” Joely dried her eyes so that her concealer could be reapplied. “Maya’s back. Mira brought her back. Can you believe it? She’s going to be a guest commentator or something. It’s quite unexpected.”
Mira and Rhys had moved quickly this morning.
“Why they invited Maya to return and not Thalia is a mystery to me.” Dae held still as her stylist worked on another braid. “We saw her a few minutes ago. She’s being an absolute cow. She’s bragging about how important she is and how she’s getting the VIP treatment, blah blah blah.”
“So she seems…happy?” I wasn’t sure what I’d expected.
“She’s acting like she’s God’s gift.” Joely frowned as her mascara was applied. “It’s as if she doesn’t remember being kicked off the show at all. In fact, I saw her cozying up to His Highness. He wasn’t having any of it, of course. But she’s got nerve—that’s all I’ll say.”
“You’re right about that,” I agreed. The fact that she’d been brought back to the Realm under one very extreme set of circumstances, and that her fortune had seemed to change so quickly, was one th
ing. The fact that she’d grabbed the reins so forcefully shouldn’t surprise me, but it still did. The previous night, she’d been a prisoner. That morning, she was already back to bragging.
One of the makeup artists approached me with his massive crate, and I obediently tilted my head back. “Here’s hoping she brings good ratings to the show if nothing else.”
Dae snorted. “She’ll bring something, all right. Most likely a headache.”
We laughed and chatted while the artists worked on our hair and makeup, and I felt as though the tension between us had settled down a bit.
“So what’s next?” I asked.
“A press conference about Maya’s return, and then we’re prepping for Dae’s date,” Joely said.
“Ah.” It sounded as though it would be a day filled with discomfort, but I vowed to behave myself. Things would never be the same after that week. I needed to make the most of it, whatever the outcome.
Joely, Dae, and I were seated at the end of a long conference table, with Maya in the middle. We faced the cameras and crew. It was a legitimate press conference, complete with klieg lights and camera flashes popping. The subject was Lady Briones and her return to the broadcast.
Maya had been restored to her normal good looks. Gone were the mascara streaks and the sullied traveling gown. Her skin was smooth, her hair was shiny, and her bosom was heaving beneath her formfitting ivory gown. She beamed at Mira and the cameras like a triumphant cat who’d been invited back to join the canary.
“Lady Briones, what does it feel like to return to the Realm and be reunited with your former fellow contestants?” Mira asked. “Are you sad that you’re no longer competing for King Rhys’s affection?”
“Ah, it’s lovely to be back. I never wanted to go home, of course.” Her pretty face twisted for a moment, then she resumed her composure. “But it was lovely to receive the invitation from the king.”
“It must feel very validating for you,” Mira said.
Maya preened. “Yes, exactly. He didn’t forget me, not for a minute.”
“But you haven’t been brought back as a contestant.” Mira’s voice was gentle. “You’re here in a different sort of role. Can you tell us about it?”
“I’m here as a celebrity commentator,” Maya boasted. “I was offered a very generous stipend for my return, and also the opportunity to help host future productions. I’ve found my home—on television.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder then turned to gloat at me and the others. “It doesn’t matter that I was voted off the show. I have a career now, a future. Two of you won’t be able to say that by the end of the week.”
“Yes. Hmm.” Mira cleared her throat and gave Maya a threatening look. “Ladies, how do you feel about your former rival’s new position?”
Joely spoke first. “I think it’s lovely for Maya that she was offered this opportunity. Once again, King Rhys proves what a superior leader and true gentleman he is.”
“I agree,” Dae said, not missing the opportunity to talk up the werewolf king. “Maya and His Highness didn’t part on the best of terms, but it really speaks to his character that he’s able to see past that. He’s offering her the opportunity of a lifetime, and I think he’s wonderful for it.”
Mira turned to me with a tight smile on her face. “Tamara? How do you feel about Maya’s return? You two often were at odds during the competition.”
“Well, I always viewed Lady Briones as very stiff competition indeed.” I bowed my head toward Maya. “And to follow up on what Lady Raine and Lady Phillips said, I think it’s admirable that His Highness has extended her this courtesy. I would add that Lady Briones is making a fresh start, and I commend her for it. The past is in the past, and so it should be. Any disappointments should be forgotten, as obviously she was meant to walk this path. With a future as bright as hers, why look back?”
Maya’s mouth formed an O, and she appeared a bit shocked. I smiled at her to emphasize the goodwill behind my words. The past is in the past, Maya. I hoped that she could let it be. It would be safer for all of us if she buried the axe she had to grind.
Mira had a few more questions for us, then the conference ended. Maya jumped up immediately. “Ladies, I’d love to stay and catch up, but I must go to my VIP suite and rest. I’m commentating on the overnight date tonight. I must look my best!” In a flourish of ivory silk, she hustled from the room.
Dae and Joely stared after her, shaking their heads. “Do you see what I mean?” Dae asked. “She’s insufferable.”
“She’s a bit…much,” Joely agreed.
“I’m happy for her. She’s gotten a second chance.”
My friends gaped at me.
“I didn’t say that she deserved it, but she has it. And I hope she makes the best of it. Now we must go and get Dae ready for her date. C’mon, ladies. We have bigger and better things to worry about than Maya Briones.” I hoped that I was right.
I briefly left the others to go and return my cloak to my chambers. I reached the top of the stairs and was surprised to find Maya standing in the door of her “VIP suite,” scowling at me.
I stopped. “I thought you were resting.”
“I was wondering if we might have a word.” She motioned me into her room and closed the door.
“Yes?”
She paced in front of me, her long gown trailing out behind her. “I just wanted you to know that I understand you’re trying to take credit for having me released, but I see through you: I always have.”
“I’m sorry?”
Maya stopped pacing and glared at me. “King Rhys told me that you’d asked to have me moved out of the dungeon. He also said that you were against my imprisonment in the first place. He believes it, of course. I feel so sorry for him—he doesn’t realize you’re playing him for a fool.”
“I’m doing no such thing.”
“Ah, of course.” Maya flicked the long layers of her hair off her face. “You’re such an actress. Generous, forgiving Tamara, who would never harm a flea. But we both know that you’re just making yourself look good. You would’ve shot me out of here from a cannon during the contest if you could’ve gotten away with it. But now he’s brought me back and you just can’t stand it, can you? So you’re trying to make yourself look good by sticking up for me.”
I took a deep breath. “Is that all?”
Maya raised herself to her full height. “Almost. You should be aware that while I’m here, I’ll do everything in my power to win Rhys back. This is the second chance I was praying for. So if you think I’m forgiving or forgetting what you’ve done to me, think again.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what it is you think I’ve done to you, Maya. I haven’t ever given you much thought, to be honest.”
“Ha, of course. You wouldn’t be bothered with someone so beneath you. And you wouldn’t think twice about taking what isn’t yours, because you’re a selfish, spoiled heiress who probably doesn’t understand the word ‘no.’”
“In this scenario, what is it that I’m supposedly taking that isn’t mine?”
“His Highness.” Her nostrils flared. “He deserves better than you, Tamara.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Lady Briones.” I curtsied to her, then hustled for the door. “Enjoy your VIP suite. Although I’m not sure what you think is so special about it—it’s rather dull, if you ask me.”
I closed the door behind me, immediately regretting my meanness. But Maya brought out my bad side. I’d have to try harder to stay away from her, lest I say something else I’d live to regret.
Quickly, Too Quickly
After spending some more time with my friends, I returned to my chambers. There was no word from Blake. That probably meant she was having a ball with Elsa and Beast and wanted me to leave them alone for a while. I missed the gnomes terribly. But I knew that Elsa must be happy with her friend, so I decided to let her stay another night.
I paced my room. Giuliana was busy helping in the kitchen. Without Gi
or Elsa to talk to, I found myself at a loss. We had hours before the screening of Dae’s date, and the empty afternoon stretched before me. Clouds had gathered, and a light rain fell, so a walk was ill-advised. In contrast to the previous night’s romantic treetop adventure with the king, I felt caged in and a bit dull.
I decided to go and check on Jenny, the little vampire girl, to make sure she’d been fed and had some warmer clothes. I wasn’t sure what room she was in, so I made my way down the back stairs. I would ask the kitchen staff what they’d heard. Nan and her workers always seemed to know everything first.
I went into the kitchen at the same moment Rhys was about to enter the stairwell. We practically collided with each other.
“Oh!” I staggered backward.
“Ha.” He caught my wrist. “I was just coming to see you.”
Mindful that not only Nan, but Giuliana and three other staff members were watching us with interest, I gently removed myself from his grasp. “Were you? What can I do for you, Your Highness?”
The corners of his mouth twitched up into a grin. “Shall I answer that honestly?”
“No, you should not. Absolutely not.” I shook my head quickly. “It was merely a figure of speech. What were you coming to see me about?”
He held out his hand and gestured toward the back door. “Walk with me.”
“But it’s raining, Your Highness.”
“It’s stopped for a moment. A bit of fresh air and privacy”—he turned toward the staff, who immediately pretended to be busy—“is just what we need.”
Outside, the temperature had warmed up a little, but the air was balmy and damp. I shivered, and Rhys put his arm around my shoulder. “I shouldn’t be touching you, but I need you to hear me out about something—a couple of things, actually.”
“Okay…”