Forbidden Honor (Dragon Royals #1)(16)

It wasn’t the first time she’d hit Hanna, but it was the first time I’d seen it. Rage swept over me, more hot and intense than the times she’d hit me. My hands trembled, my vision going red as if I was the one slapped.

Worst of all, as my vision cleared, my gaze fell on Henrick. His eyes glinted, his face full of just-barely contained enthusiasm. Revulsion dug a pit in my stomach.

Hanna clutched her cheek, staring at Alis with wounded eyes.

I dropped into a curtsy. “Good night, gentlemen.”

I had a thousand things I wanted to say, but tonight I just slipped my arm around my sister and steered her from the room.

She was quiet in the hallway, quiet until we reached her bedroom, and then she turned into my arms and put her head on my shoulder and began to cry.

Even the strongest girls need to break sometimes.





Honor



The next day I was in no mood for anyone’s nonsense, which is always a problem when you work in service.

Prince Talisyn started to say something to me in the hallway, and I pretended I didn’t hear him. I was a reformed maid. Nothing but a maid. A fucking sentient broom. I wasn’t going to risk my sister’s chance to get out of that house. I needed every dollar I made in my job, and I needed to find another source of funds besides.

It didn’t matter how much I enjoyed insulting and/or flirting with those dickish royals; there was probably something really wrong with me given how much we had blurred the line between insults and flirting and death threats already.

I was heading out at the end of the day when I had to walk past the training yard, where Jaik and Talisyn were fencing. They were shirtless, because of course they were. The setting sun was in my eyes when I glanced their way, which was for the best. I had no reason to look at them.

One of the twins sat on the fence, also shirtless, watching them. Lara’s fan-fiction called them the golden twins, and it certainly had some truth to it, given the way their skin was tanned a golden hue, and the mussed hair above it was bright as spun gold. He whistled to me.

I ignored him. I am a sentient broomstick. Undesiring broomstick. Undistractible broomstick.

“Honor,” he called.

He knew my name?

I turned to face him. He didn’t actually want to talk to me; maybe he was the one who’d said he was going to get to know me. To see if I was a spy or not.

“Yes, your highness?”

His lips tugged at the corners. “You’re a lot more respectful than I thought you’d be, after hearing Jaik’s story about how you flung cake at him.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say I threw cake at him…”

“But I would. It’s a very funny scene in my head. One I’d pay you money to see play out again.”

“How much money?” I asked automatically—because money was always on my mind.

“I have a bet with Talisyn that Jaik will win their match.” He nodded at the two fencers. “Talisyn gets very distracted when you’re around. Come sit on my lap and I’ll give you a gold coin.”

I stared at him in shock for a second, then my chin lifted. “What do you think I am?”

“I don’t think you want me to answer that.”

I closed the distance between us. His eyes widened in surprise.

“I do,” I said, my voice coming out very quiet. “You implied something. Aren’t you willing to say it out loud?”

“Stop antagonizing the housemaid,” Talisyn called. He flung his practice sword into the storage.

“Thank you,” the golden twin said, giving me a self-satisfied smile; Talisyn looked so cross, he must have lost to Jaik.

I narrowed my eyes. I had zero interest in helping him. “Which one are you?”

“Which twin?” he asked carelessly, propping his chin on his hand as he studied me. “I’m Branok.”

He thought I was a spy. He thought I couldn’t be trusted. My mind raced, debating what to do with him.

“Is your twin any more of a gentleman than you are?”

“I’ve offended you.”

“You are so brilliantly observant. Who would have known treating me as a whore would offend?” I pressed my lips together tightly, trying to seal my sharp tongue away. Maybe it would’ve been smarter to let him close to me and let him know just how innocent I was.

Well, at least I was innocent in regard to the spying business.

He flashed me a bright white smile. “We should start over.”

“But why, though?”

Talisyn rested his elbow on my shoulder, once again. He smiled down at me, his grin wide and handsome, and something warm bloomed in my chest. I was terrible at being a broom.

Jaik came over, looking pissed, and shoved his arm away.

“What?” Talisyn demanded, looking as if he might just punch the heir-apparent to the high throne.

“Don’t act like you want to fight Jaik again,” Branok warned him. “You already lost once.”

Jaik ignored them both, his smoldering gaze fixed on me. “Why are you always turning up?”

“I work here.” I took a step back.

He vaulted over the wall from the training yard with ease. “Come spar with me.”

I almost laughed out loud. “I wouldn’t be much of an opponent for you.”