Chapter 54

“I’m not happy with how last night went, Juniper,” Orion says, turning his eyes back to mine. “I wanted to apologize.”

Surprise runs through me because…I was not expecting that.

“I don’t know if you know this about me,” he continues, walking me again to the edge of the terrace but not wrapping an arm around me this time, instead letting me have my space, slipping his hands into his pockets. “But I…am actually not around other people that often.”

“Really?” I ask, my eyes going wider as I cross my arms, intrigued.

He nods. “I spend a lot of time with ghosts. My servants are ghosts, my mother is a ghost. It’s…fine, there’s nothing bad about it, but they’re certainly not as…alive and vivacious as people are. Not even as alive as Anton is,” he says, lifting his chin towards my room.

“Oh,” I say, glancing back to the room too, pity racing through me. But then I look back at the Prince, not really understanding where this is going. “So, do you not have any friends?”

“I have some friends,” he says with a sigh. “And…I’ve met…women…” he shrugs, uncomfortable, moving on from that point pretty quickly. “But what I’m getting at is that…my circle of acquaintance is small and pretty…pretty used to…”

“Kissing your ass?” I offer, hesitating a bit as I say it but remembering Anton’s guess about what Orion’s life may have been like.

Orion turns to me with a laugh, a smile gracing his beautiful face. I can’t help but smile in response, again swept away by him just a little bit, by his mere physical presence. “Sure,” he says, nodding. “Kissing my ass. I’m not used to people challenging me and…” he sighs again, dropping his head to look down at his feet, “I have been remiss enough to…not truly consider what other people might like or need. In conversation or interaction with me.”

I lean against the terrace, studying him, a little flabbergasted at his introspection, his willingness to admit these flaws so easily.

“I thought about what you said,” Orion continues. “And I realized that you were right. That it wasn’t very nice of me to tell you I liked you best but also that my father didn’t approve of you in the same sentence. It put you in a very awkward spot and I am sorry for it, even if…none of it was a lie.”

My heart goes out to Orion, who is being very sweet and vulnerable in this moment. I can’t help it, and I’m not really sure I’d want to.

“So, I’m sorry,” he says, raising his eyes and looking seriously into my face. “I’m trying. I’ll try to be better. But also, I won’t…lie to you. About your position in this game. Or in my…heart, or whatever.” He ends rather lamely with a shrug.

But something about that goes straight to my heart too, this strangely formal Prince who comes across as so eloquent, struggling for words to match his emotions.

“I forgive you,” I say, quite simple, heaving a shrug. “And…I’m sorry I lost my temper. I need to work on that.”

Orion smirks, shaking his head at me, his voice dipping low. “I don’t mind when you lose your temper, June.”

“I know,” I say, wrinkling my nose at him and grinning. “You freak.”

He laughs again, hesitating for a second and then stepping closer to me. “I’d like it,” he says, quite quiet, “if you might…give me a little leeway on some things.”

I stare up at him, surprised again.

He smiles softly. “You’re a hard judge, June – and you’re usually right. I just…am not used to it. So if you could give me a chance, and a bit of grace with some things? I’m not saying don’t tell me when I’m wrong – I’m just…sometimes really bad with people. So perhaps you could give me the benefit of the doubt? Occasionally? I am trying. And I’m…not in as easy a position as you think I am in this whole situation.”

I smirk a little. “Perhaps,” I reply, soft in turn. “On occasion. Maybe. Just a tiny bit of grace.”

His smile grows as we both stand silent for a moment. “And do you think I could…perhaps…break your terrace rules? And kiss you?”

Shock pulses through me as my wolf leaps to her feet, standing still on four legs as straight as sticks, completely caught off guard.

Orion grins, leaning closer, raising his hand to take my chin between his thumb and his forefinger. “Just once?”

“Why?” I whisper, confused and – I admit it – a bit terrified.

“Because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it,” he murmurs, his eyes dropping to my mouth, “since that moment you called me a pretty boy and spilled your wine all over my shoes.”

My lips curl into a smile. “Again,” I whisper, shaking my head softly. “Such a freak.”

A laugh spills over his lips, but the noise ends the moment he presses his mouth to mine.

And damn me, I don’t stop him.

I don’t make a single move, not at all, as my eyes flutter shut.

The kiss is soft, and gentle, and makes no demands of me. Just a simple, almost chaste press of his lips to mine.

But there must be some magic in him, because the moment he pulls back my eyes open halfway, agonized that it’s done, desperate for more.

“Thank you,” Orion murmurs, standing straight as I just stare up at him, dumb and slightly gaping. He smirks. “I’ll look forward to seeing your talent tomorrow.”

“Um…yeah. Me…to…”

“And what will that be?” Orion asks, quite calm and orderly, the utter contrast to my complete discomposure.

“What?”

“Your talent,” Orion says, grinning. “I have a feeling you’re not going to send that card back. So? Just tell me.” He shrugs. “I’ll make sure we get you on the list.”

“Piano,” I breathe, saying the first thing that comes to mind. And what is, honestly, my only real talent. “I’ll play the piano.”

“Well, that’s a surprise,” Orion says, taking a step away from me and letting his eyes sweep over me, head to foot. “Have a good day, Juniper Sinclair.”

He disappears.

And I just continue to gape for a long, long few moments.

Before I groan suddenly, and cover my face with my hands, and lean against the balustrade of my terrace.

Because…what did I just say? What did I just promise?

I – I can’t play the piano in front of everyone –

I slump against the black marble, panicking, wondering how the hell I can get out of this.

I spend the rest of the day in quite a mood, sitting on the couch with my arms crossed, mostly staring into space. Laila takes the opportunity to excuse herself and go and practice her dance for the talent show tomorrow. Anton attempts to talk to me and cajole me out of my funk, but it doesn’t work. So he mostly spends the rest of the day reading while I seethe. Every few minutes he gives me a tingling little nudge to let me know he needs me to turn his page, but other than that he leaves me blissfully alone.

The next day goes mostly the same, with me scowling and staring at nothing, until basically it’s time to go to the show.

That’s when Anton claps his hands in front of my face, loud, making me nearly leap out of my shoes.

“Juniper!” he snaps, leaning down to glare at me. “Are you catatonic? Is something seriously wrong with you? Do I need to call like…the Underworld equivalent of a psych ward or something?”

“No,” I scowl, attempting to shove him away but not getting very far. “Leave me alone.”

“June,” he says, staring at me, worried. “I have left you alone for like, twenty-four hours. And now you’re here in this weird like…old-timey Pilgrim outfit,” he says, gesturing at my dress. “Completely spaced out! And it’s time to go! Honestly, darling,” he steps forward, taking my face in his hands. “What is wrong? You’re scaring me!”

I frown up at him. “You don’t like my outfit?”

His face breaks into a wide grin as he stares down into my eyes. “No, June, you look insane. But it’s like you’ve been in a fishtank all day – you haven’t heard a word I’ve said. What’s wrong?”

I scowl, looking down at the floor and scuffing my boxy close-toed shoe against the floor. “I just…don’t want to play the piano.”

“Is that seriously it?” he whispers, relief in every word. “You just…June, why don’t you want to play the piano?”

“Because,” I say, the words stumbling out as I frown up at him, ridiculous tears lining my eyes. “I – I don’t play for anyone, Anton – no one has heard me play like ever, except for my family, and I only play for them at Midwinter – or if mom sneaks in to my practice – and now I have to play for Orion? And the stupid God of Death? And everyone!?”

A slow smile creeps onto Anton’s face. “Is this…is this seriously just stage fright, June?”

“No,” I groan, my head tilting back on my shoulders even as Anton wraps his arms around me, gathering me close. “It’s…I mean it’s that stupid but…I just…”

“Come on, little bat,” Anton murmurs, his mouth close to my ear, his words just for me. “Tell me everything.”