Chapter 76

The four of us spend most of the day lounging on the couch, pleasantly buzzed off red wine, watching movies.

Or, more accurately, Orion and Laila watch movies, and Anton and I watch them.

“They’re so cute,” I murmur, leaning close to my ghost and idly slipping some popcorn into my mouth.

“Technological infants,” Anton says with a happy sigh, looking over to where Laila is pressed to Orion’s side, her hands wrapped tight around his arm, both of them watching rapt as an ice-blessed Princess rushes across a frozen wasteland, desperate to save her sister.

“Let’s show them a horror movie next,” I whisper, wicked.

Anton huffs a laugh and glances down at me. “Cruel little bat.”

I wrinkle my nose at him and nod, making him laugh harder and lean close. “You know what we should really show them next is –“

But he doesn’t finish his thought.

Because two dark envelopes appear on the coffee table before us.

Laila’s eyes dart down. “Oh no,” she whispers.

“No, I think they’re going to make it,” Orion murmurs, his eyes glued to the screen.

I sigh and grab the remote, pausing the movie. Orion blinks at us, confused and frowning, until Anton points at the table. Then Orion, too, scowls.

“The vibe is officially dead,” Anton sighs, slouching back against the couch as Laila and I lean forward and each take up an envelope.

“Sorry,” Orion sighs, looking guiltily between us.

I quickly open my envelope, scanning the details of the little card inside. As usual, it’s abrupt.

The Trial for the Bottom Contestants will be held Tomorrow at Noon. All Must Attend.

I flick my eyes up at Orion as I hold the card out where Anton can see it. “Laila and I are still safe from elimination?”

“You are,” he says, nodding and holding my gaze.

“What’s the deal with the whole top and bottom thing, anyway?” Anton asks. “Why did you start doing that?”

“I don’t know,” Orion murmurs, running a frustrated hand through his hair as he frowns, considering it. “My dad decided to do it. Said…the priests thought it was right.”

I clench my jaw, avoiding the urge to scold him again for being way too uninvolved in the structure of this competition and how it’s all laid out. Anton glances over at me and smirks a bit, bumping his shoulder against mine in a little starlight nudge to let me know he’s proud of my restraint. I just roll my eyes.

“Well, I want to have a party,” Laila says abruptly, sitting up straight and smacking her hands on her knees.

“Why?” I ask, confused, snuggling closer against the couch. Quite frankly, I’m very comfortable here and don’t want to go anywhere.

“Because,” Laila says, raising her chin. “We’re being selfish. Here we are, all safe and cozy, when there are other girls in this competition who don’t have friendships, and handmaids, and time alone with the Prince. If we can cheer or bolster their spirits – especially those in the Bottom – then we have a responsibility to do that.”

I scowl, pulling my blanket up to my chin and taking another sip of my wine. “I hate having righteous friends.”

Laila raises a judgmental eyebrow at me, quite prim and authoritative, and I sigh, sitting up. “Okay, okay, you’re right. But I’m not going to be perky.”

“I would never ask you to do the impossible, June,” she says, giving me a gorgeous smile that I can’t help returning. “So, an hour to prepare? You’ll all meet me in my room?”

“Am I off house arrest?” I ask, looking to Orion.

“Yeah, sure, don’t worry about that anymore,” he murmurs, waving a hand to dismiss it. Still, his tone is distant.

“What’s wrong?” Anton asks, leaning towards his bestie bro, concerned.

“Nothing,” Orion sighs, looking seriously around at us. “I’ll go, I just…I might be a little late. I want to do some research. I’m getting tired of dad and the priests making all these decisions – you guys are right, I need to be more involved.”

I smile and nod to Orion, quite proud of him for stepping up. Laila does the same, putting a warm hand on his shoulder that makes him turn towards her and break into his gorgeous smile.

“All right,” Anton says, getting to his feet. “One hour and then we regroup, maybe a little longer for Ri Guy.”

“Come ready to eat!” Laila calls, eager, as she summons her herald. “I’ll make lots of fish!”

I do my best to hold back my grimace. As good of a hostess as she is, Laila…really needs to learn a thing or two about party snacks.

Laila’s party goes off beautifully.

“She was right,” I murmur, standing close to Anton and glancing up at him. “This really was the right thing to do.” The mood in the room really was lacking at the start of the party, with everyone – especially the Bottom girls – clearly concerned about the trial. But as the hours passed, with drinks and good conversation, along with some music that I conjured up a speaker to put on? It really has brightened up in here.

When Orion showed up about an hour ago, the girls really did perk up even more, taking advantage of the opportunity to speak to him personally.

“She’s very good, isn’t she?” Anton says, smiling at Laila across the room and then down at me. “She’s got a very kind heart.”

A growl hums in my chest as I narrow my eyes at my handmaid. “Don’t you go falling in love with her,” I snap. “You know that’s forbidden.”

Anton’s face bursts into his beautiful smile – the bright, happy one I can never resist returning. “You’re so cute when you’re jealous.”

I snarl, flashing my teeth.

“Yes,” he says, laughing and passing a hand over the length of my hair. “Just like that. Adorable.”

“What’s adorable?” Orion asks, and I turn head towards him, surprised to see him walking our way with a tumbler of whiskey in his hand. Honestly, I’d been a bit lost in Anton’s company.

“You are,” I say, teasing, grinning at the Prince. “With all your various girlies following you around, seeking your favor.”

“Yes, I’m a lucky man,” he murmurs, a bit dry as he comes to stand next to me. Orion flicks his eyes down at me as he takes a long sip of his glass of whiskey. “Though I do note that one little wolf Princess hasn’t bothered to kiss my boots at all tonight. Getting a bit comfortable in this competition, Juniper Sinclair?”

“You want me to kiss your boots, Highness?” I ask, turning to him with a slow grin and putting my hand on my waist. Behind me, Anton sighs and takes a step away, giving us a moment.

“Kissing them probably beats pouring wine all over them.” Orion smirks, leaning close so that only a few inches separate us.

“Oh, come on,” I say, laughing a little, enjoying the flirtatious vibe even as my wolf turns her head in my soul, considering Orion carefully. “I don’t need to kiss anything – we all know I’m your favorite.”

“Are you?” he asks, still smirking and raising an eyebrow at my cocky attitude.

“Deny it,” I say, smug, letting my mouth spread into a wide grin and wrinkling my nose. “Go ahead. I dare you.”

Orion just laughs and breaks my gaze, turning back to the room. My wolf yips, giving a victorious little hop in my soul. “I won’t give you my heart on a platter just yet, Princess,” he murmurs, looking out over the room. “Not until I know you won’t tear to shreds with your sharp little fangs.”

“Fine,” I say on a false sigh, pretending to be disappointed. “Then just admit that I’m in the top half, please. Just for the sake of my vanity.”

“Oh, you’re in the top, June,” he murmurs, taking another sip of his drink. “You can have no doubts about that. This week and next, and each one after that.”

A little thrill goes through me, because even if I do know that Orion and I have grown close and that he wouldn’t likely rank me in the bottom anymore, it’s very nice to hear the assurance. And, beside it, the tacit little admission that…the Prince of the Underworld might have a crush on me.

Even just a little one.

Inwardly, my wolf huffs. Not that it matters, she says, raising her tail and trotting smugly away.

I turn towards her in surprise, but there’s no time to really think on it as Beatrice approaches us, her golden curls bouncing and her little hands wrapped tight around her empty glass of wine.

“Hello!” she says, nodding eagerly to Orion and I.

“Hey, Beatrice,” I say, smiling warmly at her.

“Let me get you a refill, Bea,” Orion says, reaching for her cup and then walking away with it to the table of drinks. I frown after him as he goes because…when did Orion and Beatrice get on nickname terms?

“Oh, I’m sort of glad that he stepped away,” Beatrice says, moving close to my side. “I wanted to talk to you anyway.”

“Me?” I ask, looking at her with surprise and taking a long sip of my red wine. I mean, I like Beatrice quite a lot, but we haven’t had an opportunity to get very close yet.

“Yes,” she says, nodding eagerly, even as her eyes move around the room and settle on Anton a few feet away, talking casually with Laila and Mahina. “Um…what can you tell me about Anton? Is he…is he a good man?”

My wolf immediately turns to her in surprise before baring her fangs.

“What?” I ask, taking a step away, a little shocked at the direction of her question. “Anton?”

“Yes,” she says, closing that distance and nodding to me eagerly. “It’s…it’s really important for me to know.”

“Beatrice,” I say, unable to keep the coldness out of my voice. “Why is it important for you to know whether or not Anton is a good man?”

“Because,” she says, laughing giddily like an eager little girl, her eyes still on him. “Juniper – I had an instinct before, but I was talking to him earlier and now I’m certain!”

“Certain of what?” I ask, my wolf’s hackles raised and her lips pulled back to reveal her fangs.

As Beatrice opens her mouth to tell me why, the music in the room stops between songs so that silence reigns.

“I’m certain that Anton is my mate!”

Beatrice gasps, her hand flying to her mouth as her words ring out in the room.

Slowly, everyone turns to stare at her, shocked.

And my wolf begins to snarl.