“You’re still in bed seriously? Baby, I told you we would be having a royal breakfast and we can’t afford to be late!”, Sia yells as he stepped into his room. He is fully dressed, spotting a white tee and cargo pants.
I roll my eyes at him. “It’s your fault I’m still in bed.”
“And how is it my fault?”
“It’s your fault I’m sore,” I mutter, my cheeks heating up as I remember last night.
“Oh really? So, you’re blaming me for making love to you? I was only carrying out your request.”
“I said you could make love to me not drive me to the point of exhaustion. Hey!”, I yell as he rips the sheets from me. His eyes widened when he saw it. The blood I have been so desperately trying to hide.
“Jesus what happened here? It’s like I fucked virgins last night. Did you hurt yourself Crinka? Talk to me baby.”
“You’re really clueless, aren’t you?”, I mumble, looking away.
“Clueless? What do you mean…”, he paused, his mouth forming an ‘oo’ as realization hit him.
“Yeah.”
“That’s some deep shit. How will the ritual bath take place if you’re all bloody and unclean?”
“Sia!”
“What?”
“Your choice of words is not making me feel any better.”
“I suspected this but I didn’t expect it to be today.”
“So, you knew?”
“I had a hunch, okay? No need to get mad.”
“No need? Sia, I’m in pain! You should be feeling it.”
“I don’t think you’re in pain, because if you were, you wouldn’t be yelling.”
What an asshole. I get up, holding the wall for support. I don’t feel so good. Sia notices.
“Baby are you okay?”
“How can I be okay? I’m suffering stomach cramps Sia, and instead of being understanding. You’re making fun of me.”
“What do you want me to do Crinka?”
“You could do me a favour by taking that smile off your face. Secondly, you have to get me sanitary towels.”
“What type of lady does not…”, he shuts up when I glare. “Fine. I will get you some, but it can’t be now.”
“So, you want me to have breakfast with you a bleeding mess? Sia, I didn’t know you hated me this much.”
“I don’t hate you argh! Fine. I’ll just ask Mila.”
“That would be weird you know, a prince asking a handmaiden for sanitary towels.”
It’s his turn to glare. “What would you have me do Crinka? You’re being so annoying.”
“It’s that time of the month to be annoying Sia. Now hurry up with the sanitary towels!”
…
Sia and I made it to breakfast on time, but I couldn’t make it to my seat on time and Dogara is to blame for that. I don’t disobey when she asks me to stop. Sia gives the queen a look, before beckoning me to come.
“Not another step forward,” Dogara yells. The other family members go on eating, bored. I stand there, my eyes flickering between mother and son, wondering who to obey.
“I think I’ll just leave,” I whisper, not in the mood for an argument. I didn’t even want to be here in the first place.
“The fuck you will,” Sia growls. Waxlyn’s ears perk up.
“Sia, not in front of the kids!”, Izal bellowed.
“It’s nothing we’ve not heard before uncle. It’s why I brought my swear jar. Anytime you swear, something valuable has to go in,” Waxlyn explains. Sia threw his watch at her, and that’s a shame because he looked good with it on.
“Why shouldn’t she stay here? We are having a royal breakfast in her favour.”
“You said it yourself Nasia. A royal breakfast for royalty and she’s not royalty. She doesn’t have it in her DNA.”
I doubt she even knows the full meaning of DNA.
“Mother is right Nasia,” Eoff mutters. “She should dine with the other concubines.”
“She isn’t even a concubine yet,” Elvis says with a sneer.
“True. She should be with the servants,” Eleanor barks. Thane was right. I am hated here.
“The hell she will. Crinka is…”
“Sia it’s fine. I’ll have breakfast with Mila.”
“No, you shouldn’t…”
“Drop it please.”
“Listen to the lass son. She appears reasonable,” Dogara spat.
Sia glares at her before averting his gaze to look at me with concern. “I could come with you.”
“So, you want to have breakfast with a handmaiden?” Dolan asks. “This is the height of it!”
Sia glares at his brother. “I wasn’t talking to you. Crinka, if you want me to…”
“Sia it’s fine. Bye.”
…
“Are you really going to have breakfast with a handmaiden?”, Thelia asks me the minute I’m out of the hall. I’m shocked to see her in casual clothes. She looks normal, but I know she is a mile away from normal.
“How is it your business? My my, you council members are so snoopy, it’s sickening.”
“Want to know what else is sickening? Your existence. I don’t know why they let you live, but I’d make sure that your life is a living hell Crinka. I’ll destroy you.”
I smirk. “I’ve never interacted with a Fae before, or fought with one, so you’re welcome to try and destroy me, but you’d have to join the queue. You’re not the only one who wants me dead.”
“I don’t want to kill you. I just want you gone from the palace.”
“I don’t give a fuck Thelia.”
She gasps. I roll my eyes. “How dare you call me by my name! Even the princes address me as a Lady.”
“That’s none of my business. You were Thelia before you made a Lady out of yourself, and you would become Thelia if you don’t get the fuck out of my way.”
“You think you can hurt me? I’m Fae Crinka, and you’re a wolf, I’d always be superior.”
“So, this is what this is about? Inferiority complex? Thelia, I pose no threat to you or any other person in this palace.”
“You may not pose as a threat as you think, but your presence here has made a few people uncomfortable. Made most women cry.”
“And why would they be crying? I didn’t beg them to shed their tears for me.”
“They’re crying for their prince. They are concerned for him. And I don’t blame them. Nobody wants a thief to become a royal concubine.”
I frown. “A thief? I haven’t stolen anything.”
“You would have been less hated if you had stolen only jewelry, but no you just had to steal someone else’s position.”
“What are you talking about? I stole no one’s position.”
“Of course, you would deny it. Go ask the prince. He would know, and if he is nice enough, bring you to the light.”
My frown deepens. “I don’t understand.”
“No surprise there. Wolves weren’t always the intelligent in the bunch. Go ask the prince. He would explain if he’s nice enough.”
I want to pull my hair out. “Do you Faes always speak in riddles?”
“Do you wolves always let go easily? The prince holds all the answers you seek Crinka. My advice? Seek those answers in the presence of his brothers. He would be forced to spill the beans.”
“Why are you telling me all this? You don’t even like me.”
“To defeat your enemies, you must first understand them.”
I’m only more confused. “Sia is not my enemy.”
She smiles. “Then you have not met Sycamore.”