It had taken all of my resistance to break away from that kiss and Stafford’s arms. I made the mistake of looking back before exiting the courtyard, and the look on his face, the need and desire written all over his expression, made every part of me want to run back. But, doing so would be disastrous. This was my chance. To get out from under my parents’ thumb and prove I was ready to be queen. Stafford would be an asset on our journey, but I couldn’t let him become a distraction no matter how delicious he tasted and felt. And it wasn’t as if I had to resist him completely. That kiss had given me the energy I needed to push forward and spring my plans into action.
The next step was getting Fritz to help me. Although he didn’t strictly live in the palace, he kept a room there with most of his stuff.
I knocked on the door, reversing the treatment from earlier.
He didn’t respond, so I tried the knob. It turned easily in my hand. Fritz didn't lock his door? That surprised me more than nearly anything else that night. He was not a trusting person by nature. Neither was I, which is why I always locked my door before going to bed.
I stepped into the dimly lit room and closed the door behind me.
Fritz sat up. “Coral? What?”
Now came the hard part. “I need your help.” That had to be one of the first four letter string of words.
“When do you not need my help?” He rubbed his eyes. “And what time is it?”
I let the rib go. After all, I did need him. “It’s nearly morning.” I took a seat in the oversized chair across the room.
“And you never made it to bed?” He pushed back his covers. Thankfully, he didn’t sleep naked. “Admittedly, I expected you’d be in bed by now and not alone.”
“Don’t. I will always put the needs of my court above my own desires.” But gosh were those desires. I hadn’t wanted a man the way I wanted Stafford ever. I was afraid to close my eyes because I was sure I would see his face.
“So, you admit you desire him?” Fritz didn’t seem tired at all anymore.
“Why would that matter?” I was trying harder than normal to keep myself calm. I needed Fritz’s help, so I couldn’t go off the handle on him.
“I’m just asking.” He was never just asking.
“How about you just wake up enough so you can help?” I pulled my legs up under me on the chair.
“You are upset.” His expression turned serious. “Something is wrong.”
“I'm okay.” I didn’t want to needlessly worry him, even if things weren’t okay. “Do you still have that connection at the university? That professor?”
“Connection?” He kicked his blankets the rest of the way off. “Is that what you want to call it?”
“Well, she was never your girlfriend. What would you have me call her?”
“You could have asked if I was still in contact with Questa.” He crossed his arms.
“That would have required me to have remembered her name.” I forced back a smile. Maybe I needed his help, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t tease him a little.
“Ouch. She is from this court you know. Shouldn’t the future queen try to remember the names of her subjects?”
“All of them?” I huffed. “Okay. I’m sorry. I will do a better job. But could you please answer me? Are you still in contact with her?”
“It’s been a few months, but yes. Why?”
“We need her help.”
“We?” His brows knit together. “I need her help too?”
“Yes. Or did you not want to find another world with me?”
“Another world?” He sat up straighter. “I’m listening.”
“Preston says he was in another world before he got here. A place called Energo,” I lowered my voice to a whisper, even though I knew no one could hear through the bedroom walls. “That’s where all the weird stuff was happening, and supposedly Wren is there. She’s somehow causing the chasms, even though they aren’t supposed to be her fault.”
“And Questa studies other societies and worlds.” Understanding crossed his face. “I get it. And of course I’m coming with you. Although you do know there is no way your father is going to allow you to go anywhere.”
I stood and walked over to the window. I pushed back the drapes and found the first hints of a sunrise in the distance. “My father will have no part in this.”
He laughed dryly. “You can’t be serious.”
I let the drapes fall closed. “Aren’t you the one always telling me to step up?”
“Yes. But to actually hear you say it when it comes to something so monumental...” He grinned. “Wow. It’s both refreshing and terrifying.”
“I know. I know.” I sighed. “But I need you to completely quietly get us a meeting with Questa.”
“And how are you going to get to that meeting without tipping your father off?”
It wasn’t going to be easy, but I had a plan. “While quietly scheduling that meeting, I also need you to invent a fake one with a potential mate. You know he can’t let me miss that.”
“Won’t he want to come?” Skepticism dripped from his voice.
“And leave Gala?” I rolled my eyes. “You know he’s going nowhere as long as he fears she will talk.”
He seemed to mull it over. “You may be right.”
“I have to be right because this needs to work.” This was my chance. I needed to step up. If Wren and Lacey were moving out of their parents’ control and taking the lead, I needed to as well. I was tired of playing my parents’ games.
“Okay. So even if you’re right, what timeline are we talking?”
“Now.”
“Now?” He sat on the edge of his bed.
“Yes. Get dressed and moving.”
“What was plan B if I said no?” He inclined his head to the side.
“Because you were going to say no?”
“I’m not always going to be at your beck and call.”
“I know.” I was lucky to have a cousin so dedicated to me. He was like the sibling I never had, but I knew every relationship had its limits if you pushed too hard. “And you have every right to be annoyed with me. I get that.”
“I feel as if a but is coming.” He walked over to his chest of drawers and pulled out a shirt.
“It is.”
“And?” He pulled his shirt on over his head.
“But this could be huge for both of us. I know you have aspirations…”
“Yes.” He opened his mouth as if to say more, but then he closed it. There was nothing he needed to say. I understood completely. Even though he was my cousin he had no position or title.
“If you help with this, to save the courts from whatever trouble Wren has wrought on us—”
“Wren isn’t behind all of this. I know you two don’t get along, but she loves her people,” he cut me off.
“I know. But she is involved. Whether it’s her fault or not.” And I wasn’t going to forget that.
“She may be as much of a victim as everyone else.”
“Why are you defending her?”
“Because you need to keep a clear head in all of this.” He was right, but that didn’t mean I wanted to admit it.
“My head is perfectly clear.”
“Or so you say.”
“It is.” I took a few calming breaths. “I’ll stop being annoying about Wren. Okay? I do get there is a lot at stake here. These chasms are changing things… all the horrible creatures.”
“Yes. I know.” He walked into his closet and emerged wearing regular pants. “I’ll get started on things. May I ask what you will be doing in the meantime?”
“Getting things ready and getting more information from Preston.”
“You think he has more to share?”
“I know he has more to share.” As did Stafford. I refused to admit how much I was looking forward to getting more information from the latter.
“And you don’t think we are heading into a trap?” Fritz made a very good point.
“I don’t know what we are in for. That’s the problem. We need more information.” Lots of it and fast.
“What happened with the guard?”
“Stafford?”
“Were you with more than one of them?” He raised an eyebrow.
“No.” I tried to calm my racing heart rate caused by just talking about Stafford. I was losing it. “Nothing happened. We discussed the state of things.”
“And you are lying to me.” Fritz's lips turned into a teasing smile.
“How is it always so easy for you to figure that out?”
“Because I know you.” He pointed at me.
“Fine.” I walked back over to the window and opened the dark drapes again. The sun was now up. “We kissed.”
“You what?” Fritz voice came from close behind me.
I refused to turn around. “I thought you knew me so well.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t expect you to kiss him.”
I reluctantly closed the drape. I couldn’t avoid his gaze forever. “No, you just expected me to go to bed with him?”
“I didn’t actually expect you too.” He turned both his hands palms up. “It was a joke.”
“Whatever.” I tried to play it all off as casual, even though it was anything but.
“How was it?” Fritz asked.
“How was what?” I played stupid. I knew it wasn’t going to work, but it seemed worth a try.
“The kiss.” Fritz groaned. “Come on, you don’t have to pretend to be stupid.”
“It was good.” I turned back toward the window and gazed out. My mind replayed the kiss. The taste. The feel. The spark. Everything.
“Good? Just good?”
“Okay, amazing. Is that what you wanted to hear?” I needed a moment before I turned back around.
“I want to hear the truth. If that’s the truth, then yes, I want to hear it.”
I turned, hoping my face didn’t betray just how messed up I was over the kiss. “I don’t see why you care.”
“He’s a wolf.”
“Really?” I put a hand on my hip. “I had no idea.”
“You know what I’m getting at.”
“And I’m not going to listen.” I pushed the memories and thoughts of Stafford away. “He’s a wolf who also happens to be a good kisser. End of story. Now get started on your list, and I’ll get started on mine.”
“Fine, I’ll back down this time, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to bring it up again.”
“That’s surprising. Usually you let things go.” I headed for the door.
“Oh, the sarcasm.”
“I do appreciate the help.”
“I know you do.” He grinned.
I opened the door and stepped back out into the hall. I really hoped the plan worked because I had no backup.