Page 52 of Somber Prince
“No. I came back hours ago.”
“Hours?” She clearly didn’t believe me. “But isn’t this new? A royal gift?” She fingered the skirt of my dress.
“Yes. And it’s the only clothes I have, so…” I shrugged.
“So, where is the dress you had on when you left last morning?”
“Listen.” I huffed, losing patience. “What do you want to know?”
“Did you sleep with him?” she blurted out. No one could ever accuse Melanie of beating around the bush.
I groaned, rolling my eyes.
Yawning and sleepy-eyed, Elaine shuffled over to us.
“Morning… I mean evening. Or whatever…” She hid another yawn behind her hand. “How are you both?”
“Dawn had dinner with the prince,” Melanie reminded her.
“Oh, that’s right.” Elaine no longer looked sleepy. Instead of a yawn, a hiccup jumped out of her mouth. “So, how did it go? Did you guys have sex?”
She definitely said it too loudly. The sleepy faces of other occupants of the sarai were now looking at us down from the balconies.
“No,” I said firmly and just as loudly for everyone to hear. “I had dinner with him. Just like the others had lunch. That’s all.” Then I lowered my voice. “I came back just after sunrise and went to bed. I just got up not so long ago. But sure, go ahead, make up stories.” I waved a dismissive hand at Melanie.
My sister wasn’t easy to dismiss, however.
Shifting closer, she grabbed my hand. “Did you talk? What did you find out? Will there be another portal? When?”
I’d already told her that Rha wasn’t the one who could open the portal or even to order one to be opened. Still, shame crept up my neck and over my face in a wave of heat. I had not discussed the portal with him again or tested his willingness to help us leave. Instead, I’d spent the time dancing and kissing him.
Melanie read the answers to her questions in my expression and huffed.
“Come on, Dawn. You spent how much time one on one with the man who kidnapped us and killed our father?—”
“Rha didn’t kill Dad,” I said quietly but firmly.
“Whatever. He ordered it.”
“He didn’t. His orders were not to kill anyone.”
She stared me down, her hands on her hips. “He cut off a man’s head and served it to you for dinner. Only a psychopath would do something like that.”
I didn’t believe Rha was a psychopath, but I kept quiet this time. He had presented me with the dead, decomposing head, exactly a day before I kissed him.
What did that say about me?
I found nothing to say in my defense.
Melanie groaned in frustration. “Why couldn’t I be the object of his creepy attention? I would not have missed this chance to fish for information. But you…” She gave me a disappointed look. “You’ve always been selfish and irresponsible.”
Anger heated inside me. It wasn’t fair. Yes, I blew it with the prince yesterday. But for her to dismiss my entire life like this? I couldn’t accept that.
“I’m irresponsible? Melanie, I put my career on hold to look after Dad, so you wouldn’t have to take a break with yours.”
“Your career?” she scoffed. “You don’t have a career. What you do have are some odd gigs here and there, in productions that are barely a step above school plays.”
My cheeks burned even hotter, but no longer from shame. Now, I was furious.