A delicate brow arched as brown eyes scanned my face. “Yes, well, I would like to get to know you better, Ms Jules, so I would very much appreciate you keeping yourself hearty and hale while we’re here so there are no more lapses in your presence.”
My own brows lifted a smidgen at the politely given order. “Mrs Damon, I will endeavor to meet your modest invitation for further acquaintance while we graciously enjoy the activities decided by the Rulers that are gifted to me and the other three Prodigies before we take over the crowns.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you respectfully put an overbearing ‘Leric’s mom’ in her place while also reminding her who the hell you are and that you don’t take orders from anyone. I sure as hell wasn’t going to be pushed around for the entirety of my vacation.
There was brutal silence as she and I stared each other in the eyes.
Slowly, her lips started to curve just at their tips before the smile disappeared. She stated softly, “It’s about time someone here grew some balls.” No one at the table gasped, but the expressions they threw her way were enough. She flicked a finger around the table but her eyes were still on mine as she spoke to everyone else. “You all should be ashamed of yourselves, letting me push you around as I did yesterday. You’re the leaders of the Mystical race.” An arrogant wrist-flick as she finally took her eyes from mine to glance at the group, her eyebrows snapping together. “Act like it in the future, for God’s sake.”
There was a beat of silence, then just about everybody erupted with a chastened, “Yes, ma’am”.
King Collins leaned down, and I tilted my head to hide his mouth as he placed his lips at my ear, whispering, “As a thank you, and also for the hell you’re going to receive while she’s here, I’ll be raising the limit on your credit card.”
My lips twitched a smidgen, and I nodded silently before placing my napkin on my lap when the waitress placed my breakfast plate in front of me. The food didn’t appear wholly appetizing but I ate it anyway, knowing I would need my strength for Leric’s mom.
Chapter Seven
“Do you like that?” Leric purred quietly over my shoulder, startling me.
Glancing quickly back at him, I nodded once while catching my breath. I turned back to the hot pink, white, and black handmade bracelet I had been eyeing. The baubles on it were gaudy, almost like costume jewelry, but the piece was still small and dainty enough that it would probably look decent on my wrist. But this shop only took cash, not credit cards. “Yes, but I’m only looking.”
Leric took a step closer to my back, his front barely touching mine as he peered over my shoulder at it. “You’ve been looking at it for ten straight minutes.”
“It’s been that long?” I asked in shock, glancing around to see that our group had pulled farther away on this second shopping trip. The Rulers were more than thrilled to have their activities back in their own hands after my little spiel with Mrs Damon this morning. This shopping area they had picked was filled with little booths of homemade goods and an overabundance of flowers for sale. It was damned chocolate-box pleasantness for everyone.
“Actually, it would be eleven minutes now,” Leric mumbled, reaching an arm around me and pressing closer against my back to lift the bracelet from the cloth-covered table. He raised it above my head to inspect it closer. “At least it has some white.” He lowered it as his other palm engulfed my left wrist. I stared and stood perfectly still as he carefully worked the itsy-bitsy clasp, his large hands not fumbling with it as he put the bracelet on me. “Now you can stare at it while you move.” He handed two twenties to the lady behind the table, who more than gawked at us and our hair, before he placed his large, warm hand on the small of my back, guiding me away from the table without waiting for his change.
“I…um…” I stared in shock at my wrist where my new gifted bracelet dangled. I tried to keep up with his long strides as he kept a firm grip on my back, leading us closer to our group. “You didn’t have to do that.” I stared at it a bit more, grasping it was one of the first gifts not from Sin I had ever received. “Thank you.” That was what you said when you received gifts so I made sure to say it quickly, comprehending I was being incredibly rude.