Page 150 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

A crease forms between Finn’s brow as he reclines back in the chair with his arms crossed. “Which one do you think it is?”

“I don’t know …” That’s a lie. In the pit of my stomach, with everything going on lately, I think the answer is hovering right in front of me like an annoying bug. “It has to be the latter. She’s been gone, and I haven’t been able to get a hold of her. And now she sends me this message.” I gesture at my watch. “I think she’s been lying and something bad has happened to her. And apparently, it has to do with me, too.” My jaw spasms, and I lower my head to the table, too hard probably. “I feel like she’s gotten me into a messy situation.”

“Hey, be careful with your head.” River slips his hand underneath my forehead as I move to bang it against the table again. “It’s already fragile.”

“It’s just a concussion,” I mutter with my forehead pressed to his hand.

“I’ve had a concussion before,” Finn says. “Trust me; you need to be careful for the next few days. The last thing you want to do is risk hurting it again.”

The doctor mentioned that, too.

I raise my head and massage my temples with my fingers. “I don’t know what to do. I need to get a hold of my aunt, but I’ve been trying for days and haven’t been able to. And from that message she sent, it sounds like she isn’t going to get a hold of me any time soon.” I slump back into the chair. “I don’t know what to do. She tells me a powerful group is after me but doesn’t embellish.”

What’s hurting me the most is that, out of all the people in my life, my aunt was never the person who brought danger into my life. She was my safe place. But now, she isn’t.

“I think we need to find out more about the Everfords,” River mumbles, staring off into space. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence you have the necklace and it was given to you by your aunt. And then she sends you a message that says powerful people are after you?” He gives me a pressing look.

I want to continue living in the land of denial, but what he’s implying does make a tiny bit of sense. Let me stress the tiny part.

“I still don’t get how I could have royal blood in my veins, but if you think we should look into it more, then I’m in.” I scratch my neck. “But I still want to try to get a hold of my aunt. I’m emailing her every day.”

“Why email?” Finn wonders as he pushes his chair back from the table.

I shrug. “I don’t have a phone. Unless you want to find out if the society has it and get it back for me.”

“I’ll look into it.” He rises to his feet, taking his empty plate with him. “And I’ll try to find out more about the Everfords, too. It could take a while.”

“You need to stay safe until then.” River reaches out and slips his fingers through mine, lacing our fingers together on top of the table. “Let me buy you a phone.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I knew you were going to say that, and the answer is?—”

“Please,” he talks over me. “This isn’t about me buying you things. It’s about you being safe.” He grits his teeth, and his fingers twitch. “After what happened, you need to have a phone. If you didn’t have the watch on you, I don’t even …” He blows out a tremulous breath.

He’s right. I loathe that he is, but it’s reality right now.

“I’ll let you get me one, but I’m paying you back.” I heave a sigh. “Hopefully, I can get this job with the event planner that your mom knows, and then we’ll work out a payment plan.” When his lips part, probably with a protest fluttering on his tongue, I cover his mouth with my hand. “No arguing.”

Finn snorts a laugh, drawing my attention to where he’s standing in the kitchen, watching us with a bottle of juice in his hand. “Man, this is comical.”

My brows knit as I lower my hand. “What is?”

“You bossing my brother around.” He flashes me a cheeky grin. “River’s spent years trying to boss me around, so it’s fun watching him get his ass handed to him.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” Well, sort of.

I think …

My gaze travels back to River, whose eyes are on me. He’s chewing on his bottom lip. Then he slants forward toward me.

“Whatever this is between us,” he utters quietly, “I like it, so ignore my brother.”

And now I can’t breathe.

Jesus.

This is so bad.

Because I like it so much.

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