Page 55 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

“Am I?” I question with an arch of my brow.

He grins, but that morphs into confusion. “Why are you awake so early?”

“Why are you?”

“I’m heading to football practice. I was just heading back to my room because I forgot my water bottle.”

“Well, I’m heading to practice, too, but for running.”

“Really? I didn’t know that happened this early.”

“It doesn’t. I’m just doing a run with your brother.”

“River?” He gapes at me. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously. I don’t know why you’re so surprised by this. I think it’s been made pretty known around this school that him and I are spending time today.” I make a mocking gasp. “Which is scandalous, at least with the way everyone is acting.”

“It sort of is,” he reminds me. “Remember, my brother is betrothed.”

“So? We’re not dating. Hell, we’re not even friends.”

“You sure about that?”

“Yeah. We barely know each other.”

“So? You can become friends with someone you barely know.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “Oh yeah? Then what does that make us?”

His lips spread into a grin. “I already told you that you and I are besties.”

“Okay then, bestie, I have a question for you. And since you’re my friend, you have to answer.”

His eyes glint with amusement. “Do I?”

“Yep.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Why were you with Eli yesterday? Because Lily told me that he used to bully her.”

His expression drops. “He was just getting some notes from me.”

“Let me guess, you did the exchange in the library?”

“How did …? Wait—did you follow me yesterday?”

I shrug. “Lily was hurt that you were hanging out with Eli, and I thought perhaps it was a friendly visit between the two of you, so yeah, I followed you into the library where you disappeared.”

His face pales, and the increasing sunlight trickling through the window reflects across his face and highlights his worry. “Maddy, you have to forget about what you saw yesterday.” He nervously glances left then right before inching toward me.

I angle my head up to meet his gaze. “But I don’t know what I saw. That’s the point.”

He leans in closer, his voice lowering. “And that’s how it needs to stay. Trust me.”

“Trust you? I don’t even know you.”

“Yeah, but …” He shakes his head. “Why does this even matter to you?”

“I’m not sure,” I reply honestly. “It just seems like between the message written on mine and Lily’s door, me getting grabbed at the party, and now you are vanishing into thin air in the library … this place seems kind of sketchy, which is saying a lot considering I’m from northside. And if I’ve learned anything from living there, it’s that the more information you have, the safer you are.”

“That’s not how it works here,” he whispers, touching my arm. “The less you know, the better.”

---