Page 44 of House of Pawns
But in an instant, Cameron is at my side and catches me before I hit the ground. “Easy there, cowboy,” he chuckles.And suddenly he’s hoisted me up and I’m flung over his shoulder. He starts carrying me out the door and down the hall.
I of course start laughing hysterically again.
“What did you to do her?” Lillian demands when we reach the bottom of the stairs.
“I made her feel better.” And I can hear the smile in his voice. My hair cascades around my head and I can’t see much of anything. I’m imprisoned by my hair.
That’s funny too.
“You got her high?” Lillian sounds super annoyed and very concerned.
“She’s totally baked,” Samuel laughs.
He laughs, so I start laughing too.
We reach the kitchen. I know, because I see the wood floor end and the tile begin. Suddenly, Cameron flips me right side up and carefully sets me in a chair at the bar. I blink hard, my head rushing.
“Seriously, Cameron?”
That’s Anna. I turn to see her walking in from the ballroom. She looks super pissed.
“Everyone just chill out,” I say. My eyelids don’t want to open all the way. My tongue feels kind of thick. And I’m so hungry. Cameron hands me a bag of chips and I tear into it with vigor. “Seriously,” I say through a mouthful. “I feel great.”
And maybe it’s my slurred words. Maybe it’s the sight of me stuffing my face and crumbs going down my shirt, on the floor, everywhere, but Samuel snorts. Which cracks a smile on Lillian’s face. Anna shakes her head and walks away, but she looks less angry.
“See?” Cameron says with a smile. “I made it all better.”
THE NEXT MORNING, WHICH ISN’T really a morning but more like eight in the evening, I wake with a splitting headache. I just don’t feel…right, is the best way I can describe it. And I’m crazy thirsty.
Thankfully, when I roll over, I find a tall glass of water and two pills on my nightstand.
Nial.
I down both the pills, followed by all the water in two huge gulps. I claw my way out of my bed and use the bathroom.
Even though I have thick blackout curtains in my room, the intense light from our motion sensors outside come spilling into my room.
I’m across the room in a flash, ripping back the curtains.
The lights at the fence line are brilliantly bight. I see a figure fall from the fence.
The world goes dark once again, my eyes feel blind with the instant lack of light.
“Wake up everyone!” I bellow as I dart from my room and start down the stairs. I nearly fall, since I’m not feeling great, but catch myself at the last second. “Anna’s got the spy!”
By the time I reach the bottom of the stairs, every one of my House members is already assembled, ready and waiting. I open the door and squint through the dark.
The man fights Anna as she walks him toward the house, but there’s something half-hearted about it that makes me think it’s all for show. His feet move willingly enough. Her hands are gripped like vices around the back of his neck and his wrist. Their silhouettes grow closer and closer.
I don’t see their faces until they step into the foyer.
The breath catches in my chest as I lay eyes on the King’s spy.
Perfect. Stunning. Dark. Beautiful.
Those are the words that immediately come to mind when I look at this man.
Flawless skin. I meanflawless. His eyes are darkly hooded, hiding flat black eyes. A perfectly manicured short beard hugs his incredibly sculpted jaw. A muscular body is covered in some kind of tunic. A turban wraps around his head.
