He frowns uncertainly. “Your father—”
“I can take care of myself too.” I give him a dashing smile.
But Hex doesn’t smile back. “I told you—do not risk your responsibilities for me.”
But you’re worth it.“I’m here because I want to talk to you about Halloween. How it’s set up. I have… suspicions. And I think you can help me work out some things.”
Hex hesitates for one more beat. He eyes the empty hall again.
Then he sighs and steps aside, ushering me into his suite.
It’s dim, one lamp on by the desk. His room is smaller than mine, with a canopied bed on one side and a small dividing wall creating a living room on the other. There’s a couch and chair set before a fireplace, but no fire lit, and a small Christmas tree in the corner. Even in the low light, I can see the tree is black, strung with orange ribbon and witches and other Halloween trimmings.
Hex waves me to sit on the couch.
I obey.
He takes the chair.
All the better, honestly. Distance. Space.Professionalism.
I lean back and fold one leg over my knee, foot bouncing, needing to expel this nervous energy somehow. “My father told me certain things about Christmas, and I… I knew we had problems. But I didn’t know, until two nights ago, how deep all this went with what we’re doing to other Holidays. To Halloween.”
Hex’s brows go up. “He told you the details?”
“That Halloween and Christmas were almost in negotiations at one point. That you guys backed out rather than suffer the ramifications of your other allies turning on you for throwing your lot in with us. And this whole marriage competition came about as a way for Dad to reassert his dominance over you for objecting to the Christmas-Easter alliance.” Anger heats my chest. “It wasn’t enough for him to remind you of that dirt he has over you, how damaging it could be to your allegiances. He set up this thing as apunishment.”
Hex studies me, his lips parted. Even in the dimness, I catch a flush to his cheeks, and it throws me into silence, long enough that he sits back in the chair and nods at me to continue.
Did I miss something?
My eyes go back to that stain on his cheeks.
“But,” I clear my throat, and he’s blushing stronger now, but his body language changes, blossoms and expands with my eyes on him. I smile, I can’t help it; then I clear my throatagain.Just talk fast, goddamn it. “It turns out my dad isn’t doing the wholeIt’s not blackmail, it’s an understandingthing to only you; he’s doing it to a bunch of winter Holidays, and—I think the way Halloween is set up with your autumn Holidays is different. Better.”
Hex watches me for another silent moment, then his lips furl up. “Well, you’re right. Halloween is better than Christmas.”
“Okay,” I smirk, “maybebetterwas a strong—”
“Ah-ah, no arguing, Christmas Prince. You are the one who sought me out for Halloween’s undeniable better qualities. Do you want me to adopt you?”
“Oh yes, Daddyyy—” WHAT.
Oh my god, stop talking,stop talking—
I don’t.
“—yyyyyy,” is what keeps coming out of my mouth, followed by a strangled, “Noooo.”
And then, for no discernible reason, I make finger guns at him.
I fly to my feet and spin my back to him because I need to reset, like,immediately,and I refuse to see whatever reaction he’s having becauseI did not say that, it did not happen.
Did I make finger guns at him?
What the fuuuuuuuuck.
“I mean—Halloween isstructuredbetter. With the other autumn Holidays. You made it sound like it’s more collaborative. Less coercion. Like you guys support each other.”
