Oi, San, did I read that right?
Sander:
Maybe she meant flavor?
Hex:
Passionfruit. Superior to all other flavors.
Sander:
Depends on the context. Lemon is more versatile.
Hex:
She didn’t ask for versatile.
Sander:
She didn’t ask for the best, either.
Freya:
You are both imbeciles. Will you help me or not?
Neither of my brothers answers the question, but I do not have to wait long before there is a knock at the secret door behind the bookshelf in my room. At least they are not so dimwitted as to ignore my request.
I purposefully waited until Reid was replaced by the night guard before texting my brothers, but I am still cautious when I open the bookcase to let Hex and Sander into my room from one of the secret passages connecting the rooms in the family wing.
“Keep your voices down,” I warn them.
“Why?” Hex asks in a dramatically loud whisper.
Because I am certain Reid has managed to befriend the entire palace guard and many of the other staff as well, which means I cannot trust the night guard to be discreet if he hears anything we say. I would say I am surprised everyone likes Reid as well as they do, but he is closely related to Derek Riley. Universal likeability must be a family trait.
“It is late,” I say, instead of the real reason.
Hex and Sander glance at each other, their matching faces suddenly masked as they have a silent conversation between them. In general, they are far more expressive than I allow myself, so these moments when they hide their thoughts from anyone but themselves always unnerve me.
“So, what is this once-in-a-lifetime favor?” Sander asks, folding his arms as his features soften into his usual warm smile.
Hex flops onto my couch. “I am all too eager to hear what you think counts as a favor, Fringe.”
“Will you take your feet off the cushion?” I sit on the couch as soon as he does as I ask. “You do not have to turn this into something bigger than it is.”
Chuckling, Sander sits in the armchair across from us. “You never ask for help,” he argues. “Which makes this a big deal.”
I suppose he has a point. “First, you must promise not to tell anyone about this.”
Hex frowns. “Sure, but—”
“Not even your friend,El. Mr. Reid cannot know about this.”
That intrigues them, and they both sit up.
“This is getting more and more interesting,” Hex says, his smile growing. “Is our perfect sister finally breaking a rule?”
“I never thought I’d see the day,” Sander says and lifts his eyebrows high. “I think we need to commemorate this somehow.”
