“Yes, you did, thank you. Is Araceli with you? You may come in.”
Antonia bounded into the room. “No, but I came to talk to you about Araceli.” Her lower lip jutted out. “I’m here to threaten you about what will happen if you ever hurt my Ari.” She made a tiny fist.
“Oh, really?” I swiveled in my chair to face the child.
Antonia bit her lip. “I know I’m not very scary, but I’m the only one who Araceli has got.”
“No, no, I think it’s very sweet of you.” I tried to keep a straight face.
Antonia scuffed the carpet with her shoe. “It’s not fair that your sister, her husband, and Countess Donya all threatened my Ari, but no one has threatened you yet.”
“My sister, too? That dinner with Kaine wasn’t bad enough?” I flushed with mortification. We would be having words later.
“Araceli said that your sister is way scarier than the dark lord, but she sounded impressed about it.”
“I could have told the world that,” I muttered. The Conclave of Kings had never gotten between Ysabel and the last cookie.
“Araceli didn’t seem mad,” Antonia reassured me. “She likes your sister. But someone’s gotta threaten you too in order for it to be fair.”
“I completely understand.” I folded my hands. “Lay it on me.”
Antonia placed her hands behind her back and cleared her throat. “Araceli has been like a parent to me. The first person who cared about the mean duchess hitting me, and she even promised to kill the duchess for me. She’s still working on that one, but it’s the thought that counts.”
“You’re doing great,” I whispered.
“I know a kid doesn’t scare a grown-up.” Antonia looked at her feet. “But after I reach my age of majority, I’ll have all my power as queen. Then I’ll have people I can send to beat you up.”
I sat up straighter and nodded. “Yes, good point.”
“After I figure out how to control my gift, I could body-swap you with a slug. Then I could squash the slug.” Antonia pulled out a notebook from behind her back. “I have drawn pictures to demonstrate.” She flipped to a crude stick figure of a girl wearing a crown and stepping on a very large slug. An arrow helpfully indicated that the slug was named “Bora.”
I applauded vigorously. “Wonderful drawing. You have quite a talent, I love how you drew the slime dripping off my repugnant slug body. I feel very threatened. I’ll never do anything to hurt Araceli, I promise.”
Antonia beamed. “Thank you! I spent ages on the slug. I redrew it twice.” She closed her notebook. “I don’t want you to get too scared. I like you—a lot. You’re good for my Ari.”
“Thank you,” I said, sincerely touched.
“Araceli used to be very lonely before you swapped places with the mean duchess. She smiles a lot when you’re around. You’re funny.”
I flushed, thinking of the many ridiculous situations I’d gotten myself into lately. “I’m basically a clown,” I mumbled.
“I mean it.” Antonia stomped her foot. “You make Araceli smile. That’s important. Araceli used to be very angry all the time, but ever since you came, there have been smiles. Araceli would never talk about what would happen after she killed the duchess. I begged her to stay with me and become my new parent, but she said that she couldn’t promise she’d be able to. She never admitted it, but … I was afraid she planned to die.”
I swallowed. “That’s tough. I’m sorry.”
“Ever since you came, Araceli talks about how to protect you after you swap bodies and her plans to stay and help our kingdom. She talks as if she has a future.” Antonia’s eyes welled up with tears. She tugged on my sleeve. “Please don’t go. Please stay with my Ari.”
I wanted to promise right away, but I feared that would be irresponsible. I couldn’t make promises to this kid that I might not be able to keep. I didn’t even know what Araceli wanted from me. I’d already started thinking long-term, but maybe to her, we were a merefling. I probably should have asked before last night. Now, it would break my heart if she turned out not to be serious.
I tried for a balance between honesty and diplomacy. “I like Araceli a lot. I don’t plan on going anywhere, as long as she still wants me.”
Antonia frowned. “You sound like you think Araceli might leave you. But Araceli is the one who thinks that you don’t like her.”
“Huh?”
“I asked her if you’d stay with us forever, and she said that you liked someone else.”
“I do?” I looked around as if expecting this mysterious person to materialize.
