He always wanted to laugh when they were together. “What does it matter if I laugh or not?”
A piece of hair hung limp in front of her face, and she blew it back. “Everyone should do things that make them laugh.”
His tone turned defensive. “I laugh.”
“Okay,” she replied and pointed to the board. “Your turn.”
Her tone suggested she didn’t believe him. “What do you mean, ‘okay’?”
She sighed. “Everything you listed is to make you a better king, but have you ever done something just for the fun of it?”
He frowned. “I’m too old to do pointless things.”
“You’re only fourteen,” she shot back. A mischievous smile spread across her face. “I bet I can change your mind.” Leaning forward, her voice lowered to a whisper. “Do you think you could sneak out tonight?”
Roman stared at her, intrigued. “Why?”
She rubbed her hands together. “I’ve had an idea forever, but Griff refuses to help. You can help me instead.”
“Why do we have to sneak out?” Her answer didn’t matter. He’d do anything she asked.
She ignored his question. “How far can you glamour?”
He leaned forward too. His glamour wouldn’t be at full power until he turned twenty-five, but at fourteen, he could already glamour farther than adult non-royal fae. “Farther than you.”
She reached over and poked him in the shoulder. “Don’t be a showoff. Meet me at our back door at midnight.”
The front door opened, and Vivian waltzed inside. She looked at the two of them hovering over the game board and scowled. “What are you two doing?”
Roman sat back and pointed at himself. “I’m playing a game.” He turned his accusing finger on Violet. “She’s cheating.”
Violet gasped. “I was not. He’s making up rules as he goes.”
Vivian rolled her eyes. “You’ve never understood strategy games.” Roman didn’t like the condescension she directed at her sister.
He opened his mouth to defend Violet, but she spoke before he could. “If I’m stuck with you two for the rest of my life, I’d rather learn to play these games than learn to whack at people with a sword.”
“You wouldn’t be able to do that, either,” Vivian replied dismissively.
Roman started to object, but Violet stood abruptly with an air of indifference. “You’re right. I’m going to the forest for a little while. Tell Mom I’ll be back for dinner.” Roman noticed the hurt she tried to hide, and it made him furious.
Vivian took Violet’s seat across from him and rearranged the pieces on the board to start a new game. “I’m sorry about her. I know she’s annoying, but thank you for entertaining her anyway.”
Roman hated this side of Vivian. “I like hanging out with Violet,” he bit out, trying to rein in his temper. “You shouldn’t speak to her that way.”
Vivian’s fingers tightened around the game piece in her hand. “She does nothing but climb trees, pick through the sand, and worry about clothes.” She looked pointedly at the board. “She can’t even play a simple game.”
That might be true, but it didn’t make her less than. He knew fighting with this stubborn girl was a losing battle, but he couldn’t stop the words from spilling out. “And yet people still love her.” Vivian’s body went rigid. “I don’t like this side ofyou.”
Vivian’s icy eyes lifted to his. “What side of me?”
He met her glare with a stony expression of his own. “You act like you’re better than everyone. It’s a terrible trait to have. If you’ll treat your own sister as if she’s beneath you because she doesn’t possess qualities you admire, then how will you treat my people if you’re queen?”
Vivian’s fist tightened even more, her knuckles turning white. “You don’t know how insufferable she is behind closed doors, and my relationship with my sister is none of your business.”
Roman forced himself to let it go, even if her comment about Violet being insufferable made him want to flip the table between them. He tapped the board. “You can have first move.”
* * *
