“What’s wrong?”
She stood and turned with a groan. “I can’t find my underarm crystal.”
Roman reached into his own trunk and pulled out his. “Use mine.”
You’d think he’d offered her a mayonnaise covered serpent by the way she recoiled. “I’m not using yours. That’s disgusting.”
“Why?” Slight offense laced his tone. “I don’t stink.”
“I didn’t say you did, but sharing an underarm crystal is not sanitary.”
He raised his brows. “I’ll have you sitting on my face at some point, and you’re worried about sharing an underarm crystal?” Her mouth fell open, and he stepped forward, placing the stone in her hands. “Use it.”
* * *
Violet climbed into the carriage, wiggling on the cushion to find a comfortable position. Her skin was still tender from Roman’slove taps, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like it. Damn him.
Violet froze when she heard Roman say, “Marissa?”
“Roman, thank the gods,” Marissa’s breathy voice returned. “I’ve been worried about you.”
Violet popped her head out of the window just in time to see Marissa throw her arms around Roman’s neck. The woman beamed at him, her gaze dipping to his lips. Roman had Violet’s full trust, but Marissa did not.
Violet remained in the carriage only because Roman didn’t return the woman’s embrace; he pried himself away and took a step back.
“What are you talking about?” he asked the redheaded woman who stared at him with big doe eyes.
“I heard about the rebel attack at the border,” she explained. “I came as fast as I could.”
Violet’s lips flattened. That didn’t make sense. Ares said if they rode sunup to sundown with minimal stops, it’d take them three days to get home, and a day less than that if they left the carriage behind. The attack was two days ago.
Two days ago. Is that all?Violet had effectively blocked out the trauma from that day. If she allowed herself to dwell on it, it would break her like all those years ago. She’d made so much progress, and she refused to back pedal. Only time would tell if her bravado would hold.
How could news of the attack have made it to Saltu fast enough for Marissa to hear and meet them? It couldn’t have. Three days to Saltu to deliver the news and another three back, give or take a day to adjust for speed, it’d take at least eleven days.
No, that wasn’t right. Three days there, three days back. Violet counted on her fingers but stopped when Ares voiced her own concerns. “It’s impossible for news to have traveled that fast.”
Marissa fidgeted with the end of her braid, looking decidedly embarrassed. “I was already on my way to the border.”
“Why?” Griff mused.
Marissa blushed furiously and flitted her gaze to Roman. “Can I speak with you privately?”
That’s enough.Violet couldn’t kick Marissa’s ass because the warrior would beat the crap out of her, but the old, complacent Violet no longer existed. She swung open the carriage door and stepped down. “Hello, Marissa,” she sang and made her way to Roman’s side. His lips twitched when he saw her sauntering toward him. “Had I known you missed me enough to meet me at the border, I would have written you while away.”
The tips of Marissa’s pointed ears turned red, but her face remained impassive. “Roman kept me updated on you,” she replied smoothly and smiled at the prince. “We kept each other company.”
“No, we didn’t,” Roman protested and glanced warily at Violet.
Marissa tilted her head with a faint smile. “We hung out every day. What would you call that?” She turned to Violet with a saccharine smile. “We really did miss you. You would have loved to watch Roman get all those tattoos.” She waved her arm over his torso. “The first time the needle touched him, he almost came out of the seat.” She laughed good-naturedly, and Violet wanted to rip her hair out.
Roman’s stance loosened at Marissa’s friendly tone, but he clamped his hand around Violet’s, a movement that did not go unnoticed by the other woman.
That’s right. He’s mine.
Griff threw his arm around Marissa’s shoulders and squeezed. “I missed you, Red.”
Marissa’s lip curled. “I hate it when you call me that.”
