She steps inside, closing the door with a soft click. “You must have been terrified, what a shock,” she says, eyes wide.
I raise an eyebrow, trying to keep my voice casual. “Terrified? Not exactly. Ashford was brave and—sat perfectly still.”
Aileen blinks at me. “I…I meant Pepin’s attack.”
I pause, realizing the misunderstanding, then burst out laughing. “Oh! That too. Yes…that was…unpleasant. I am so grateful that Rowan made sure he left right away.”
Aileen frowns. “Wait. You just…forgot about the attack for a moment?”
I wave a hand helplessly. “Not forgotten! Distracted. Momentarily distracted. I fear I am not completely awake yet.” I get up and walk over to the window to open the blinds.
Her eyes narrow suspiciously. “Distracted…by what, exactly? And why was Ashford even here? Why do you look so…so—” She gestures wildly, “—happy?”
I laugh nervously, trying to smooth my hair back. “You’re imagining things. Maybeyoushould head back to bed?”
She does not believe me, not even a little. She darts forward, snatches a small pillow from the bed, and tosses it at me.
“Liar!” she squeaks. “I know something happened! Ifeelit! Your cheeks—they’re betraying you!”
I dodge the pillow, laughing, but it bounces off my shoulder anyway. “Aileen! That’s unfair!”
“Oh, is it?” she chirps, grabbing another pillow. “You’re glowing! Your Majesty, I demand answers!”
“I…what? Nothing happened! Go find Rowan, I’m sure he—”
She tackles me from the side, and we both fall onto the bed once more.
“No excuses! Tell me! Come on!”
I squeak, laughing, squirming. “You’re relentless!”
“I’m observant! Very, very observant!” she insists, bouncing in her excitement. “I know you better than anyone, Fastrada! You can’t hidethatmuch joy from me. It’s criminal!”
I cover my face with a pillow, muffling my laughter. “You are impossible!”
She throws the pillow at me again, squealing. “Now—what happened with Ashford?!”
I peek over the edge of the pillow, feigning exasperation, but the corners of my lips betray me. “It’s…complicated…”
“Oh, Iknewit!” she cries, bouncing a little on the bed. “Iknew! And don’t even think about teasing me. I want every detail!”
“All right, sit down, I’ll tell you…I woke up last night to find Pepin in my bedroom, doing unspeakable things to…himself.”
Aileen recoils, letting out a horrified retching sound. “Devil’s mercy!”
I wave. “Honestly…it was ghastly. But you know, I always knew a pauper and a prince aren’t all that different sometimes.”
Aileen stares at me, confused. “What do you mean?”
“Pepin is a prince,” I say, shrugging lightly, “but still…the same horrifying habits.”
She shudders dramatically. “You must have been terrified!”
“I was,” I admit, “until Ashford came. He pulled him off me, but Pepin hit Ashford over the head, and then Ashford said something so terrible…sohorribly humiliatingthat Pepin wethimself and fled.”
Aileen’s eyes widen. “He…peed?”
I nod gravely. “Yes. And after that, Rowan arrived. We got Ashford to the kitchen. I cleaned him up, stitched him back together. Heroic, all things considered.”
