Royals (Book 1)

Chapter 26 : Hypocrisy

"So your family really has never owned any pets?" Nigel seemed shocked by my admittance, I could not help but laugh at his shock while nodding.

"They thought they would be useless and create another job of cleaning up after them." I shrugged, not thinking much of it. I would have loved to have a dog, but the dream died out very early in my childhood.

"You have to experience the love an animal at least once, it is nothing like a human's love." He informed me, continuing to tell me about the two great danes that he has had around his home since he was little. I laughed at some of the stories, while making something of a cooing noise at others. We had decided to have another picnic since the weather was lovely outside, a breeze cooling down the summer heat and rustling the trees in the courtyard.

"You did not!" My mouth dropped at something that he revealed, shaking my head at his confession while he tried so desperately to redeem himself. The conversation was easy-going, no mention of anything that was approaching or politics. It felt nice to just have some time to spend with Nigel after the consistent stress with the Phoenixes and Alarik. It reminded me back to before the two of them came here, when things seemed so much simpler.

The moment had shriveled up for me when I noticed Alarik crossing in the grass, his eyes falling onto mine with the same anger he held in my bedroom before he left. As much as I felt like I had to feel guilty, I was too strung up with annoyance to genuinely care. He must have known where our date was going to be, now he decided to walk around with his pout to get a reaction out of me. I would not be manipulated into his childish games, we were both too old for it.

"So have you heard of the games that are going to happen this weekend?" I asked Nigel while picking at the blades of grass. Do not look back in the direction of the other heir, I reminded myself. 

"Where we have to battle for your affection? You must be adoring the idea." He teased and I hit his shoulder.

"You could not be more wrong, I am not the type who wants to be put on a pedestal like that. I would rather participate in games than be the prize of them." I huffed.

"Well doesn't every girl want to be cherished in the same way you seek a trophy. It seems rather easy, who wouldn't enjoy it?" My brow raised at his comment, did he mean to come off so ignorant?

"No, I believe most girls wouldn't enjoy that. We like to be perceived as humans, did you know that?" My inquisitiveness masked the sarcasm threatening to expose itself, I heard his tongue suck against the top row of his teeth. I suppose I wasn't as subtle as I thought I had been.

"Do not take it like that, it is just the mindset of a woman." Nigel continued to tempt my rage, though I was too far along at this point to settle down.

"If you truly believe that, you're a bigger misogynist than I thought." I mumbled, he was about to continue arguing until he noticed that Alita was making her way towards us. I thanked the universe that someone was coming to save me from this nightmare.

"Rayna, I would hate to pull you from this date that seems to be going so well," she read the room accurately, "but your presence is required."

"With?" I knew Cindy's schedule for me today, I wonder what could be happening.

"The guards are having problems with not being uptight enough, they requested your council." Nigel had the audacity to laugh at this, I turned to him with a glare and he ducked his head. Where was this coming from?

"Alita, this really is not the time to be making jokes like this." I was not humoring her, it did not seem like her to make a joke like this around Nigel.