A Beast's Tale

Chapter 80

Ivetta's plan for Jin and Theresa worked too well. I couldn't escape them. The moments when I had the misfortune of being in my room with Theresa and Ivetta were filled with a constant stream of commentary about Jin, most of it from Theresa, with a tendency to reveal far more than I cared to hear. Jin wasn't much better. He had always been one to brag about his latest conquest, and even though Theresa was clearly more than a one-night stand for him, he wasn't withholding any details. But just talking about it wasn't enough. Neither of them were shy about displaying physical affection in front of anybody and everybody.

Rhodolite Foundation Day couldn't come fast enough. Only a week of Jin and Theresa, and I already had enough.

"Theresa, stop," Ivetta said firmly the morning of Rhodolite Foundation Day, her voice easily reaching my ears in the bathroom where I was getting ready for the day. Unfortunately, that meant I could easily hear Theresa, too.

"No, Ivetta, you just don't understand. That body-"

"Is not something I want to hear about," Ivetta said quickly. "I'm quite happy with Chevalier, and I really don't want to look at Jin and imagine him shirtless."

Theresa giggled. "If you saw him without his shirt, you'd forget about King Chevalier."

I highly doubted that. Jin had a bulkier, more muscular frame than mine, but Ivetta had never had eyes for him, in the same way I didn't care for Theresa's more voluptuous figure as compared to Ivetta's slender frame.

There was a knock at the bedroom door.

"That's him!" Theresa squealed.

"Theresa-" Ivetta started, but the door was already opening, and I was strapping my sword around my hips. Enough was enough.

"Good morning," Theresa said shyly.

"Good morning, hot stuff," Jin replied in a low, sultry voice.

I exited the bathroom as he grabbed Theresa around her waist and kissed her passionately. She cupped his face in her hands, and he lifted her into the air, uncaring about anybody else around. I stormed over to them, shoving at Theresa's back to push them out the door, and I slammed it hard behind them.

"Thank you," Ivetta said, sighing in relief. She was seated at her vanity, her hair only half done.

"That cannot continue," I said, coming up behind her and picking up her hairbrush.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I've seen her do this often enough," I replied. Theresa had started two braids on either side of Ivetta's forehead, wrapping around to the back, where they joined to become one. Or they were supposed to join to become one. Theresa hadn't finished the two side braids before Jin interrupted her, and both of us knew she wouldn't be coming back to finish. It was a simple enough style to replicate, leaving most of Ivetta's hair down the way I preferred, but keeping it out of her face.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow," Ivetta said tiredly. "There's no point in talking to her today. She and Jin are probably halfway to his room by now, and I'd rather think about going to the festival with you." Her face lit up in the mirror. "Do you think that bookseller will be there, Mr...Mr. Schiesler?"

"He's there every year," I confirmed. And this year, I contacted him ahead of time with a special order.

Ivetta curled her fingers into her skirt, practically squirming in her seat with excitement. She was wearing the green dress I gave her for her birthday, I noted with satisfaction.

"I wonder if he has anything else from Garnet?" she mused aloud.

I set the hairbrush down and pulled her to her feet, careful not to allow any change in my expression to give the surprise away. "Let's go."