The Legend of the Eight: The Hunted (Book 5)

7: Better Days

SEVEN: BETTER DAYS
FEBRUARY 11
KATE DIAMOND

"HE'S SUCH A SELF-RIGHTEOUS, egotistical, arrogant, pretentious son of a—"

Right as Kate took her seat in her Botany class, her sister leaned forward in her seat and began rattling off a long list of unpleasantries. Wil was almost through a full breath's worth when Kate held up a hand and asked,

"Who are we talking about?"

"Our brother," Wil said as if it should have been obvious. "Not one week on the throne and he's already trying to undo everything Dad did. Some of his best policies, too! Like the NVAA! What the hell kind of good is abolishing the Non-Violent Amnesty Act going to do? He'll Banish half the Realm for crimes equivalent to copying homework."

Kate was still confused. "What are you talking about?"

Wil reached around Kate's shoulder and dropped an open copy of WoMWeekly on the desk. The article she was reading covered Leo's first week as King—a scathing review, to say the least.

"None of this is even confirmed, Wil," Kate said and closed the magazine before returning it to her sister. "It's all rumors. Why don't you call him? There's this thing called a phone and if I recall correctly, you got a new one on Christmas. So talk to him. Find out for yourself."

"Oh I tried," said Wil with a touch of resentment in her voice. "But the new King is apparently too good to take his own sister's calls. So until he tells me otherwise, he is a self-righteous, egotistical, arrogant, pretentious son of a bitch."

Kate took out her notebook so she was ready when class would begin (they were a few minutes early) and then began playing with the texture of her new, shorter 'do. "You do realize half of those are synonyms for each other, don't you?"

"You do realize your new haircut makes you look like a contestant on The Bachelor, don't you? And not one of the front-runners. You're the girl with the squeaky voice that says annoying shit but probably gives good head so she sticks around."

Kate snickered. "You're mean."

Wil stuck her tongue out and then giggled. "I'm embracing my inner Chamberlain."

That was the first time Kate had ever heard her say that name. Chamberlain. As in Bernadette Chamberlain. As in Wil's biological mother who was not Kate's biological mother despite the seventeen years they (and the rest of the Three Realms) believed they were twins. Saying that name during the holidays was what caused a massive argument between Wil and the Queen. Wil had demanded to meet her birth mother and Clarion vehemently objected. Kate understood her mother's hesitation but she also felt for her sister. All she wanted was to know her mother.

"It was a joke," Wil said after a minute and her brows pinched together. She leaned back in her seat and folded her arms across her chest. "You don't have to get all quiet and weird."

Kate tried to smile but it was forced and crooked.

Wil giggled again. "Well now you look like one of those robot dolls that smiles and laughs, only with crappy batteries so it's all slow and warped and broken."

Kate tried not to glare. "Where's your boyfriend?" she asked because when Sir Oliver was around, Wil tended to be a bit more pleasant.

"On a trip to some children's hospital. He'll be back soon."

"Good. Then you can verbally abuse him."

Wil rolled those emerald eyes of hers. "I thought you'd be happy. I'm back to the Old Wil again. I'm adjusted and handling my shit."