Chapter Twenty-Two: A Desperate Plea | Part 7
A frigid dread gripped Thirtyx. Had the king, too, finally lost faith in him? But before he could respond, Rhea saw the horror on his face and shook her head. “Thirtyx, this has nothing to do with you.”
“The hells it doesn’t,” Thirtyx grumbled.
“I’m serious,” she pressed. “Before today, Grimm hadn’t seen us physically in a while. I don’t think he realized what the stress was doing to us.”
“Which is ridiculous.” Benn threw off his own cloak with a huff. “He just got denied more help, and he’s getting rid of the help he has? Besides, if something happens to him because he didn’t use us, we’ll be far worse off than we are right now.”
Rhea folded her arms. “And what shape would we be in if he completely drained us and lost the throne anyway? I’m not saying I’m happy with it—” she added hastily as Benn inhaled to protest. “But there’s not much we can do… especially given how nicely he bribed us.”
Benn grimaced. “Right. That. You have to hand it to our father, he knows how to drive a hard bargain.”
Delight rippled through Thirtyx’s stomach. He waited patiently for the reveal, but instead of staring at each other, the twins were now aiming their cryptic looks at him. “So…” Benn ventured. “One of Grimm’s demands was that we take a vacation. He’s ordered us to go on the senior trip—with palace chaperones, of course.”
“Weren’t you already going on the senior trip?”
“Well, we were,” Rhea sighed. “Grimm paid for our tickets weeks ago. But even if you have a truce with Azirenne, we’re a little scarred by what happened last time we left you here alone. We decided not to go unless we could find the money for a third ticket. And we were definitely going to fall short until…” She trailed off.
“Until we told Grimm we’d only go under one condition, and he met it,” Benn finished.
Thirtyx turned to gape at Rhea, who was pulling a pouch from the pocket of her dress. “Happy belated Solstice,” she said sheepishly. “And graduation. And early birthday. And any other holidays we’re forgetting in the next several months.”
Rhea dropped the bag into his lap. It sat heavy on his leg—probably more coin than he’d handled in his life outside of Service Club events. He’d paid so little attention to the senior trip thus far, he wasn’t even sure of the price tag.
He shook his head out of reflex. “No, I can’t. I—”
“It’s not our choice,” Benn said with his first genuine smile of the evening. “Grimm’s orders.”
Rhea batted her eyelashes. “You’d just get us in trouble by backing out. And Grimm is not someone with whom I enjoy being in trouble. I know you’re a little traumatized by trances, but I’m not above using one to get you through that portal.”
Benn snorted. “See, this is why the Grand Council doesn’t like you. I don’t think they’re used to someone whose first recourse is to solve problems with—”
“Unruly ambition?” Rhea concluded with gusto. “Well they’d better figure it out, because I’m not changing. I don’t answer to them, and I’ll stand up for the people I love how I see fit.”
“By threatening them with trances?”
“I threatened him with a vacation!” Rhea grabbed Thirtyx’s arm and turned on her signature diplomatic charm. “Wouldn’t it be nice to go somewhere Veriths aren’t native? Enjoy a weekend where no one will judge you based on your species?”
“Hmm,” Thirtyx mused. “Maybe I shouldn’t find out what I’m missing and get used to it.”
Warning sparks fluttered around Rhea’s eyes, and Thirtyx let his grin break free. “I’m kidding! Seriously, I… thank you. I’m not sure how I could ever repay this.”
“Repay it? You’re hilarious.” Rhea rolled her eyes toward her brother. “He knows we control the treasury, right?”
“Please tell Grimmary thank you as well,” Thirtyx pressed. Never in all his years did he dream he’d receive a special gift from the king—not that he fully trusted that it came without strings attached.
Then again, he thought as his friends divested themselves of their royal baubles with a light in their eyes that had been absent for some time, perhaps the only obligation Grimmary expected was the one Thirtyx had upheld all along.
Perhaps his only assignment was to simply be there for Benn and Rhea.
