[UNDECIDED]

Chapter 2- Tea and Lies

You must think that I'm crazy!

You wanna replace me, baby, there's
Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah no way!
             
  ~No Way, SIX The Musical

It was midnight when Asteri decided to show his face once more.

Juliette had long since returned to her room, most likely peacefully sleeping (she never did hear about Asteri), leaving me pacing about my own room, exhausted but somehow restless at the same time. I had no desire to return to the awful nightmares that plagued me at night, the most recent one more horrific than the last. And it didn't help the my mother had given me the time of day to give me a lecture as soon as Juliette was out of site. It had been the same old lecture of how I was horrible, and there would be no way I would ever ascend to the throne, but I knew perfectly well that was a lie. I was her only heir, and she wasn't about to let the throne fall into someone else's hands.

It didn't help that more than one of her nasty aristocratic goons were waiting patiently for that to happen.
I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. My eyes shot to the clock on the wall, my jaw tightening as the minutes ticked onward with no sign of Asteri anywhere. It shouldn't have mattered where he was, but for one thing, I wasn't interested in people accusing me of brutally murdering one again. Because that wasn't ruthless or intimidating, that was just embarrassing and rude.

More than likely there was no need to worry. Asteri was probably off at some bar. Which would make sense; That's where we'd first met. But I was still concerned. I didn't want to lose another one.

A knock sounded at my door, causing me to flinch, shocking me out of my thoughts. I crossed over to the door, flinging it open, relieved to find none other than Asteri on the other side.
I had been right—he'd been drinking, the slight smell of cheap alcohol on his breath. His tanned cheeks were slightly flushed, a stupid grin spread across his face.

I could have slapped him, but instead I stared for several beats, trying to find the right thing to say.

"Hey, Your Highness." Asteri's grin widened.

My anger spiked. "Get in here before you're seen!"

Asteri strode in, whistling nonchalantly, paying no attention as I slammed the door, throwing the bolt shut. I spun around, my eyes following the idiot strutting about my room. His usually gracefully step turned sloppy from intoxication.

"What the hell were you doing?" I hissed, my fingers itching to drive a blade through his gut but I didn't. "You're late!"

"Ya know you're cute when you're angry."

"And you are a real bitch when you're drunk."

Asteri snickered. "But I'm so sexyyyy."

I shuddered. "Ugh, don't be a prick."

"But it's fun!"

A defeated sigh escaped my throat. "Fuck me and my—"

"Dont mind if I do." He grinned, winking at me. For some reason the gesture made me feel things I shouldn't have been feeling to begin with.

"You are out of line, and if it wasn't for the fact that it would look horrible, I would kill you."

"Well, that's kinky."

"It most certainly not!"

Asteri's face suddenly sobered, a twinge of sadness clouding his navy eyes. I should have stayed his hand before it even happened, but all to quickly his fingers found mine, snaking around my palm. The warmth of his hand made me want to run as far away as I could but also made me want more; want him.