Hunting Royalty

31. Serenades and Scandal

Pain wakes me.  Daggers must have been shoved into my temples while I slept, this is unnatural. I have a splitting headache. My tongue feels fuzzy and a have a rancid taste in my mouth. I roll over and feel my stomach roll over as well, please don't let me throw up.  Hangovers suck.

I hear movement it the bed behind me. I freeze. I see my dress crumpled on the floor beside the bed, I discreetly check myself, I'm only wearing panties; it was all I could wear under my dress. Oh god, who am I in bed with?

I try to remember everything that happened at the party last night. The last thing I can remember clearly is Sam giving me a kitten. Maybe it the kitten! It shifts again, nope way too big for Katana. It all gets fuzzy after Amelia got us shots.

I remember more dancing and oh god, were we really calling each other by those awful nicknames. The next thing I remember is Sam showing me his gift, he shot droplets of alcohol out of a glass into the air before lighting them on fire with his mind in a mini firework display. It was awesome. I think I asked him if a could train against him at some point. Was I sitting in his lap? Oh, no, no, no. Please don't tell me I slept with Sam.

I freak out and throw my arm behind me to shuffle towards the edge of the bed. My hand connects with something fleshy.

"Ow, you hit my boob."

Oh, thank god it's Amelia, "MeMe, I love you right now."

"Never again," she moans tugging a pillow over her head.

I hop out of bed and my ankle twinges uncomfortably.  I rummage around for something to wear, I find one of Nate's button ups and shrug it on.  Today is going to be a slow, painful day, filled with recovering and wallowing.

My throat is starting to feel like a desert, I need water desperately. I limp out into my sitting room, some amazing person has left a jug of water and some fruit on a table, I make a beeline for it.

"Before you bend over, I thought I should let you know it would give me a spectacular view," a deep voice rumbles from the couch.

"Eeep!" I squeak and pull down Nate's shirt down to make sure it covers my ass. Sam is laying on the couch with my kitten curled up on his chest.

"What are you doing here?" I perch on another sofa making sure my knees are together and everything is covered. I reach of the jug and fill a tall glass and scull it in the next breath. So much better.

"Someone had to take the both of you home. By the way, I had to portal into the courtyard so you could point out your room and while we were down there you may have woken a few of the other students," he sits up and shifts Katana onto the sofa cushion his head was resting on. The kitten gives the smallest, cutest, softest meow ever before curling up to sleep. So cute.

"What did I do?" I ask with dread.

"You ran around serenading Katana at the top of your voice and while you have many lovely qualities, singing is definitely not one. You're lucky I managed to catch you before any of the teachers found us,"  he tries to smother a chuckle as he remembers.

"Oh no," I hang my head in shame and rub my temples trying to remember any of this.

"Also I think you might have sprained your ankle running around in your heels but I guess it would have healed by now,"  he says referring to my faked ability. He looks down at my feet and I do the same, and ugly purple and blue bruise has formed on the outside of my ankle, "Or not."

"It's so erratic, Platt says I shouldn't expect it to work all the time until after I ascend," I lie easily, shrugging one shoulder.

He nods at my explanation, "I remember that phase. Pass it here," he motions for me to give him my foot. Cautiously I lift it towards him, he shifts closer until it rests on his knee. He flicks a finger at the jug and a small stream of water rises and travels to his palm, he concentrates on it of a moment before manipulating it around my ankle. The water is warm and soothing; he massages my ankle with the stream of water. It feels amazing.