He Used Me For Her, I Revealed My Royalty

Chapter 2

"It means: keep the tickets. I'll handle my own way home. No need for you to trouble yourselves."

My voice was even. No tremor. No bite.

"Elena! Do you really have to be like this?"

The anger crept back into Drake's voice,that distinctive snarl of authority being challenged.

"Could you stop with the tantrum? It's an island, Elena. How exactly are you going to manage on your own? Are you going to fly there?"

Fly.

Aria let out a dry laugh in my mind.

Yes. As a matter of fact, I was going to fly.

I exhaled slowly. "What I mean is,I get it. I'll figure something out. Take care of Tiffany."

Hearing what sounded like surrender, Drake's voice finally relaxed back into ease,and even something like satisfaction.

"Now you're being reasonable. Good girl. Stop sulking."

"Go grab a ticket,even a cargo ferry will do. Don't be so precious about it."

"I've got to go get Tiffany something to eat. Her wolf cried all night last night,her eyes are still swollen."

"Mm."

I didn't bother saying another word and hung up.

I started, slow and methodical, packing what I needed for the royal Pack lands.

I'd just snapped my small suitcase shut when the phone buzzed again. Drake.

I lifted a brow. Picked up. Said nothing.

"Elena."

His voice was lighter than before.

"What're you up to? Did you get a ticket on the cargo ferry?"

"No," I said.

A beat of silence. He'd clearly choked on my coldness.

He recovered fast and barreled on. "Oh,well, no rush. About that, uh… Tiffany just woke up for a bit. She heard about the ticket situation and feels really awful. She wants to bring you something special from her hometown to thank you…"

I didn't bite. I waited. There was no way Tiffany was that thoughtful.

Right on cue, Drake pivoted.

"So, uh, Elena,there's one more thing…"

"After the ceremony, the prayer spots at the Moon Goddess Temple are going to be a nightmare to claim, and you'll be there with nothing to do anyway…"

He fumbled the words. "Could you… maybe head over a couple of days early and save spots for Tiffany and me? When we arrive, we want to receive the Goddess's blessing together…"

Aria made a noise like she might be sick.

The first week of school, I'd shown up at Drake's dorm clutching two coffees and a brand-new notebook.

"They say the front-row spots at the Moon Goddess Temple let you bathe in the purest moonlight,it's powerful for the wolf-soul."

I'd looked up at him then, eyes shining. "Let's go tomorrow and queue up together?"

Drake had frowned and pushed the coffee back at me. "Don't be ridiculous, Elena. The temple's miles away. You'd be in line all night. I could be at the training grounds working combat drills instead."

And now, for Tiffany,after the two of them had revoked my ticket and left me to crawl onto a stinking cargo ferry,he wanted me to fly out early and save them seats at the Moon Goddess Temple.

My silence must have read like hesitation. Or assent.

"See, this way you won't be bored alone on the island, and you'll be helping us out. Win-win, right?"

"Tiffany'll be thrilled when she hears. And once her wolf cheers up, the next Warrior selection's a sure thing."

I swallowed the bile climbing my throat.

If I lashed out now, I'd miss whatever performance was coming next.