Phuong
Phuong put her hands on her pounding temples. She knew that she shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but it was clear that the twins were going to fast track their plan. She was barely able to read the Yore characters still, let alone actually use them. After Marc’s secret meeting with her in her head, she doubted that they would have too much trouble when they went in and demanded her blood.
But Olivier and Gahariet didn’t know about that meeting, and she would be there to help them if she could and prevent things from spiraling out of control. Nobody wanted to go to war over a vial of her blood.
She worried about the other people to whom Marc had referred when he’d spoken to her. When they went to the auction house, they’d be going to a seat of black market power. Stars only knew what Marc had down there. She didn’t really want to find out. The pit had been a surprise, and she knew that she and Xuan, even with their careful research, had overlooked some of the defenses.
She knocked on the door, not wanting to eavesdrop anymore.
“Who is it?”
“Phuong.”
“Come on in,” Gahariet called.
She walked into the study.
“Phuong, we were thinking about fast tracking the plan. How would you feel about that?”
Phuong felt just a little bit relieved. She hadn’t realized that she’d been stressed out by the prospect that her mates would keep their plans from her.
“I’m ready for it.”
“Are you sure?” Olivier asked. “You can stay home if you want.”
“I’m more ready than I’ve ever been.”
Olivier was frowning at her.
She said it even more confidently, “I’m ready to help.”
She was sick of the secrets that swirled around her. She knew just a little bit about herself, but it just increased her appetite. She wanted to know everything about who and what she was. And she had a feeling that something would happen in a confrontation with Marc that would teach her something new.
Why had she been thrown aside, if she was the royal heir?
51
New Flowers
Phuong
The next morning, Phuong looked up as Xuan swept into the breakfast room. He looked straight at her, cool as a cucumber.
But she could see the tension in his shoulders. He had some kind of news.
“Do you want to go up to my room to see the new flowers that they gave me?”
Xuan nodded.
“Excuse us,” Phuong said to her mates, who were still stuffing their faces with food. “We’ll be down in a while.”
Phuong brought Xuan up to her room.
“What is it?” she asked him, knowing something must be troubling him.
“I’ve learned what we are.”
“Gahariet and Olivier know that I’m a royal, and so are you.”