24
Breakfast with my friends felt familiar and safe. Sheila, Malcom, and Kyle had mostly waited to eat until we arrived. The guards stood outside the room, and at my instance, the staff was willing to leave the food and let us serve ourselves.
To my friends’ credit, they all steered the topic of conversation toward random things that were unrelated to our current situation. It was as if they knew I needed a little break before I had to figure out how to do the job I’d committed to when I took down the old king.
We ate till we were all stuffed and laughed at Malcom’s stories about trying to learn how to fix a car and accidentally setting it on fire. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I pictured Mario’s face. “I bet he never let you near his car again.”
“Only if I’m trying to fix it. Driving I’m fine with. It’s when you give me tools that it causes an issue.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.
“Your highness,” a male voice said.
I turned and saw one of my guards. Malaki, I think.
He was holding a few shopping bags. “We got you some options. And a few different sizes. I forgot to ask.”
I pushed my chair away from the table and accepted the bags. “I’m sure it’s better than what I have. Thank you so much.”
“I don’t know. I’ve got boys. I don’t know what ladies are wearing. My wife lives in leggings and my old tees,” he said.
“That sounds perfectly reasonable,” I said, then I turned to Alec. “You have any old t-shirts around I can steal?”
“Forgot to pack my bags before I came,” he said.
I looked at the bags of clothes, then back at Malaki. “I’m sure I’ll be just fine with what you brought.”
“Guess the party’s over,” Malcom said.
“He’s right. You can’t really blow off the council for much longer,” Spencer said.
I sighed. “Tell me about them. They worked for my uncle, right? The old king? Don’t I get my own council?”
“Yeah, you can. But before you dismiss them outright, I might give them a chance. Some of them worked for your grandfather. They might be helpful,” Spencer said. “I can sit with you for a while if you’d like my advice.”
“Can you be on the council?” I asked. “And them?” I inclined my head to my friends.
“If I have to be your next in line, I’d like to see what these old guys have to say,” Malcom said.
“What about the rest of you?” I asked.
“I’m not sure that’s really my thing,” Sheila said.
“I’m a protector, not a politician,” Kyle said.
“I’m the arm candy and I’m cool with that,” Alec teased. “But I’ll help however you need me.”
“All of you are the reason I’m still alive,” I said.
“Meet with the council first, see what you think. Fire them all, keep them all, add to it… the choice is yours.”
“I’m not used to having so many choices,” I reminded him.
“It’ll get easier,” he assured me.
I lifted the shopping bags. “First, I should find something that isn’t pajamas. Malcom, Alec, Spencer, you want to meet me at the council meeting place, um wherever that is, in ten minutes?”
They nodded and I headed out of the room, pausing in front of my guards. “Know a place nearby I can change before going to see the council?”