A Wicked Game [The Crown Saga II] (Under Editing)

House of the Wave

I stopped moving, paralyzed by the warning from Faye's tensed lips. Did she feel every mistake I made too? Was she punished every time I didn't live up to the demanding standards of the Crown Trials?

Then a playful grin spread on her face, washing the terror-striking creases from her freckled skin. "You're too easy," she said, laughing loudly as she dipped her hand and sprayed me with drops of water. "I only get punished for the mistakes that are my own. But I wasn't kidding about praying for Miss Evelyn's forgiveness. You'll be in serious trouble if she sees you like that."

"Not funny, Faye!" I shouted, pushing a wave of water in her direction to drench her. She squealed, the sound ringing pleasantly in my ears. "I genuinely thought they were hurting you because of me!"

"Sorry," she said, wrenching the water out of her dress. "I didn't mean to scare the soul from your mind, but it's not like you didn't deserve it. You're a suitor, Will. Looks matter, and you cannot show up bruised everywhere you go."

"I'm not a suitor," I said, sliding further into the water. "I thought I made that clear yesterday."

I squinted my eyes when Faye tossed the scrubbing cloth into the water with me. "You may not be a suitor competing for the hand of our future king, but you're still a suitor. Your name and face are known far and wide across the entire world. People are rooting for you, and your legacy will be written in the history books whether you like it or not.

"So, scrub down so we can dress you up and make that legacy of yours something grander than a queen's."

Bubbles appeared in the water before my mouth as I exhaled, exhausted. "Yes, Mom," I muttered before submerging myself completely into the silent void of calmness.

It didn't please me to admit, but Faye had been right. I may not be a real suitor, but everything I did here would be written in the history books to be remembered. I didn't want to be remembered throughout the world as the fortunate suitor who barely cared yet still—somehow—made it this far. I already had the title of Wildcard weighing heavily on my shoulders.

***

I was already running late—again.

Faye had covered most of the visible bruises with a thin layer of make-up, but only enough for it to be difficult for the cameras to detect. Anyone less than fifteen feet from me could easily see the shades of blue shining through.

"Piper," I said breathlessly when her blond hair came into view.

She turned around, a smile slowly spreading on her face until she caught sight of the countless bruises shining through. "Which animal came to wrestle this morning?" she asked, raising a brow while her eyes examined my exposed flesh.

"Last night," I corrected her, hiding the biggest bruise on my shoulder with my hand. "And it wasn't an animal, but Master Arthur."

Piper nodded, but I wasn't sure she even heard me with the intense focus she kept on my body. "Turn around," she suddenly said, guiding me to turn my back on her before I could do anything.

"What are you—"

A bullet of pain sprung from my back as Piper slapped her palm against my naked back. I opened my mouth to scream at her when a wave of relief struck me like lightning. The pain nagging my muscles and skin slowly faded, leaving the air feeling far fresher through my lungs.

"Better?" Piper asked as my shoulders relaxed, sinking into a more natural position.

"You have no idea," I whispered, leaning back into her embrace when I noticed that all my bruises were gone as well. "Thank you."