"Are you sure that's going to work?" I can't believe Caspian's plan. It's awful, but I like it.
"We'll see." He shrugs.
"Is everyone fully clothed in there?" Eetu knocks on the door.
"Nope, we're both bare-ass naked!" Caspian rolls his eyes but responds with a smile.
"For real? Well, looks like you've already eaten dinner then. Guess you don't need to come with the rest of us, huh?"
"Oh my God, Eetu!" Caspian walks over and throws open the door. "I was kidding."
"I wasn't."
Caspian pushes past his brother. "Are we eating their chamber or in the Hall?"
"The Hall. Come on."
"Ah, boys." Xavier stands as we enter the Hall. He turns to Coraene, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. "You must be the lovely Cora! Pleased to meet you finally."
"You as well my Lord." Coraene does her little curtsy.
"And you are..." Xavier stops when he sees Anna.
"Anna. I'm a friend of Caspian's and Davy's." She steps forward and introduces herself.
"Oh, yes! Welcome to Yna, Anna."
"We can talk later," Zephrine claps her hands together, "let's eat. I, for one, am starving."
We all take our seats, Xavier and Zephrine at either head of the table, Eetu and Coraene on one side, Anna, Caspian, and I opposite them.
The dinner was pretty boring, mainly the conversation was directed at Caspian, Eetu, and Coraene.
Caspian was having one of his attacks the whole time. It's usually pretty easy to tell because of the way he eats. His hands shake and he keeps his gaze away from the food, and the way he chews is different too. It's less of a steady flow, and more of slow chewing and a giant gulp for a swallow.
Once it's over, Caspian and I excuse ourselves and head down to the kitchen to get materials for our trap.
"Flour?" He calls out.
"Got it!" I haul the biggest bag I can find onto my shoulder.
"And I've got everything else. Let's go."
We set everything up, then wait silently for the three to come in.
Ronan opens the door first, holding it for Khai and Jax.
"Oh look at me, Davy Jones! I've got the prince wrapped around my finger!" Ronan makes a face and pretends to vomit. "Can you believe the nerve of that kid? Walks into Yna three years ago like he owns the place, manages to find one of the people who do, and rises above us all in status. Within two weeks."
"Yeah, then he and Caspian run off together, and come back after four months, the talk of the town." Jax pipes in. I'm not sure he knows what he's talking about.
"I'm betting Davy's got some sort of magic that made Caspian fall for him." Khai's comment doesn't even count as an insult.
"Shut up, Khai." Ronan tosses him a towel. "Go wash some plates."
Caspian nods, and I release the rope in my hand. A sack of flour dumps itself on top of Khai as he prepares to scrub the first dish. Ronan and Jax are too far away to see what's happened, but they hear Khai yell.
"What the shit?"
"Khai, we've been over this. It's just some uneaten potatoes." Jax is the next to fall victim. As he opens one of the storage doors to get the broom, a bucket of warm water is dumped on his head, soaking him from head to toe. "Oh Christ!"
"Is it another rat?" Ronan laughs at his two minions, unaware of his situation. "God, you two are babies. Do you need me to rescue you?"
I hold my finger up as much as I dare, then bring it down when the three all start to move toward one another. Caspian tilts two bottles of oil, letting it snake its way into their paths.
Khai, a white ghost, slides straight into Ronan, who pushes him off in disgust.
"What the hell happened to you? Where's Jax?"
On cue, Jax comes zipping across, tripping over Khai on the ground.
"Ugh, I bet this is Davy's work. Trying to get us back." Ronan dusts off the flour Khai transported onto his shirt.
Caspian holds up three fingers. Three.
"Get up you idiots! I'm gonna kill that little punk."
Two.
"What the hell? Get up!"
One. We pull our final ropes in unison, releasing a good thirty eggs on the three. While they're distracted, Caspian and I run out the door, trying not to slip on the oil.
"They'll have to clean that all up." Caspian takes my hand and pulls me up the stairs. "That was great!"
"You were right, it felt amazing!" I stop him just outside his chamber. I have both his hands in mine. "Oh, Ronan's face was the best!"
"You must not have had the vantage point I did, because Khai's reaction was incredible." Caspian pulls me close to him. "To hell with fear."
"What do you mean?"
"Just that." He kisses me gently, holding it that way. I'm not sure if he wants me to keep it that way or deepen it.
He wraps his arms around my neck finally, and I hold his waist.
"Are we going to do this right out in the middle of the hallway?" I break off for a split second.
"Why the hell not?" He pulls me back in. I've never seen this side of Caspian before, so bold, so daring. I like it, but it's not him.
"What have you done with Caspian?" I joke as he finally lets us inside the room.
"I told him to shut up. I've been fawning over you for three years, and now you're mine. I'm not going let Caspian ruin it for me."
"Cas... I like you no matter what. Sure, sometimes you're timid, but you're a brave man. Not a bold one."
"Do you really mean that?" His façade disintegrates. He buries his head in my shoulder, breathing in the scent of my shirt.
"Of course." I kiss the tip of his ear. He hugs me tighter. I can feel his muscles loosening up, all the tension leaving his body. "Let's get some sleep, okay? We've got to be ready to face those three tomorrow."
Caspian whispers something under his breath. I can't hear it, but it makes my heart speed up.
"Will you accompany me to my brother's wedding?" He says it a little louder. It's not what he said just before but.
"It would be my honor."
YOU ARE READING
Caspian Jones
Fantasy*READ THE NOTES FROM A DRAGON SINGER SERIES BEFORE THIS ONE* Caspian Quillsnake has it all. The cushy royal life, his best friend, Davy, by his side. But Caspian has a secret. When his uncle, the only one who knows Caspian's secret, is attacked, C...
