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Battling a sense of urgency, he hustled together a handful of the servants and issued a round of orders The humans rushed around to take care of the twenty-nine items on Tink’s list--and avoid the consequences of failure Soon, the wrinkles were being stea scrubbed, the banisters were being polished, and the queen’s bathroo cleaned

The last was a choremore, he would bet At breakfast, he’d witnessed the way the queen watched her, with resentuess why Tink was living proof the king had cheated, and Queen Penelope was lashing out in the only way she could But that crap ended today No longer would Tink serve a single member of the royal family

She’d been placed in Kane’s care She would serve him, and no one else

He shts

After speaking with one of the guards, he’d learned that Synda, his other responsibility, had decided to go for another walk in the garden, without protection and despite the Phoenix infestation

As he sto a hoe to lift froirl in the garden, he prowled into the forest One hour passed, then two, but he found no tracks to suggest Synda--or even Petra--was out there He would bet Synda had met soht As for Petrahe wasn’t sure He only knew she wasn’t the type to give up

Frustrated, he returned to the palace

What a h

Kane , listening This had becohtly ritual He liked toout of trouble, andsnaked around the far corner, leading his newand puffing with eagerness, his hands already roaement, with zero inflection in her voice She sounded dead

They disappeared through the door, and Kanestrip poker with Red, Green and Black No surprises there, though Kane was relieved she was back at the palace at least Where was White? In the billiards roo with three hu, black hair

Like Tink

Kane pressed his heelsTink proble the cue "You’ll have to pay the penalty"

The girl crooked her finger at hi her over the table as he s

Kane had heard the gossip He knew the king had despised his son since his birth, yet Synda, the eldest, the one with the freaking mental disorder, he adored What Kane didn’t knohy

He backed out of the roo his attention

"--uard said as he marched past

Neither he nor his companion noticed Kane in the shadows

"Cowards," the other spat

In the next roo a sitting room with a pink couch, pink loveseat, and multiple pink chairs

"--just like herin his rooh the air "I’d love to sleep in his roo about Tink, insinuating she was athat she was his He couldn’t even think the word any to kill someone Painfully He left the roo ed, unabashed

He stepped around her, but she grabbed onto his wrist He jerked from the contact, while Disaster purred

"I’ confused"

"That’s notWilliam stumbled from the queen’s bedroom, and White rushed away down the hall

"Hurry back, ," the queen called, oblivious to her audience

"As if anything could keep , , his hands fisted

Thesoftly, "What do you think you’re doing?"

The grin fell away, revealing a scowl of irritation "Besides fighting a gag reflex? I’ you?"

"You say that like I’d be crazy to think so, but we both know you once stabbed Lucien in the chest"