She ground her jaw at my touching her so easily, but didn’t object when she heard it was about Princess Matilda. It almost made me feel bad for her that she couldn’t tell I was lying.
Except she was a twit and a pain our asses, so not so much.
I nodded to Hope, Maggie, and Lara as we went by them and didn’t stop until we were out of the castle and far enough away that the party would cover our conversation.
“Where’s Mother?” Olivia demanded.
“I lied,” I admitted. Murder filled her eyes and she turned to leave, but Hope, Maggie, and Lara blocked her in. She could take us as a centuries-old princess, but even she wasn’t stupid enough to touch us when Inez loved us. “You have to stop this shit, Olivia.” She opened her mouth and started prattling that I was no one to speak to her in such a way. “Listen to me!”
“Give me one reason I should and not end you for lying to me,” Olivia bit out.
“Your coven is in danger.” I nodded when she froze. “The situation is bad. These princesses are not acting sane. Even your mother and Nora said it. They are acting like Inez is shit and up for the taking. They are all plotting against her.”
It took everything I had to hold back when Olivia smirked like it would serve Inez right. I could feel how upset Maggie, Lara, and Hope were.
“And what happens to your coven when they do?” Lara asked. “Matilda will defend Inez. You guys need her. You like your power and electricity? Your hot water and comforts back? They take out Inez and there’s no more of that coming in. They’ll come take what you have probably next.”
Olivia flinched, realizing we were right. “So we just all have to bow at the feet of perfect Inez? I’ll do a lot for my coven, but I think even they wouldn’t ask that of me.”
“Who the fuck—” Lara growled, shutting it when I held up a hand.
“No one’s asking that. Inez would never ask that. We get it; you’re jealous of her.” I rolled my eyes when she tried to deny it. “We’re all jealous of her. I am too at times, and I adore her.”
Maggie snorted. “I love her to pieces but I’m completely jealous of her.”
That shut Olivia up pretty fast. “I can’t get past it. She’s not as perfect as everyone thinks—”
“She’s not perfect and she knows that,” I said quietly. “She has faults.” I rolled my eyes when Olivia looked happy that she thought I was going to tell her. “You are sowing dissent and problems by running your mouth that she’s a fraud. She’s not. Be jealous. Dislike her even, but your coven has an alliance with her. You have to start honoring that. The stakes are real and high.”
“You’re running your mouth with your jealousy. Others are talking about taking her head and then we’re all fucked,” Lara warned. “You need to pick a side. Like her or not, your coven is on her side, so act like a badass princess like your mother and put these other bitches in their places. You’re older and know this better. You should be helping her.”
Olivia turned up her lip at the idea. “I will keep my opinions to myself, but I will not help that little brat become more… Anything.”
Hope, calm, always even and understanding Hope, blew her lid. She grabbed Olivia’s arm and led the way back into the castle, the three of us walking with her so we forced Olivia to come with us or hurt us.
Which she wouldn’t. Not outrightly like that.
Hope stopped when we were at the windows facing the courtyard and could see Cerdic tending to Inez while she napped. “Look at him. Look at your brother, Olivia. Look how happy he is. He’s totally in love with her. He was completely broken and shut off from all of that before he met her. Fine, he’s the Zen master, but even he had given up ever finding love and this.
“We saw it. We saw it all happen and play out. We saw her heal him by loving him as he deserved. So be jealous, dislike her, or whatever, but give her at least this. She brought your brother back after his twin and that bitch almost destroyed him. She did that. How can you be so selfish to hate her when she did that for your brother?”
“And who do you think will jump in front of her first when those princesses come for her?” I added, relief filling me when Oliva’s face went pale. “You undermine her and make her seem like easy prey, and your brother will be the one who gives his life to protect her. So swallow your fucking jealousy down and help us protect all of us.”
She shook off Hope and moved closer to the window, staring at her older brother with a soft smile. “He really is happy with her, isn’t he?”
“Ridiculously. She wasn’t ready to commit and do all of this, but she did it for him, for them,” I told her. “She loved him so much she jumped off the ledge firmly believing she’d get her heart broken because this was what he wanted and needed from her. Love your brother enough to protect his happiness, Olivia. That’s all we’re asking.”
“Fine,” she whispered. “Fine. For Cerdic. I owe him that much.” She turned and walked off, head held high.
“Thank the gods,” Maggie whispered.
Yeah, I was right there with her.
20
I was not sad to see most everyone go on Monday. Nora, Matilda, and Hanna each gave me an imploring look to
