Prince of my Panties (Royal Package 2)

Is she crying?

Zan?

The triplet voted least likely to show weakness or emotion, twenty-five years running?

“Zan?” I whisper. “Are you…” I don’t dare say the word. I can’t remember the last time I saw Zan cry.

Have I ever? Surely, sometime in our shared years on earth, I have, but I can’t remember it.

“I’ve fucked up, Lizzy,” Zan says. “I haven’t slept in days, and I…” She sniffs. “I obviously didn’t think this through. I forgot how damned stubborn you can be.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling awful. “But I’m safe with Jeffrey. Everything is okay. I promise.”

“No, it isn’t,” she says thickly, “but hopefully it will be soon. Until then, until you hear from me, just promise me you won’t go to Gallantia with Jeffrey or anywhere near Nick. Okay?”

“Okay,” I say, relieved that she’s asking for something I can deliver.

“And you can’t tell Jeffrey what I told you. Not a word.”

I start to protest, but she cuts me off, “For my sake,” she adds. “I could get in serious trouble, Lizzy. Serious, serious trouble. Potentially life-threatening trouble. Do you understand?”

“No, I don’t,” I say, my pulse thudding in my throat. “Zan, what’s going on? What are you caught up in? Do you need my help? Because right now it sounds like Nick isn’t the only one caught in a dangerous situation.”

“I’ll be fine as long as you keep quiet. I’ll be fine, and I’ll do my best to ensure he’s okay, too. So promise me, okay?”

“Zan, you can’t tell me your life is in danger and then—”

“Promise me!” Her voice is loud enough to make me flinch and pull my phone from my ear. “My life won’t be in danger as long as you keep what I told you to yourself, okay? Just keep your mouth shut. Can you do that? For my sake? Or are you too far up Jeffrey’s ass to care what happens to your family?”

I press a fist to my chest where my ribs are squeezing my heart too tight. “Of course I care. I can’t believe you would even think that. I would do anything for you or Sabrina. Or Mom or Dad. I would give my life, Zan. In a heartbeat.”

“You don’t have to give your life,” she says, then adds in a softer voice, “You just need to keep this secret and stay away from Nikolas Von Bergen. Will you do that? Please?”

“Yes,” I say, dragging a hand through my hair.

“You swear?”

“I swear.” I shiver. “But please, Zan, if you’re in trouble, let me help. At least tell me what you’re up to so I’ll know where to start looking if you drop off the face of the earth.”

“I won’t. I’ll be fine. And I can take care of myself. You know that.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know what I know. Everything feels upside down.”

“Well, we live on a sphere. Everyone’s upside down sometimes.”

“Don’t do that.” My forehead furrows. “Don’t make jokes. This isn’t funny.”

“No, it isn’t,” she agrees with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I should have handled this better. I should have made up some story, something to keep you away from Nick that wouldn’t put you at risk. I don’t have any evidence that Jeffrey’s involved, but I don’t have evidence that he’s not, either, and I just… I let fear convince me to do a stupid thing.”

“I’m glad you told me the truth. I don’t want stories. I’m sick to death of them. I want truth, even when it’s hard.” I curl my fingers into a fist as I pace back across the bricks, wanting to say more, but this isn’t the time to add anything else to Zan’s plate. I’ll wait until after we’ve found Kaula. If after I’ve spoken to her I still can’t find reason to hope, I’ll get real with my sisters then.

For now, they’re both better off not knowing.

“Hang in there, okay?” I whisper. “And know my thoughts and my heart are always with you.”

“Same here. I’ll call soon, okay?”

“Okay, but I might not have cell service for a few days. Jeffrey and I are going camping in the north country.”

“Camping?” Her lip curl is audible in her voice. “You hate nature.”

“I don’t hate nature. I hate getting sweaty in nature, but there’s nothing better than a shade tree and a good book.”

“So, you and Jeffrey are driving all the way up to the outer reaches of civilization to read together in the shade?”

“He may fish or hike or something.” My skin goes prickly as the lies start to pile up again. I swear, if I see the other side of twenty-six, I’m going to stop lying. Completely. In an effort to make good on the vow, I add truthfully, “And we’ll probably make out a lot. We’re pretty into making out.”

Zan snorts. “Gross. But…good for you. It’s been a long time since you’ve had a make-out partner.”