Chapter 9

“Selina, I’d like you to meet Jade, president of the student council.”

True to his word, Henry called his chauffeur to take us to the university. When we arrived, we stopped by the enormous wooden doors, by the bulletin board where a young woman was waiting. Henry excitedly approached her, both of them smiling and staring at each other for a few seconds before the king introduced us.

I inspected the girl in front of me. She was pretty, looked a little older and was about Henry’s height. She was skinny, with a tawny, yellowish-brown complexion, clear brown eyes, an aquiline nose, high cheekbones, and full pink lips. Her jet-black hair was pulled in a hasty ponytail, and she was dressed casually in a university sweatshirt and dark skinny jeans.

“Hi, it’s an honor to finally meet you, Princess Selina,” Jade said. She seemed friendly, but I could tell her smile was a little tight. “Henry told us so much about you.”

“Did he?” I copied her tone. “All good things, I hope?”

“Certainly. Anyway, we’ll just wait for a few more people and we’ll start the tour.”

“What happened to Monty?” Henry asked, and Jade just shrugged.

“He said he was running late, something about his mother.” She turned towards him just like he did.

“Again? Poor Monty.”

“I know, right? Sucks for me, now I’m stuck on tour duty.”

The conversation between the two was normal and innocent, even to my ears, but there was something in their inflection and body language that did not sit right with me. I felt like a third wheel and I didn’t like it.

“I thought this was a private tour, honey-bear?” I asked in a stage whisper and clutched Henry’s arm, turning his body towards me, asserting dominance. Showing the other girl what’s up.

“Yes, but I thought it would be more fun if we joined other people.” I could see Henry wanted to flee, but I tightened my hold on him.

“How about...” I batted my eyelashes at him while suggestively running my fingertips down my boyfriend’s arm. “Since some people can’t be bothered to be on time, you and I proceed to our private tour? After that, we can have tea in my rooms while I unpack.”

“Men aren’t allowed in the women’s dormitories,” Jade piped up. “Sorry.”

“What?”

“And vice versa, you can’t go to my room as well,” Henry agreed.

“Dormitories?” I gasped, stepping back a bit and letting go of my boyfriend’s arm. “We’re not living in the palace?”

“Uhm, I’ll just…” Jade stepped back, away from us. “I’ll just go there, yep. Someone’s calling me.”

No one was calling her.

“Didn’t I tell you?” Henry looked thoughtful for a moment. “Because I’m sure I did. We’re going to live in separate dormitories. The palace is such a hassle to live in, it’s far from the university, the time we could spend while traveling can be used to study or sleep some more.”

“Fair. But why can’t we just rent a house like a normal couple?” I was growing exasperated by the second. This was not how I imagined things would turn out. “We’re already in college. Most couples live together as roommates—”

“Because living in the dorms is more logical and cost-effective. Plus, it will give you the opportunity to meet more people and be socially active.”

“I don’t want to meet other people. I want to spend time with you.”

“And you will. We will, it’s just that… legally, we can’t live in the same house all alone yet…” Right, because he was just 18 years old and I was 20. He was a minor and I was not. Henry looked away, blushing, and then he waved to someone behind me. “Hi, guys!”

“Hi, sorry we’re late!” an oddly familiar voice said, making me whirl around to look. “Buck got hurt in the gardens and I had to help him. But my dear brother found another poor girl to toy with and…”

The young girl and I locked gazes, and as soon as the recognition dawned on us, our eyes grew big in surprise.

“You!”

It was the annoying little girl with black hair from the market. Jasper was there, too, albeit seemingly a little too happy. He nodded to Henry as a greeting before turning to me, bright eyes sparkling with mischief and a smirk plastered on his face.

“Hey.” Jasper stepped towards me, brushing his fringe with his hand. “We keep bumping into each other.”

“Yeah. I’m starting to think you’re stalking me,” I said as I lovingly wrapped an arm around Henry’s. I stood there watching Jasper’s brows furrow, smiling sweetly at the horror in his eyes as realization dawned on him, wiping the smirk from his face.

“Oh, that’s right, you’ve met, haven’t you?” Henry looked at the both of us. I glanced back at him in alarm. How did he find out so fast?

“At the market,” remarked the raven-haired girl. “She’s the girl Jasper was—”

“No,” I interjected. The younger girl looked at me as if I had grown two heads. I stared back at her, daring her to say anything. “I mean… We met but were never formally introduced.”

“All right. Selina, these are my friends, the Otxoas,” the monarch said. He patted Jasper’s shoulder. “This is Jay—Jasper, my best friend. You’ve met his twin sister Jade.”

Henry nodded toward the sister in question, who was talking animatedly to a few students by the university doors. My perfectly styled brows furrowed a little. They have the same skin tone and hair color, but aside from that, Jade and Jasper were quite different. They’re probably fraternal twins. The little girl resembled both of them though.

“—This is their baby sister, Bridgette—”

“It’s Jet!” The girl stomped her feet. “And I’m not a baby. I’m sixteen years old!”

“Oh, sorry. Jet,” Henry acknowledged. “Guys, this is Selina Rozenberg–”

“His fiancée,” I cut in, smiling stiffly at the siblings. “Hi.”

I looked at Jasper and the subtle disappointment in his face gave me wicked gratification.

“And I am his sister-in-law.” Jet placed her hands on her hips, looking at me with a smug smile on her face.

It’s clear she wants to get a rise out of me. If she's insinuating that Jade and Henry were a thing, I was not jealous at all. Henry was in love with me. Even if he didn’t, our families’ union was crucial, it had been hundreds of years in the making, and he wouldn't call off our wedding just for some woman. This ‘Jet’ was delusional if she thought I would be bothered. But if she’s asking for a reaction, I’d gladly give her one. If it’s only normal for a girlfriend to be jealous, I’d give her psycho-girlfriend jealous. It’d stroke Henry’s ego and will show him how much in love I was.

“What did you say?” I took a step towards the young girl, ready to fight.

“It’s not what you think.” Jasper tried to come between his little sister and me. “Forgive her, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“It’s exactly what—” Jet was about to say more, but Jasper wrapped his palm around his sister’s mouth, silencing her. The young teenager tried to speak while wiggling to get away.

Hmm. That’s interesting. I turned to my boyfriend who was sweating profusely. Why were they reacting this way? Perhaps there was some truth in her words? Everybody’s reaction did not sit right with me. I looked between Henry, Jet, and Jasper before my eyes landed on Jade, who was coming over with a bunch of young people following her. Were Henry and Jade dating behind my back? Henry and Jasper looked at each other as if there was a silent communication between them. There was also something in their eyes. Were they conspiring against me?

“Jet is dating Eric!” Henry exclaimed. Right. I completely forgot about the spare. I still gave him the side-eye, suspicious. He immediately grabbed his phone and quickly scrolled through it before showing me a photo of a young couple posing in front of a flower arc, their hands intertwined. It was Jet and Frederick II. They were both wearing what looked like red and black high school uniforms. “They’re childhood sweethearts, just like us.”

I stared at them for a few seconds more before relaxing my shoulders.

They’re not like us at all. I smirked at the youngest Otxoa. “Didn’t you know it’s improper to count one’s chickens before they hatch?”

“Likewise,” Jet responded before kicking her brother in the shin. “Jerk!”

I was about to say something back when Jade clapped and called out.

“Since everyone is here, let us start the tour, shall we?”

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