“Then why is it available?”
“I think a lot of the girls like sharing cabins. It’s part of the experience.”
I thought back to what I’d just witnessed in the shower.Okay, that checks out.These girls were crazy, though. Having a room all to myself was a dream come true. Although…staying in a cabin with lots of girls might be better for detective work. One of these girls might have known Rosalie.
Nope.I couldn’t deal with the group showers and all these suitcases. And the snoring. Nope, nope, nope. But I still wasn’tquiteready to say yes to Cole. I still had more questions. “So I’m not going to wake up handcuffed to the bed surrounded by naked men?”
“I mean…I could probably arrange for that to happen. Is that what you want?”
“No!”
“Then I guess it won’t happen.”
“Is it like a three-hour hike from the princess suite to the rest of the camp? Is there a pet crocodile that the occupant of the princess suite must care for? Is the suite filled with nanny cams…like a Big Brother situation?”
“No, no, and no. It’s just a normal room.”
“Alright. But if you’re lying, Ipromiseyou’ll regret it.”
This Is War - Chapter 19 - The Princess Suite
Friday – September 22, 2023
“Here it is,” said Cole.
“This is the princess suite?” I looked up at the four-story-tall stone tower in front of us. “So the catch is that I have to man the ballista when the goblins come attack?”
Cole laughed. “Princesses can live in towers. Haven’t you ever heard of Rapunzel?”
“Oh, great. So I’m going to be stuck up there for the rest of my life? Well if you think I’m going to let you climb my hair, you’re crazy.”Especially since I’m wearing a wig. Kind of…I wasn’t sure how exactly Tanner’s bracelet worked, but I doubted my black hair would be strong enough for Cole to climb. And anyway, it wasn’t nearly long enough.
Cole ignored me and pressed a few buttons on a keypad next to a heavy wooden door. Instead of swinging open, the door slid back into the wall to reveal a fancy elevator.
“I don’t remember Rapunzel having an elevator,” I said.
“You’d rather take the stairs?”
Up four stories? No way.I got on the elevator and up we went.
My jaw dropped when the doors opened to the princess suite. It was like a cross between a casino penthouse and something out of a fairytale. A Disney fairytale. Not the real ones where babiesget eaten by evil monsters. Or whatever the Rapunzel equivalent was of Chastity’s version of Hansel and Gretel. If I was living in that deranged fairy tale world, then I was in serious trouble.
“What do you think?” asked Cole.
“This is freaking amazing!” I ran over and collapsed back on the gigantic round bed. It felt like I was lying on a cloud. For some reason, my mind went immediately to the sausage king. Did his family have a castle like this back in Germany? I’d have to go back to his restaurant soon…
“See? And to think that you didn’t trust me…” Cole made atsk tsknoise and shook his head back and forth.
“I still don’t trust you.” I stared at him. He still had that stupid cocky smile, but I was starting to find it kind of endearing. Fine…a lotendearing. But it wasn’t my fault. Tattoos did something to me. I shook the thought away. I was in love with Tanner.What?! No.I shook that thought away too. “But maybe you’re not as awful as I originally thought.”
“I’ll take that. Well, enjoy the princess suite. I’m gonna go grab some food before the dining hall closes.” He started to walk out.
“Wait up,” I said. “I’m starving.”
I pulled out my phone and texted Chastity during the golf cart ride to the dining hall.
Ash: So I think I might be going to dinner with Cole.
Chastity: I love that for you. But we still need to prank him.
