Straightens his gloves.
Opens his mouth then shuts it and maybe we shouldn’t play this game, but my god, I am utterly captivated by the way he’sflustered.
Iris, bless her, is pretending not to hear anything we’re saying. Until I catch her eyes, and she arches one brow in a suggestive leer.
I flip her off and she laughs.
We reach the Route Planners, and those looming doors inject some somberness into me. Well, somberness, and a sudden, stabbing flashback to the New Koah incident. Riots and theft and the whole damn economy crashing—
It’ll be different. This will bedifferent.
I shake out my hands and step away to knock. There’s shuffling behind the door, a voice calling out, “One moment.”
But that vulture of dread is looping closer and closer, so I inch back by Hex and growl, “Careful” out the side of my mouth.
His smile is suppressed. “I did nothing.”
“That’s the problem.” I keep my voice low. “Yourdoing nothingmakes me want to shirk all this newfound accountability and drag you back to your suite caveman-style.”
He doesn’t respond right away, and I cut a look down at him. His face is set, brows pinched.
I spin to him. “You’re upset.”
The doorknob twists. I have the worst timing, I truly do—
“I’m not upset,” Hex assures me. “How could I be? Just—don’t jeopardize your responsibilities for me.”
“I know.” I turn to whoever is opening the door when it’s the last thing I want right now—but that’s what he means, isn’t it? To not choose him over Christmas. He’stellingme not to choose him over my responsibilities, and honestly, hehasto keep telling me that.
I have to stay focused. Ican’tfuck up again.
But a deeper part of me whispers,Hex doesn’t want you to jeopardize Christmas because he’s not planning on sticking around. This isn’t real to him.
Between the sudden avalanche of insecurities and the continued pulse ofriots, theft, economic crash,my mouth goes dry, joints feelinglike they’re solidifying so I can barely move my head to look up as the door opens.
A man stands there, holding a tablet in one hand, his head cocked. Behind him, I can hear the bustle of work, computers clacking, people shouting questions, something beeping.
Last time I came here, I blundered my way into an international incident.
No,no,it wasn’there,not the Route Planners; it was a different area, a different time, a differentme.
The last time I was at the Route Planners was when Dad brought me here as a kid.
That comparison is no less unsettling.
“Um. Hi. Hello.” I straighten my shoulders, digging deep for all my princely formality. “I came here to start getting a feel for how this area of Christmas operates. And you are—” I study the guy, and a smile cracks over me. “Lucas, right? Weren’t you working in the stables?”
His face relaxes in a pleased grin. “That’s right, Prince Nicholas. Good memory. I transferred over here a few years ago. Dare I ask if you’ve found anyone else to swindle sleigh wax from?”
I wince, but my smile doesn’t abate. “Thankfully Kris and I grew out of that daredevil phase.” To Hex—because Iris knows exactly what happened; she’d been there and flat out refused to get involved, asthe only smart one in the group—I say, “Kris and I figured out that if you put sleigh wax on the bottom of sleds, they go a bit faster.”
Hex laughs. “Only a bit?”
Lucas starts flipping through his tablet. “You know, I think I still have access to the property damage photos of the wall you smashed through—”
“Okay.” I surge closer to him. “Not that I don’t appreciate a trip down memory lane, but—can you help me with the Route Planners? Or, us, I guess. I’d like to show the Easter Princess and Halloween Prince around as well. I figured it’s about time I get down here.”
Lucas’s finger hovers over his tablet and he looks at me again, studiously this time, and I realize he might refuse. He’d be wellwithin his right to. Dad hasn’t authorized this; the last time I trained is infamous; it’s also the highest point of the busy season.
