Page 46 of Dewpoint
I didn’t know how to answer, taking a bite of my food instead.
“We’re trying not to say you two are the ignorant ones,” Treena drawled. “And this is why I never likedyou, Velle. This is why I told Myriam bringing you in was a mistake, and that before I knew you came with problems you’re too ungrateful to even accept help for.”
I blinked at my plate and then slowly looked at Treena like she’d grown another head.
She sighed and gestured to Velle. “She’s never been fair to you. You were polite to her in undergrad, but people—it was always a sea of people who constantly just wanted to talk to us because we were heirs. You’re a bigger nation than me and it wasn’t an ally of Thovudin. You were basically a kid and people were horrible to you.
“You tuned a lot of it out, but she never took two seconds to considerany of thatand just wrote you off as a spoiled, self-important princess. And she talked bad about you behind your back. I always liked Myriam because while she wasn’t your friend, she kept her mouth shut and her opinions to herself. Velle was a brat who talked trash because she was jealous.”
“I wasn’t jealous,” Velle snapped.
“You were,” I said the same time as Myriam, which surprised me.
Velle worked her jaw but then finally let out a slow breath. “I was. Fine, I was. I just—everyone was always focused on you. You sucked all the oxygen out of the room and there was none left for the rest of us. You weren’t the only smart or awesome one, but you were the only one who mattered.”
Treena sighed. “Velle, that was your own insecurities or fixation on her because I was in our class too and I matter. A lot.”
“Look, while I disagree with how Velle is bringing this up and handling it all, we know the world better than you guys do,” Myriam said.
Treena and I shared a look and I was glad we were on the same page. “Myriam, I say this with all the greatest respect and you know I value you. I’ve never treated you—”
“I know, Sagan. I do. But I’ve also shown you where you’re naïve,” she cut in.
“Without question,” I agreed firmly. I waited until she accepted that and even Velle chilled. “While you never mocked our princess posse or whatever that others did, we’re trying to say there is a lot you also don’t understand. There arelayersto who we are, what we know, and what we can do.”
“Yeah, wave your royal crowns,” Velle mocked.
“Shut the fuck up already because I’m ready to kick you out of here and I’m the one who brought you,” Myriam said with a snarl. “I don’t even know what is going on with you or who this bitch is in front of me, but I want Velle back. You didn’t like—”
“It’s stress,” I answered for her, feeling it oozing off of Velle. “She’s drowning to a level that her body isn’t physically able to handle and she can’t control her responses anymore. The shell of her is breaking and every little thing snaps her in a way she hates herself for later, but she can’t catch onto any semblance of sanity she’s spread so thin and beat up.”
And all three of them knew I was talking about myself as well. That was the moment Velle finally lost her aggression and finally listened.
I focused on Myriam. “While the King of Protesia is sending his security to help here and act as your protectors, he also made it clear that if your father upsets me he’d take him out. That he’s a necessary evil holding others back, but he’d handle the Metcalfs if I wanted.”
“Yeah, what we’re saying is it’s not that easy,” Velle drawled.
Treena gave the same attitude back. “Right, but Sagan has anarmy. Probably the most powerful navy in the world. And they’re like fucking dragons. Everyone wants them on their team which means kings and leaders will dowhatever she wants. They’ll make it happen. No matter what.”
Myriam held up her hand to Velle to hold her off. “Do you believe him? That he could do it? Take out our family?”
“Your father and the main infrastructure of your family’s power and wealth, leave whoever was left scrambling to hide with what they could,” I answered honestly. “He’s not one to bluff, and—I told you that Father knew a lot more than anyone thought. I knew more than you thought even if I didn’t hide where I was naïve.”
“That’s true,” Myriam confirmed for Velle.
I met Velle’s gaze. “We’ve never ignored that we’re privileged or we’re ignorant to a lot. We know that. What always upset me is you thought the world you live in is the only one thatmatteredand we were all outdated and pompous figureheads. So when I prove you wrong, you’re going to swallow your pride and finally pay attention to how naïveyou are.
“You’re going to agree to whatever Myriam wants because she needs at least an ally and help not drowning in the piles of problemsI havebecause I’m not a pretty pretty princess sipping tea and giggling all day in mygilded castle. And you will startacting with respect and as you should, not because I’m petty, but because that behavior spreads and leads to anarchy, which is dangerous.”
Treena snorted. “And deadly for royals, so use your head.”
I was glad when at least Velle flinched.
She studied me for a couple minutes and then nodded. “Fine, prove me wrong.”
But she didn’t think I could. It was more than disappointing.
I thought it was pointless, and I gave Myriam a look that didn’t hide where my head was. Still, I’d made a deal and would honor it, pulling out my phone and scrolling until I found the number I wanted.
