Page 56 of Alchemy of Souls

“Oh, this is rich,” Maggie giggles. “Yer Gran would lose her shite if she thought you were interested in Grayson Stone. Can I be the one to tell her?”

“You wouldn’t dare,” I say fast as lightning, my head whipping up.

“Your grandmother doesn’t like the Stones?” Adrien asks.

I freeze. I can’t tell Maggie what happened in the Chancellor’s office, so she has no way of knowing that even joking about my family being disloyal is a problem. “Gran’s fine with them. She respects the Chancellor like everyone else,” I say, wishing again that I could just call my family.

Adrien half laughs. “You don’t have to sugarcoat on my account. I already told you how I feel about them. I was going to say your grandmother is a smart woman.”

But before I figure out how to answer, there’s a knock at the door.

Maggie slides off the couch and pulls it open. In what is either the best or worst timing ever, Grayson Stone stands on the other side, leaning against her doorframe.

Maggie’s eyebrows launch up her forehead as she welcomes himin. “To what do we owe this honor?” Maggie asks. “Is it Visit the Commoners Day? Are ye bringing a basket of honey and hot bread from your manor to secure our votes?”

Grayson grins. “I didn’t know that’s all it took to win you over, Maggie. I’ll come prepared next time.” Although his smile falters the second he spots Adrien.

“Next time?” Maggie quips. “I know yer fairly obsessed with me, prince. But you’re not my type. Keep your baguette to yourself.”

He chuckles and his eyes find mine. “I was headed back to the room and thought I’d swing by and walk with you.”

Maggie turns her gaze on me. “Is that so?” she says like she’s just spotted something particularly interesting.

“I—”

Which is the moment Grayson offers me his hand. “Shall we?” he says like he’s politely picking me up for a date.

And I’m pretty sure my cheeks flare some horrifying shade of embarrassed.

“Sure, yeah, um,” I say, completely flustered as I slip my hand into his, my pulse kicking up to an impossible speed. “See you guys in the morning?”

Adrien looks anything but pleased.

Maggie presses her lips together, suppressing a smile. But then she gestures to Grayson like she has her eye on him. “Do not make me come after ye.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” he says as he leads me out of the room, and the door closes behind him.

“Thanks,” I say on an exhale when we’re alone in the hallway.

Grayson’s mouth quirks up. “For holding your hand?”

I scowl at him and he laughs, but then his thumb grazes the ring.

“What’s this?” he asks, lifting my hand.

“Adrien gave it to me,” I say, and I don’t know why but I suddenly feel guilty.

“Adrien gave you—he gave you a flower ring?” he says, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen Grayson stumble over his words.

“It’s not a big deal,” I say, which of course makes it sound like a big deal. “We were playing cards and the winner got to claim a spell from the loser.”

His eyes widen ever so slightly. “And you wanted a ring from him?”

“More than a kiss.” Damn it, none of this is coming out correctly. “No, I mean, heoffereda kiss and there was this thing about a goat and—never mind.”

Great, just great.

Grayson rakes back his hair, exhaling. “Did you want to kiss him?” he asks, and now I’m pretty sure that my cheeks are on fire.