Chapter 10

Barbie

Cade, Rowan, Louis, and Silas strolled through the courtyard toward the glass-and-steel building, about to lead their warriors and entourages to stomp the House of Chaos.

The house magic played the hologram of their march in front of Killian, waiting for his words.

"Fuck those pricks!" Killian cursed.

Rock bowed half a head at the princes but barred the entrance to the house, his men flanking him. The chaos students outside the house milled around, watching, ready to back up our warriors if the house war started right here.

"Where's Killian?" Silas demanded. "Is he hiding now?"

"My liege never hides," Rock said coolly. "What brings Your Highnesses to our house in such overwhelming numbers?"

"Killian, come the fuck out and welcome us!" Cade shouted, a smile stretching across his face. "Don't be a fucking drama queen. Or we'll have to stomp your castle!"

"Let's stomp his house!" Louis barked bitterly. "He has no right preventing us from seeing Barbie." He raised his voice for Killian to hear. "You can't block us forever, Killian, you control freak! Barbie still owes me a date. I've come to collect!"

I stared at the four princes in the hologram, my eyes wide.

Killian had blocked Headmistress Ethel and the druid's access to me, but if the princes kept causing a scene, Ethel and the druid would have an excuse to come sniff around and try to get their icy claws on me. The fucking druid had insisted on my returning to his divination class, but no way in hell would I give Ruin another glimpse of me through the crystal balls. If I wanted to meet my father, it'd be on my terms, when I had at least a slim chance of taking him on.

"Killian, be reasonable," Rowan called. "We're here to make you see reason! If you refuse, you'll face the consequences. We'll block your every move in the future. This isn't just your house affair, man. A bride candidate got kidnapped and nearly killed on campus! It's as much our duty as it's yours to?—"

"You'll have to give an inch, Your Highness," Pucker chimed in eagerly with a big, ghostly smile on his face. "We can escort the other prince to the common room and have Barbie waiting in the inner room. Each prince can have five minutes alone with Barbie under my supervision. Nothing will happen to our Barbie. The princes want a date? Let's give them a speed date! After that, Barbie will have no obligation to go on a date with any of them, if Your Highness prefers it. The house and I will take care of this, and the other princes won't get a minute longer with Barbie, I promise you."

I squinted at Pucker. He was always full of ideas, but I wasn't sure about dangling myself like a carrot in front of the princes, who were sharks.

"I don't see any benefit for me in doing this!" I protested.

Calculation glinted in Killian's eyes.

"I like how Pucker thinks," he said, and Pucker puffed his chest out. "Let's get it over with, then we can send those pricks on their way." He gave the house a nod and used the house magic to send Rock a message. "Escort the heirs to the common room and tell them that Barbie and I will meet them there."

The chaos prince then turned to Pucker with a predatory grin, all perfect white teeth. "Make sure none of the heirs overstay their welcome."