Ruthless King

Yikes.

Definitely not a cornflakes or rice krispies situation.

“How are you feeling, Jilly?” Victor asked.

She wondered what he thought about her being here.

“I’m as good as new.”

“You aren’t as good as new,” Regent countered. “You just had a coughing fit.”

“Because I was running. I really am all healthy now.”

Both men eyed her skeptically as Regent placed an overflowing plate of food in front of her.

“Really,” she added. “Um, this is a lot of food.”

“You need to get your strength back up.”

“I’m plenty strong.” She held up her right arm and squeezed her bicep with her left hand. “Size of a bowling ball.”

“More like a Ping-Pong ball,” Victor said.

She gasped dramatically. “How rude.”

“Jilly, eat your breakfast,” Regent said firmly.

Oh.

She couldn’t help but feel like she’d just been scolded. Picking up her knife and fork, she sliced into a pancake. There were two on her plate. As well as scrambled eggs, breakfast sausages, and fried potatoes.

Yum. The pancakes were delicious.

Regent poured her a glass of orange juice from the carafe on the table. Then another glass of water.

So. This silence was super awkward.

Gerald walked in carrying a coffee pot and she hastily swallowed her mouthful. “Gerald, these pancakes are to die for.”

He gave her a millimeter smile. She considered that a win.

“Thank you, Miss Jilly. Coffee?”

“God, yes.”

“Make sure you drink your juice and water as well,” Regent told her. “You need Vitamin C and you don’t want to become dehydrated.”

“Sure thing, General!” She saluted him.

Regent shot her a look. Right. Act with decorum.

She was doing so well. Not.

“Actually, I’m more the General,” Victor told her. “He’s the King.”

Regent turned that look on him.

Hmm. She thought Regent would be more . . . relaxed around his brother. Instead, he seemed more uptight.