Page 28 of Scarred Crown

“Surely you’d have to justify the killing,” Julia says.

“Oh yes,” he agrees. “A lot of paperwork. Attacks are rare. Animals in this country have a long history of being hunted. It’s in their DNA to avoid us.”

“Do you think so?” I ask though Kafil and I had a similar conversation one of the first nights after I arrived. My mind is stalled at thirty seconds ago, on the cusp of taking a chance with Jules.

“Yes.” Kafil nods. “Once an animal has a bad experience with a human, the trauma lives on, stops them from trying a second time.”

Now that, I can understand. “Shoot your shot, stick your neck out once, learn from your mistakes.” My mind clears.

“Exactly.” Kafil passes me another beer.

A good reminder for me. The longer Julia stays at the camp, the more likely I am to bury my first attempt and go for round two.

Kafil makes a throat slitting gesture. “Very few animals stick their neck out twice.”

“Those that do go for round two,” Julia says, “who don’t seem to be afraid, must be dealt with somehow?”

“Monitored. Sometimes the lessons they learn from their encounter with humans aren’t the right ones. A screw loosens.” Kafil taps his temple.

“They seek something they can never have,” I say, draining my second beer.

“Not without dire consequences.” Kafil begins to repack the cooler as the last rays of sunlight slip beneath the horizon. “In the vehicle.” Kafil gestures to us. “We’ll make our way back to camp.”

###

On the way to camp, we come across a pack of hyena cubs scattered across our path with a few adult protectors.

Julia stares at them in the headlights. “How can something so ugly also be so cute? I had no idea they could be so many different colors.”

From there, she floods Kafil with questions about hyenas, packs, mothers, fathers, babies, and whatever else comes to her mind. Listening to her intellectual spiral is a delight. She’s always known how to drill into a subject to find some sort of clarity. Her intelligence is wasted as my father’s secretary.

Not that being my father’s secretary is an easy job, but when I think back to all our conversations, she never once mentioned she wanted to become her mother. Quite the opposite, actually.

The question hovers on my lips while I watch her talk to Kafil with so much enthusiasm. What happened to the girl I once knew?

When we arrive back at camp, the circle around the campfire is already mostly formed by all the groups who either didn’t go for a night drive or returned before us. There are three chairs left, one of which is beside Lauren the leech.

“Your highness,” she calls to me as soon as she catches sight of me and Julia. “I saved you a seat.”

Inside I cringe, but on the outside, I give her a broad grin. “Kind of you. But we’ve got some official palace business to discuss.” I gesture to Julia beside me.

Julia purses her lips but doesn’t dispute my claim. At least that’s something.

We take the other two chairs, and while a staff member brings her some sparkling water and me a beer, she turns to me. “Did you really use me as a shield from your conquest?”

“There was no quest needed to conquer her.” I give her a wry grin before taking a drink. “You want her? Pretty sure you could conquer her too.”

On the other side of the fire, Lauren is drunk and sprawled in her chair, a pouty expression on her face. Before her glassy gaze can connect with mine, I slide my focus back to Julia. Not sure which is worse—a sober, disapproving Julia or a drunk, desperate Lauren.

“Why any woman would want to sleep with you when you speak of them so disparagingly afterward is a mystery to me.”

I raise my eyebrows to cover the sting of her words. “You think I slept with her?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Julia sighs.

“I can afford to have standards,” I mutter. “She doesn’t meet them.”

“Prince Nicholas has standards? This is news to me.” Julia taps her finger against her chin.