Pawn to King by Martha Sweeney

Author:Martha Sweeney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: WWN Publishing Group

Fifty One

Red

“You’ll tell me the truth, right, Red?” Lolly inquires lowly.

“Sure,” I lie, uncertain of her next question. I wrap up the strand of her hair that I just braided.

“Why is Ronin acting funny?” she inquires.

“What do you mean?” I reply.

“I don’t know,” Lolly sighs with a shrug. “He’s…he’s just been acting different.”

“What do you mean different?” I inspect.

“Something’s bothering him,” Lolly states. “I know shits crazy with what Jagger has him doing, but he seems like he’s extra stressed. Us being poisoned and last night’s occurrences don’t help with the matter either.”

“Has Ronin hinted to something being wrong?”

“No,” she huffs. “But, why do you think we were poisoned?”

I shrug. “Someone wanted to challenge Jagger.”

“Why females, though?” Lolly ponders. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“Lin almost died,” I remind.

“True,” Lolly sighs. “But still….”

“Could have been the Others,” I suggest.

“I didn’t think of them,” Lolly gasps. “Why would they?”

My shoulders bounce. “No one has really thought of them trying to infiltrate. It’s been a while since there has been conflict with them.”

“True,” Lolly agrees. “But…I don’t know. Something still doesn’t feel right with how Ronin’s been acting.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s just been acting weird since Jagger has been paying more attention to me,” Lolly shares.

“More attention?” I inspect, pretending like I haven’t noticed or know why he would.

“Yeah,” she confirms. “I wonder if Ronin thinks that, you know, other than the fact that Jagger wants me to share things that I see and hear that he also, you know…wants…me.”

“Wants you?” I inquire.

“Bedding,” Lolly says nervously. “I don’t know why he would think that. I’m polite, talk to Jagger when he requests my attention, and that’s it. I don’t flirt with him, nor he with me. At least, I know I’m not.”

I twist the strands of her hair that have been in my hand, pinning it to her head. “Have you tried to talk to him, Ronin, about it?”

“Ronin?” She giggles. “He avoids it like all Jaruian men do.”

I snort, knowing what she says is true. Ryan avoids talking even when he initiates the conversation.

“He can’t be mad then if he won’t talk,” I suggest.

“I know,” Lolly sighs. “I tell him that I….”

“That you what?” I check when she stops short. My eyes shift to the mirror before us and I can see a concerned expression on her face. Lolly’s trying to hide something and I’m not sure what.

“Promise you won’t tell,” she directs.

“Tell what?” I ask.

A smile forms on Lolly’s lips. “I tell Ronin not to worry. That I’m careful.”

“I don’t think it’s you who he doesn’t trust,” I counter.

“I know he doesn’t trust Jagger,” Lolly says. “And, with good reason. But, it feels like he doesn’t trust me. And, Jagger’s never done anything to….” She stops short either not wishing to say the idea out loud or unsure of how to mention it.

“Not yet,” I mumble, keeping the topic on her.

“I know that there’s always a chance,” she replies. “I mean, look at how the males are allowed to behave.”

“You’re trying to protect Ronin,” I assume.

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