The King's 100

by Karin Biggs

  Her small body moved up and down the keyboard as she played a dark and rapid melody. “He’s a jerk!” she shouted over the piano. “He wouldn’t know good music if it hit him in the face!”

  “Layla, please stop so we can talk.”

  But Layla continued to play. “See, it was all an act—him being nice to me.”

  “You’re the one who insulted him!”

  “He’s just so…so—”

  Our heads turned to see Reese’s body in the doorway, with his guitar slung over his back. “Talented? Handsome?”

  Layla slammed the lid of the piano down over the keys. “What are you doing here?”

  Reese lifted his chin. “Thought I’d do some songwriting. I’m feeling pretty fired up, thanks to you.”

  “Well, you have to go to another studio because this one’s taken.”

  “Fine, I will.”

  “Fine, thanks for gracing us with your presence.”

  I waited for Reese to leave the studio but he and Layla stood their ground, not taking their eyes off of each other. It was a confusing scene for me to dissect—I would have imagined their expressions to be angry and threatening, but instead, they looked ravenous. Reese finally left, shutting the door behind him.

  As soon as he was out of sight, Layla slumped over the lid of the piano and cried. I sat next to her on the piano bench and touched her back. “Layla, what’s going on?”

  After a few minutes, she sat up and wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. She opened the lid of the piano and stared blankly at the keys. “If you love somebody, you go back to them. You always find a way to go back to them.”

  “Who are you talking about? Reese?”

  She looked at me with two black rivers under her eyes. “You were right to pass Ari off to Heather. Love isn’t worth the pain.”

  She opened the piano lid and her right hand played a slow rhythm of sad notes.

  I spoke softly. “Layla, I know you lied about the event planner switching our seats. I talked to her. If there’s something going on, I want to help.”

  She sniffed. “Just leave me alone, Paris.”

  “But I’m just trying to—”

  Her notes stopped, and she shut her eyes. “If you’re really my friend, you’ll go away right now and leave me alone.”

  I stared at the piano keys for a beat. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll go.”

  She turned her hand back to the keys, adding her left hand to the melody.

  I headed back down to the campfire and plopped down on a log as Staci finished a story about an embarrassing incident with losing both her sticks at a recent show. The remaining people at the campfire laughed at the conclusion of her story, then we sat in silence, listening to the popping of the fire.

  I was lost in thought about my roommate and my mother when Staci cleared her throat. “So, Paris…there have been some rumors about you and a couple court boys,” she said.

  I whipped up, not expecting to be the next form of entertainment at the party. “What?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, Reese and Darden.” Staci leaned her elbows on her knees. “So, what’s going on? Are you dating one of them?”

  My eyes darted across the flames to see Ari poking at the fire with a long stick. “For the record, Reese and Darden are just friends.”

  “But you kissed Reese at Grape Stomp,” Heather said, interjecting herself into the unnecessary conversation. “We all saw it.”

  “Ladies, Paris doesn’t have to talk about who she likes if she doesn’t want to,” Genevieve said.

  I looked at Genevieve. “Thank you, Gen. But I don’t—”

  “I know who it is, but I won’t say anything.” Genevieve brushed her red hair behind her shoulder.

  My mouth hung open for a beat. “Genevieve, I don’t—”

  “Miss Marigold, would you please join me for a stroll?” I turned around to see Darden staring down at me with his hands in his pockets.

  I groaned at his horrible timing.

  “Oh, a stroll,” Genevieve said with a wink, sending the other girls into laughter.

  “Darden, tell them we’re not dating,” I said with pleading eyes.

  Darden chewed on his bottom lip. “I…don’t talk about relationships, whether they’re my own or others’.”

  His comment sent my audience into a roar of accusations, except for one.

  Ari broke a few sticks in half and added them to the fire.

  I rolled my eyes as I stood up from my log. “Let’s go, Mr. McCray.”

  When we were inside, I punched Darden in the shoulder. “What kind of response was that?”

  He winced. “The kind that wouldn’t cause any trouble for either of us. Once this trick is done, I’ll swear up and down that I find you incredibly repulsive.”

  “Trick? I thought our deal was off.”

  He smiled. “I finished the calculations on my own. I just need you as look out.”

  I followed his steps down the hallway and into the rehearsal studio suite. I looked in the clear windows expecting to see Reese and Layla, but they were both gone. He stopped in the small kitchen inside the suite and tossed a bag of popcorn inside the microwave, setting it for eight minutes longer than it needed.

  “Right now? You’re doing it NOW?” I asked, shocked at my delayed realization.

  He held his finger to his lips and continued forward.

  When I caught up to him, he handed me a pitch pipe. “G for Genevieve,” he whispered.

  Darden took a deep breath as we neared the magician’s rehearsal studio.

  I turned my head to ask him a question.

  “I’m not nervous, Miss Marigold, so don’t ask me. You just need to do your job and I’ll do mine.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, sir, Magician McCray. I’ll be the perfect assistant.”

  I took a deep breath and paced in front of the door when I heard footsteps behind me.

  “Paris?”

  Before I acknowledged Genevieve, I blew the G loud enough for Darden to hear.

  “What are you doing back here?” she asked.

  I tapped my nails on the pitch pipe. “Um…rehearsing. This hallway has good acoustics and after Darden showed me a new card trick, I thought I’d do some rehearsing.”

  Her brows furrowed. “Well, that’s what I’m here to do. I’ve had my name on the magicians’ studio waitlist for a long time.”

  The door behind her opened a bit more, and she was about to turn her head.

  “You’re right,” I said, grabbing her arm. “I do have a crush on a court man. I just don’t want you to talk to the other girls about it.”

  Her face lit up. “Of course! So, who is it? I want to know if I’m right.”

  I watched as Darden silently moved out of the magician’s studio into an empty drummer’s studio across the hall.

  “Actually, I think I have a stomachache from all those marshmallows. See you later, Genevieve.”

  “But wait…oh, never mind,” Genevieve said as she stepped into the studio and closed the door behind her.

  I whispered “good luck” to Darden and left before burning popcorn triggered the fire alarm.

  Ari was late to our chat the next morning, so I started the fire on my own. I wasn’t around for the end of the campfire party, so my mind wandered.

  Did Ari stay up late talking to Heather?

  Had he made a visit to her room?

  Was he still in Heather’s room?

  But then the sound of footsteps calmed my nerves.

  “I’m so sorry, Paris. I blame being late on the marshmallows. Darden and I talked for like two hours after I got back to our room. He was in this super-chatty mood and I was hyped up on sugar.”

  I smiled and blew air on the low flame. “It’s okay. I didn’t even need your help.”

  Ari flopped his legs over the arm of the plush chair. “Nicely done. So, is chopping wood next on the list?”

  “I’ll stick to the fires. But you owe me the next on
e.”

  “You got it, Paris.”

  I turned my head to see Ari smiling at me and there was something that felt so comfortable between the two of us. Like we weren’t inside the king’s Mansion, but at his house in Badger River, waking up for a day of hot chocolates at Dan’s and hiking in the woods. I was tempted to crawl into his armchair with him and let him wrap his arms around me as we watched the fire together.

  Is that what Tasha felt when she was with Ari? Or how Genevieve felt with Robert? Was having romantic feelings for someone as simple as being comfortable with another person? Or was there more to it?

  I felt comfortable with Darden and Reese, but not the same way I felt with Ari. It was a different kind of comfort. I just couldn’t match a word to it.

  I headed to my designated chair on the opposite side of the fire and asked Ari why Darden was in such a chatty mood, even though I knew the real reason why. Then the conversation took off to card games, Ari’s grandmother who got drunk playing a card game once, and my ability to multiply large numbers in my head.

  Layla skipped her normal breakfast in the rehearsal studio and sat with me, Genevieve, and Heather for breakfast. Genevieve called over Staci Ringer from the drummers’ table, as well as Jasmine. She described Darden’s trick for everyone in detail.

  I couldn’t help but smile, knowing that Darden pulled off an amazing illusion using a projector, a tilted pane of glass, and speakers. Darden had wanted me to stay at the Mansion long enough to for him to do the trick, and I knew why—because seeing Genevieve’s expression was real magic.

  Genevieve’s eyes twinkled as she spoke. “I stepped inside the rehearsal studio and I saw a huge vase of red roses with a message that said ‘for my love, Genevieve.’ And then hovering above me was the Eiffel Tower from the lost city of Paris.”

  “I’ve never heard of it,” Jasmine said.

  “It was a real thing a long time ago. And it was sparkling. And it was so real, it was as if I could reach out and touch it. Beautiful music played from an instrument I had never heard before and fog danced across my feet. It truly felt like I was standing in the city of love.” Genevieve paused to suck the last of her milk up with a straw. “And I would have stayed to see who did it, but the fire alarm went off because somebody burnt a bag of popcorn. I even went back after the guards cleared the studios and there wasn’t a shred of evidence left. It had to be a Fourth Season Magician.”

  Jasmine shook her head. “I’ve never heard of an illusion like that. It’s almost like your magician is using illegal technology or something.”

  Genevieve’s face soured. “My secret admirer is not using anything illegal. He’s just brilliant.” Then her eyes shifted back to that glazed-twinkle look. “I just feel like I’m floating in a dream. I live in the king’s Mansion, I wear gorgeous gowns on a regular basis, and I have an amazingly talented secret admirer.”

  “And a boyfriend,” said Staci.

  “Yes, and a boyfriend. Of course, I can’t tell Robert, but it’s fun knowing that I have two boys interested in me. I just love being loved.”

  “Well, there goes my appetite.” Layla stood and lifted her tray.

  Genevieve ignored Layla’s exit. “It’s perfect timing too. I think Christmas is one of the most romantic times of the year. In Paris, they would say, ‘Joyeux Noel!’”

  I gave Genevieve a hug to share in her excitement, then followed Layla out of the dining hall. “Hey, are we going to talk about last night?”

  “No. Never.”

  “Layla, I’m trying to be serious here.”

  “And I seriously need you to never ever bring up last night again, okay? There are some things that friends keep secret, and this is something that’s my secret.”

  I could reason with secrets. “Okay. But what about Reese? You were pretty mean to him, Layla.”

  “Fine, I’ll give him a basket full of rainbows next time I see him.”

  I raised my brows.

  “Paris, we’re just going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I think his music sucks. Your voice is pretty on the harmonies, but it’s not enough for what he needs if he’s serious about a career as a songwriter.”

  I sighed. “Just…go easy on him.”

  “Why?”

  “I just…well, I can’t be sure, but I think he likes you, Layla.”

  Her cheeks reddened, but she kept a straight face. “Well…he can’t. I won’t let him.” Layla hurried forward. “Whatever you do, Paris, don’t let me stand under any mistletoe with Olsen.”

  I took a few quick steps to keep up with her fast, short legs. “Why would standing under a poisonous plant be harmful to you and Reese?”

  She smiled and slowed her pace. “Nothing good ever comes from standing under mistletoe, princess.”

  Genevieve and Heather passed us in the hall.

  “Don’t listen to her, Paris,” Genevieve said over her shoulder. “Mistletoe is one of the things that makes Christmas such a romantic time of the year. It’s the kissing plant! You’ve never heard about mistletoe in Green Heights?” she asked.

  Layla and I said a unison, “Homeschooled.”

  Heather’s blonde head poked around Genevieve. “But everybody knows what mistletoe is. My cousins are homeschooled and they all know. How do you not know, Paris?”

  I wanted to say, “Because I’m the Princess of Capalon, Heather,” but Layla ended the conversation for me by telling Genevieve and Heather to duck-off. Or was it something else? Buck? Whatever it was, it was a conversation ender that I wanted to remember for the future.

  Backstage during an auditorium show that night, I congratulated Darden in a whispered conversation. “Genevieve was mystified, just as you wanted. So, when are you going to reveal yourself to her?”

  “Never.”

  “What? After all that work?”

  Darden adjusted his black tie. “In my opinion, love’s better left as an illusion. Once you know the secret to the trick, the magic loses its luster.”

  “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Darden.”

  “I don’t mean it as me specifically. I could be the most attractive guy in all of Mondaria and the same rule would apply. You imagine love to be greater than it is in reality, so when you finally get it, you end up disappointed in one way or another. And I happen to be most comfortable under illusion.”

  “Says the magician,” I said with a smile.

  He shrugged. “Hey, don’t mess up tonight. The king and queen are in their box.”

  I gave him a thumbs up, then took the stage with the other singers for our set.

  As I sang, I pondered Darden’s explanation. Was I happier with Ari hidden under the illusion of my fake Mondarian identity? If he knew who I really was, would he still make campfires for me or would he hand me over to the guards?

  But then the faint smell of something familiar tickled my nose after I finished my solo. My mother was nearby but to my disappointment, she continued to stay hidden, failing to reveal herself backstage or after the show. I had to be ready at a moment’s notice for her to appear and dissolve the illusion of Paris Marigold.

  We didn’t celebrate Christmas in Capalon, so the Mansion’s transformation into an indoor forest of pine trees was fascinating. I also noticed how the decor and the holiday seemed to make everyone a bit more cheery. Ari especially couldn’t contain his joy for the atmosphere.

  The next morning, he stood in front of an empty hearth with a huge smile plastered on his face.

  “Where’s my fire, Mr. Novak? And why do you have a coat on?”

  “It’s a surprise. Go get yours and meet me outside.”

  I bounded back up to my room and ran into Agnes and Little Bernie in the hall on the way back out.

  “Why are you so happy to be going outside this early?” she asked through lowered eyelids.

  I bent down to give Little Bernie a pat on the head. “Um…just excited to start the day.”

  “Uh-huh. Just remember he’s not allow
ed in your room.” Agnes ducked into the bathroom before I had to construct a lie that didn’t involve seeing a boy.

  The cold air bit at my face when I stepped outside but Ari grabbed my hand, melting away any ill thoughts of winter.

  “So where are we going?” I asked. “Oh, did you finally find the moose?”

  “Nope. Something even cooler.”

  We walked across the Mansion lawn hand-in-hand, only for Ari to gently drop our connection when we approached a circular barrier surrounding a frozen pad of white ice.

  “They’ve set up a temporary ice rink for the Christmas guests. And we’ll be the first ones to test it out,” Ari said, slapping a hand on the barrier as if he was showing off a prized discovery.

  I recalled Layla talking about ice rinks and ice skating, but the activity required some sort of special shoe. “Don’t we need equipment?”

  He shook his head. “Just our shoes. You don’t need ice skates to have fun on the ice.” He helped me over the barrier and held my hands as we stepped onto the ice. I slipped, but he caught me, preventing me from falling on my butt.

  Ari performed a series of spins and slides and I followed suit, laughing and forgetting all the obligations, risks and threats that waited for me outside the ice rink. When Ari performed the Mondarian waltz on his own and fell on his rear end, I reached down to help him up but I shook with laughter and fell down next to him. When our laughter subsided, we stayed seated on the ice to watch the sun peek over the mountain tops, sending a coral haze across the lawn.

  I turned to Ari, expecting him to say something about the rising sun but he was looking at me.

  “Your ears are bright red,” he said. He huffed hot air into his hands and placed them over my ears. We looked into each other’s eyes and I wanted to tell him that his mouth looked cold and that maybe covering it with mine would—

  “Hey, get out of there! This is for Mansion guests only!” shouted a Mansion employee.

  Ari helped me up without any slipping and boosted me over the barrier, cursing under his breath. He pulled me by the hand as we sprinted and laughed all the way back to the Lounge.

  When we stepped inside, court members were emerging from the dorms.