‘The only thing that matters is that I find out Claude’s plan so I can protect everyone,’ she said firmly, downing her tea and making her way to the door. ‘This is my duty.’

‘What are you going to do?’ Binah asked.

‘I’m going to get info on Haru. He must have something we can use against them.’

And, with that, she left Binah to ponder how much was changing without Ellie or Lottie realizing.

With every step away from Stratus Side, Lottie reminded herself that she was a Portman – Ellie’s Portman, playing the role of princess in order to protect the real princess from harm – and with burning fingers she latched on to her wolf pendant, her heart thundering beneath it. There was fear there, a creeping, foul voice that whispered how her life might look without Ellie and her job, but she squeezed the pendant tighter, pushing the thought away. This was not something she needed to give any attention to as long as she did right by the Wolfsons, which is what she was doing right now.

Lottie decided it would be best to wait for Jamie to finish his allotted hour with Haru. Trying to leech information from Jamie after their little ‘dates’ was probably her best bet to find something she could use against the other Partizan.

It was easy enough to find the pair, Jamie having told her he’d be helping Haru water flowers in the rose garden, and, sure enough, she spotted them from a distance.

Jamie instantly saw her, pausing where he was gently misting something, and Lottie felt an odd pull in her chest. There was something so candid about it, nothing like his recent intensity. Before she could dwell on it, Haru locked on to her, smiling fox-like while he waved his fingers in a taunting greeting. It took all Lottie’s strength not to roll her eyes.

Haru patted Jamie on the back, dismissing him from the flower cage in which he’d trapped the unsuspecting Partizan for the past hour.

Jamie’s face heated up with that intensity again and he marched away with a sheen of sweat on his brow. Lottie took a cautious step back when she saw how furiously he was walking towards her. Something was wrong and it made her heart flutter in a way she couldn’t make sense of.

‘What’s wrong?’ he demanded. ‘I thought we were going to meet back at the dorm.’

Lottie baulked, realizing Jamie had assumed she was in trouble and the fire surrounding him was purely protective. It made her feel weird, her stomach twisting. When had Jamie started making her feel so nervous again?

‘It’s nothing. I just thought it would be nice if –’

Jamie let out an exasperated sigh, completely cutting her off. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ he demanded.

Lottie froze. Did he know? ‘What are you talking about?’ she asked innocently.