Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 108

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow**
by Evan Miles
Chapter 108

53%

“Come on!” Loren pleaded, her voice tinged with urgency. “It’s her first day on campus. Do you honestly believe she’s going to a party tonight?”

I dragged my hand down my face, feeling the weight of our conversation pressing down on me. We had been stuck in this back-and-forth for what felt like an eternity—thirty long minutes of Loren’s relentless persuasion. I could feel the frustration building within me, like a balloon nearing its breaking point.

“It’s not about Amara,” I reiterated for what felt like the hundredth time, my patience wearing thin. “It’s about going back to that ridiculous house with those insufferable people.”

“But it’ll be different this time,” Loren insisted, her tone almost hopeful. “We’re bringing our own drinks. Maximus said he’d keep an eye out, and Jeckell isn’t even going to be there.”

“Just because Jeckell’s gone doesn’t mean there aren’t others who won’t pull the same nonsense,” I replied, rubbing my temples in frustration. “Honestly, Loren. All I want to do is curl up with my cheesy romance novel and drift off to sleep.”

I turned my attention back to the book resting in my hands—a whimsical tale I had picked up from the “free” section of the library earlier that day. It was a cliché story about mermen and sirens, completely unrealistic, but oh, those steamy scenes were something to behold.

Loren huffed, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest. Without warning, she leaped across the room, snatched the book from my grasp, and hurled it away from me. I stared at her, mouth agape, utterly dumbfounded by her audacity.

“I was reading that—”

“I refuse to let you live your life in fear!” Loren declared passionately, her eyes blazing with determination. “You’ve got two more years here, and one of them will be without me. I need you to actually enjoy yourself for once!”

“My book was enjoyable,” I muttered, but Loren was already tugging me out of my cozy nest on the bed. She plopped me back into her makeup chair and began fussing with my hair, her fingers deftly weaving through the strands.

“Shush,” she commanded playfully. “Braids or straightened?”

An hour later, we found ourselves making our way back to that same dreaded house we had visited nearly two months ago. This time, however, Loren had graciously allowed me to wear my own clothes. My boots thudded against the concrete with each step, and I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering slightly as the crisp breeze swept across the campus, stirring the first fallen leaves into a gentle dance.

Loren strode confidently ahead of me, her heels clicking rhythmically against the pavement. She wore an outfit reminiscent of our last party adventure—a tight black skirt that accentuated her curves, cherry-red heels that added a pop of color, and a black mesh top that flowed around her midsection like a whisper. She turned back to me, her expression urging me to hurry up, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of admiration and envy.

“I hope she’s not expecting me to dance,” a voice grumbled beside me.

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