Pacing the residence wasn't helping but I couldn't sit still. I tapped a manicured nail against my lip and listened as Linna and Jess bickered about the events that had unfolded.

“There’s no way Sheila didn't somehow drug Fin.”

“That’s a double negative, Linna. And there is,” Jess lamented. “As much as I want to blame her, it’s impossible Sheila was able to drug you all the way in Andorra.”

“I’m just saying, there’s no way our girl and Mary are both acting nuts on three glasses of champagne on the most important day ever and the next day the press beats a ho down in a perfectly timed second attack. That is what’s impossible. There’s no way this is a coincidence.”

“She’s right,” Mary said from the doorway, making us all jump.

“Mary?”

“I came as soon as I could.” She hurried to me, hugging me and smelling a little like home. Tracy and Isaac followed her in. They both nodded at us all.

“How is he?”

“Awful. He’s a bear to be around.” She shuddered. “But that’s not why I’m here. I think Mother has to be behind this. Sheila didn’t work alone. It had to be a joint task force.” She sounded American with her conspiracy theories. “Of course it was Sheila’s idea. She’s done it to you before. She knew.”

“I don't think it’s likely your mom would drug me, dude. But she sure as shit wouldn't drug you.” I was angry and sad and sensing the betrayals coming at me from left and right, but a queen drugging some girl from Spokane was insane.

“Maybe, but there’s one way to find out. Drug test. I’ve called a clinic and they’re open, although it’s the twenty-seventh. They have a skeleton crew and are waiting for us.”

“Are you being serious?” I couldn't believe she was talking about her own mom this way.

“Absolutely. I had three glasses of champagne and a lot of food. I definitely wasn’t that drunk. Something was off. And I don't recall everything. I have gaps. I’ve never blacked out before, and you and I got drunk at the exact same moment, apparently. That’s off.” She lifted her chin defiantly. “I guarantee you were the intended target, and I somehow got your drink. And Mother played it off as though I was reckless and an embarrassment, but she did this. I am certain.”

“You should totally do this. Then at least you’d know,” Jess agreed.

“Yeah,” Linna added.

“Fine. Let’s go.” I grabbed a jacket from the chair and followed her and Isaac outside. “What’s Aiden doing about this scandal?” I asked when we were in the car.

“Oh, you know Aiden,” Mary said snidely. “He’s living life. Loving everything. He’s not bitterly pissed at all. Feels good.”

“Does he hate me?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “But you are in tremendous company. Because he hates everyone.” She swallowed a lump and turned to me. “I mean everyone. He’s going to end up as some mad King of Andorra and bring back public hangings soon.” She sighed, sounding defeated. “But he’s carrying himself well, protecting our father and our country. He’s refused to speak on you or the matter of your past. He says that Andorra has far more important things to worry about than some girl from Spokane.”

“Ouch.” I winced. “That’s cold.”

“He’s ice.” She reached over and squeezed my hand. “But I think he’ll come around.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

“Of course.” She smiled bitterly. “He gets to approve every aspect of my life now. Which is why I’m doing this. I need evidence to prove your innocence, so he doesn't marry me off to some fat old Frenchman in an attempt to make certain we're all as unhappy as he is.”

“He would never do that.” I laughed halfheartedly. But she didn't. She slipped her hand into mine and gripped it. I wasn’t sure if she was nervous because her mom might have actually drugged us, which I didn’t think possible, or that there was a good chance we just drank too much and made fools of ourselves and Aiden was justified in hating us both.

My money was on the latter.

And there was no way Sheila drugged us from Spokane.

There was even less chance the queen would drug me. She was evil and hateful and plotting, but she wasn’t Sheila-diabolical. She was weak and her idea of diabolical was pathetic, as in throw half-naked girls at her son in an attempt to tempt him, sort of sad. While I’d fallen for it, her plotting thus far had been uninspired and basic. There was no chance she’d just switched her MO and suddenly become some master of the setup.

I wanted to believe it, but the odds were totally against us.

Isaac stopped the car out front of a small modern clinic near a coffee shop we’d been to before. He didn’t get out or open the door for us. He waited in the car as we walked to the entrance where a woman with a bright smile unlocked the door and opened it for us.

“Hiya, we were just about to close. You must be Mary.”

“Yes, this is Fin.” Mary stepped in, removing her jacket and hanging it on one of the hooks by the door. I kept mine on, I was freezing.

“Right, well follow me. This will only take a second.” The chipper lady led us to the back of the clinic, to one of the examination rooms. “And you want a full drug panel?” She lifted an eyebrow as she washed her hands and pulled on gloves.

“We do. And we want the utmost discretion on this.”

“Of course.” The woman nodded along, not seeming offended by the comment. She lifted a needle and turned to us. “Who’s first?”

“I’ll go first.” I removed my jacket and offered my arm.

She tied me off like an addict and slid the fat needle in smoothly, attaching it to something and taking a few vials of blood. As the thick red liquid flowed from me, I wondered what I would do if I was drugged. How would I handle that? And how could I prove who did it?

“All right. Now let me get some hair.” She put the sealed vials down and reached up into my head, plucking multiple hairs. I winced and rubbed the spot. “And fill that container in the bathroom and bring it right back here.” She pointed at the urine sample container.

“Okay.” This was easily the most efficient and yet awkward doctor experience I’d ever had. I took the container as the lady washed her hands and changed gloves again before turning to Mary and stabbing her with the needle.

When I came back with the pee, Mary was leaving with a container. “How long will this take?”

“I’ll have it done in the next week. Your friend has put a rush order on this.” She smiled. “Are you girls all right?”

“Yeah.” I realized this was a clinic that tested for drugs in young girls; clearly, they’d seen some shit. “We didn’t have anything weird happen. Just have some memory holes but our friends can account for our time.” How did you say we weren’t sexually assaulted without saying it?

“That’s good.” She finished labeling the blood and hair and took my bright yellow pee and swirled it, staring at the contents. “You need water, my dear.”

“Okay.” And there it was, my threshold of discomfort.

“Could you fill out the contact information for me, so we have the correct numbers to reach you?” She put the pee down and removed her gloves, washing her hands again.

“Sure.”

“Here.” She handed me a clipboard with a form.

I scribbled down my first name and phone number.

“All set then.” The lady beamed. She was too pleasant.

“Thanks.” I turned and walked back to the front door.

“If you girls need anything else, let us know. We’re here for all levels of care, not just the tests.” She followed me to the door as Mary joined us, handing over her container of pee. The lady slipped a glove on and took it. “I’ll phone when the lab has the results in.” She waved with her other hand.

It was easily one of the weirder things I’d done in a long time.

“Thanks.” Mary waved and went to her coat, slipping it on.

“Have a restful evening, lasses.” The lady waved us off again, still holding the pee.

We hurried out into the cold air and the back of the car.

“Now we wait.” Mary’s eyes sparkled with ferocity.

If we had been drugged, her mother was going to regret accidentally giving it to Mary. She didn’t just want revenge, she wanted blood.

I almost felt sorry for the queen.

Almost.