Page 43 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

“What’s this option?” I asked. Now that they had felt a fraction of what I could do, Mariana’s judgment might have changed.

She leveled a serious stare at me. “You must be made King Consort.”

Not what I was expecting her to say.

“No!” Zina’s composure dissolved entirely as she gawked at her sister.

Next to Thea, Aurelia started but quickly recovered and returned to standing by in silence.

“King what now?” Thea asked beside me.

But her sister-queens ignored her as they started to bicker.

“There has never been a male in such a position. We are celibate,” Zina hissed. “That’s not going to change because she let him sit on her throne.”

“Times have changed. We must adapt—or what happened to Ginerva will happen to us,” Mariana said coolly.

Was that a warning or a threat?

Both.

“This was her plan all along.” Zina pointed at me.

“I didn’t ask to be Queen,” Thea said calmly. “The crown chose me, and by choosing me, it chose Julian, too.”

“We’ll see about that.” Zina bunched her skirt in her hands and swept away.

Thea sighed. “That went well.”

“Zina needs time.” Mariana lifted a corner of her mouth. It wasn’t quite a smile, more tired reassurance.

“And everyone else?”

“That was quite a speech you gave.” This time Mariana smiled when she saw Thea’s surprised expression. “There’s little that goes on at court that we are not aware of, even when we are absent.”

Another threat.

I nodded slightly.

“Speaking of, I want to check on the situation,” Aurelia announced. “If I may?”

I felt Thea’s annoyance bubbling inside her like water on the verge of boiling. But she pasted a bland smile on her face. “You don’t need my permission. You are free to do your job as you see fit.”

“Then I will take my leave.” Aurelia bowed slightly to each of us in turn. But as she passed me, she leveled a meaningful look at me. She was passing the torch. I was in charge of Thea’s safekeeping now.

“You really want to make Julian into King-whatever?” Thea asked when she was gone.

Mariana nodded. “Consort,” she said. “It simply means you have equal social standing. It does not give him the same power you hold.”

“But—”

“That’s fine,” I cut Thea off. “I’m not interested in holding political power. I only want to see my mate protected and respected.”

“Then you must stay by her side.” Her throat slid slightly, her eyes sweeping across the room like we were being watched. “This became a dangerous place after Ginerva’s death. It’s why we dismissed many of the guards and closed the court to visitors.”

I thought of the assassinations and interrogations I had carried out under Le Regine’s orders. “It was a dangerous place before.”

“Not for us,” Mariana said to Thea in a lowered voice. “Ginerva trusted the wrong person and it cost her everything. It cost the court. Be careful. You never know someone else’s motives, even those closest to you.” She glanced over to me.

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