Page 41 of Petals for Vicious Secrets

Lenna turned on her high-heels, heading towards another part of the House, golden sparks on her hand as she sent ink to Sasha:

The hall in front of the Organ Mandor’s office was bright, the rays of the sun across the glass windows on each wall and ceiling intercepting each other playfully. Four roixers dressed in cardinal red stood guard by the double wooden doors.

“I need to speak to the Organ Mandor,” Lenna said, her voice decisive as it always was.

“He’s busy. Do you have an invitation?” one of the roixers on her left asked, stepping forward.

“Not a formal one, but I am a guest in this House.” She lifted her chin in that bossy way she had seen Ayla do countless times. “I am the heir of the North House,” she added. Surely that had to count.

“We know who you are, miss Lenna Brachyan,” the roixer said as he stepped back in line. A silent dismissal.

Lenna put her hands on her hips, frustration already on her face as she was trying to find a way around speaking with the man. The wooden doors opened in front of her and Jake came out of the room, closing them behind him. And he halted in front of her, slightly lifting his eyebrows.

“I’m starting to think that this is your favorite posture,” he said as a way of greeting. He made a signal to the roixers, “You will excuse us for a moment.”

The roixers marched out of the hall without asking a single question. So they listened, when they wanted. And here she was with precisely who she had avoided for days.

He swallowed, as if he was hesitating about what exactly to tell her. “What is it you want from my father?” he asked.

“His permission to bring one of my staff from the North House,” Lenna said. She was not in the mood to talk to him. Not at all, and not yet. But if he could help her with this, talking to him might be worth it.

“Permission granted,” he said, walking past her and brushing her arm with his. “I wouldn’t bother him for small things like this, by the way. He was not happy with your sister pretending to be a distinguished person because she needs someone to wipe her Very Important Ass.” And with that, he was gone.

Lenna almost choked at the thought of Lidia wiping her sister’s V.I.A. And her face lit up with a grin. That had been way easier than she had expected. And damn her if she wasn’t excited to bring Theon to the Organ House.

Lenna was pretty convinced that the long distance between the Organ and the North Houses would make sending her ink to Theon a stupid option. But luckily, and unlike her, Ciaran knew a great deal of how her own magic worked.

“Don’t overthink it.” His blue eyes fixed on the cards in his non-metallic hand. “The possibilities that it reaches him are way bigger than the opposite.”

Sasha raised her finger in the air with worry on her face, making everyone on the terrace look at her. “So sorry, lovelies,” she said as she put her dice on top of the card face up on the table, making Ciaran and Brendon immediately be creative with their swearing. “You can go cry in that corner.”

She winked at a laughing Lenna and did a small dance, shaking her shoulders and full breasts that had the potential to stop some hearts and resuscitate some cocks. Elsewhere, that would be, because the two men in front of her were desperately finding some valers in their pockets to pay her fifth-in-a-row win. And they didn’t seem very content with it.

“Another round?” Sasha said, grinning and gathering the cards and dies spread on the table as well as coins. Lenna had been watching a few times as they played CoreCode and still was not sure she understood all the rules. Only that it always involved a huge amount of teasing and swearing.

Ciaran and Brendon looked at each other, as if having some internal conversation about which one of them should tell her they were so done with the unfairness of life.

Sasha started shaking the dies, lifting her brows. “Aren’t you tough, tough men? Already cowered by a poor young lady that only wants to have some fun?”

Lenna snorted. “Where is that poor young lady? The only lady I see here is a badass bitch.”

“Only because badass bitches recognize each other.” Sasha blew her a kiss and turned to the boys again. “So?”

“I’m not sure my hurt male ego can take it anymore tonight,” Brendon said.

“Or my empty pockets. You are going to ruin us.” Ciaran stood up, stretching his arms on top of his head. “And Lenna, for Cardinals’ sake. Just send him the damned ink.”

All Lenna wanted was for her message to Theon to come across as an invitation to the Organ House, and not as he didn't have an option. But without giving him an actual choice, if that made any sense. So after a while, she sent her ink:

Followed by:

Lenna grinned, imagining Theon swearing out loud at the short notice and how early he had to get up. But he would come. She had no doubt. And she couldn't wait.

24

Hope

The shaking of the cellholt woke Hope up for the third time in the space of two hours.

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