Page 77 of Princess For All

“Representatives are here from the former Pinault coven on behalf of Joi and one of your allies,” one of the guards told me. “We recognize all of them and they’re clean.”

I glanced at Kristof. “Handle security however you want, but let’s see them.”

“Yes, My Princess.” He darted out of the room and went for who he wanted. Namely, the oldest and deadliest we had.

We let them into the dining hall since we didn’t have anything else ready and weren’t prepared for visitors.

“From Joi, Princess,” the first messenger said and handed me an envelope.

I thanked him and focused on the other group.

“That probably will tell you exactly what this says,” the leader of them said. “Italy was hit with a large earthquake. We believe over a seven and close to the coven. We have sustained damage and injuries—luckily, no deaths but—my princess is requesting aide.”

And I would give it. Princess Martia was outside Lombardia, Italy and had always given more than I’d asked.

I nodded and quickly read her letter before handing it to Kristof. “We had smaller earthquakes here too.” I read Joi’s letter and my eyes about popped out of my head. “They had one in France? There’s not even a fault line there or…”

“They felt a major one from the ocean?” someone else muttered.

I nodded that I heard them. “Minor. Just a tremor and nothing, they thought someone playing chicken with their power, but then they heard word about Italy. She wants information and instructions.” More than fair. I glanced around seeing I had the attention of everyone and sighed.

Except I wasn’t sure what to really do.

“Your gut is always right, my love,” Kristof said quietly as he took Joi’s letter next and read it over.

“I want to put everyone on lockdown in case this is Erebus,” I muttered. I shrugged when people seemed shocked. “Aether made it rain when I doubted Her. What would the other God do if His champion kept failing or maybe wouldn’t get off her ass? We don’t know.”

“True, but even if it’s not and we’re just on earthquake watch because the world fucked itself, lockdown and high alert is smart,” Jamelle muttered from the other side of the table.

We’d trimmed down who could eat in the castle a long time ago. It wasn’t most visiting nobles. Only the nobles and knights of the coven—others of the coven as well—and then my in-laws or favorites basically. No others unless they had an invitation.

I nodded that I heard him. “And we need to check in with every coven we’re allied with. Even ones they’re aligned with and might talk to that we’re not. We need to know if the whole world just had a bit of a shake and harder in some places than not or—should we check volcanos?”

“Yes,” several people said and firmly.

Okay, glad it wasn’t a stupid idea.

“Then let’s get to it. Alert every outpost and settlement. Even the ones we left to implode and aren’t in control of.” I glanced at Kristof. “Right?” I chuckled when he gave me a dry look that clearly said to fuck those people.

Fair enough. I shrugged, leaving it up to the people giving out the messages then.

I sighed, ready to head to Boston to handle what was on the agenda before we could sleep. I turned when a throat cleared and I had a frowning cat.

Then I frowned. “I don’t think you should be upset about anything after today.”

He chuckled, taking the comment how I wanted. “I’m not. I just don’t know how to say that I want to come with or ask if I can come with?”

I shrugged again. “Sure, come with. Just ask. That easy.” I had no idea why he wanted to, but clearly it was a thing. I wouldn’t like it if he started problems, but he normally wasn’t one to. I figured he either had questions or he’d heard something that made him want to see it for himself.

But Jamelle was actually on my security and he seemed amused. I simply rolled my eyes and went over to him. I acted like a kid and bounced on my toes and held out my hands like I was asking for uppies.

“You said I was silly that she could make me laugh too easily, but you almost crack every time she does it too,” Sebastian ribbed him. “The idea for us that a princess behaves that way and everything going on is—”

“Yeah, yeah, plus you’re way more uptight than I am,” Jamelle grumbled as he lifted me up and even set me on his hip. “Be good and we can go pony shopping after.”

We all died. It was the comic relief we needed before heading off to handle more than we should.

Just as we did every fucking day.

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