Page 36 of The Time Of Queens

Lucius didn’t know her.

Which was why my accusing gaze shifted quickly to another. There was only one guilty face in the room, and that belonged to the enigma that was Pip’s beautiful lady’s maid. And speaking of the Imp, I noticed how quick she was to come to her rescue.

“Yes, my dear, this is my friend I spoke of, is he not exactly as I described him to be?” Pip said, stepping up to the Vampire and tucking her arm in his before patting it affectionately.

His calm and collective countenance slipped as he looked down at his little friend, someone he had grown close to when aiding her in finding her husband, Adam.

In fact, if I had to put a title to the relationship, I would have labelled such as being brotherly affection, as he seemed quite fond of the Imp.

“Erm, yes, indeed, just as you described,” Keira said, looking flustered before getting to her feet now that we had company.

“Well now I feel at a loss, for you know who I am, yet I am still waiting to discover your name, Miss?” Lucius said, stepping forward.

I couldn’t help but scowl when she too stepped closer to receive him.

“Ah but of course, allow me to introduce you to my new lady’s maid, Miss Keira Williams… Keira dear, this is Mr Lucius Septimus.”

Keira curtsied and Lucius being forever the gentleman,unless blood was being shed,took her uninjured hand in his and kissed the back of it. Meanwhile, a purely irrational emotion was brewing deep inside of me, and it was one I hadn’t experienced before…

It was jealousy.

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Williams,” Lucius said.

Just seeing another man’s hands on her, and I couldn’t stop myself reacting as I stepped up behind her, taking her by the tops of her arms and pulling her back a step, whilst stating firmly,

“Yes, yes, enough of that, don’t crowd her, for she has just suffered an ordeal at the hands of…”

“The cook. Yes, I saw her being taken away and making quite a fuss of it, I might add. Had I known why or what the lady had suffered at her hands, then I would have aided in her removal… although, I would also say that from the looks of the cook’s face, someone already executed punishment,” Lucius said, nodding down to her bandaged hand and making Keira blush.

“Oh, Keira, is that what she did to you? Why that Fussock!” Pip said, rushing over and taking Keira’s hand in her own. And in all honesty, she looked as if she had no idea what a Fussock was.

“Well, no actually. I…erm…” She started to explain, pausing when words obviously failed her as she was looking more embarrassed by the second.

“She injured herself when punching the cretin’s face,” I stated firmly, making them all look down at her in shock.

Although Lucius’s smirk irked me more, as he now looked intrigued. I found I didn’t like the way his eyes lingered on her, nor how intently such a gaze was.

“You did all that damage?” he asked, making her blush and, again, I found myself reacting by pulling her back another step. Not an action my second missed, for his eyes narrowed slightly before recognition flashed in his questioning gaze. His ice blue eyes looked to me with surprise, making me shake my head to him, silently telling him not now.

“Well, it was clear she deserved it, come on, Miss Williams, let’s get you some air, as I am sure you’re in need of it,” my sister said, now taking Keira by the arm and purposely from my side.

She most likely assumed I would want to speak with Lucius in private. If only she knew the truth and how I was starting to loathe being apart from her. But my sister was right about one thing, because I did indeed need to speak with my second, and it was not for the mortal’s ears.

So, I was forced to let her be taken from me, noting how the two women fussed over her, making me question who was the lady’s maid in this picture? For I did not believe I had ever seen my sister conversing with the hired help in such a way before. Not that she was a tyrant, but she wasn’t exactly openly warm towards them either. A fair mistress to be sure, but not one tobe classed as eager in making friends with her maids, as Pip obviously was.

“Have you ever seen her before?” I asked Lucius without taking my eyes from the door she just left through, as if willing for her to come back. I also knew that Lucius was looking at me questionably, but I chose to ignore it.

“No, but you know Pip, she is always taking in strays,” he replied, making me grit my teeth at my forced tone of indifference.

“Although with the sight of that cook’s face, then I would say this one is more suited to my friend than most,” he added, giving me cause to sound more like him in my response, as I said,

“Indeed.”Then I walked from the room, with no explanation needed as I knew Lucius would follow.

I continued on until I got all the way to my office, wishing for a certain delicious little mortal to be hiding under my desk once more. Alas no, not this time, and most likely for good reason as I had important matters to speak with Lucius about, which was why as soon as the door was closed behind us, I told him,

“I have found my Electus.”

“Yes, so I can see, and I must say, the Gods have blessed you indeed, for she is beautiful, my friend.”

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