Page 39 of The Prince of New York

I smiled. “I purchased it before they were banned outside of medical treatments. As such, it’s legal. I take excellent care of it, because I would have to get a special exemption to have it repaired outside of battery replacements. It’s entirely possible my parents want the watch rather than me. They suspect I have it although I never confirmed I got it. They recommended that I get it. However, they think it’s for flameweaving. It’s not.”

Both of them stared at me with wide eyes, and Terry asked, “What would happen if they tried to wear it?”

“It’s attuned to me, so nothing. If they try to bust through the safety features, it’s entirely possible it will trigger them self-combusting. I paid a significant amount of money to make sure I’m the only one who can use this—another reason why it’s legal, albeit on a technicality.”

“Monty?”

“I’ll make sure he remains legal with it,” the RPS agent replied. “If your parents are after the watch, it’s harmless to give it to them?”

“Correct. It’ll self-destruct if meddled with, too. Repairs have to be done by the manufacturer. When I want the battery replaced, I have to make a trip up to Maine or California and have them do it at one of their plants. I just had the battery replaced a few months ago, so it’ll be good for another two to three years.” I returned the watch to my nightstand before pulling out a different one of a similar design. “This is one of my spare suppressors, and I tend to take it with me on trips. You’ll see me wearing it a lot in California. It has specialty leaks.”

“Explain the leaks, please,” Terry requested.

“Empathy is fully unlocked, waveweaving and airweaving are unlocked, and flameweaving is reduced to twenty-five percent capacity. That lets me use my talent offensively with no risk of self-combustion.” I returned it before closing the drawer and sitting on the edge of my bed. “It’s possible my parents might want that watch or a suppressor. They didn’t take theirs with them.”

Terry scowled. “I could see that. Without the suppressors, they’re at high risk of combustion during illness, aren’t they?”

I nodded. “While there is a black market for suppressors, it’s probably riskier than they’d like, and chances are, the suppressors won’t be strong enough.”

Terry spent a disconcertingly long time considering the situation. “It wouldn’t be a crime to give them their suppressors. They bought them with their personal money, and it’s technically their property. They’re attuned to them, so it’s not like they can slap it onto you and have it work.”

I nodded, well aware of the staggering costs for attuned suppressors. Mine responded to my magical signature and mine alone. “If that’s what they want, they’ll leave Rachel alone.”

“And you can use the suppressors as a bargaining chip. It’s safer for everyone if they have their suppressors.” Heaving a sigh, Terry glanced at Monty, who nodded and left my suite. “What else might they want from you?”

I took my time thinking about it. “Outside of being their oldest legitimate child, I don’t know what else they might want. The suppressors are probably their current target. They’re not as strong as I am, but they’re almost as likely to combust as I am. And them having access to their own suppressors is safer for everyone. If they combust, they will take out anyone around them.”

Terry nodded. “All right. I’ll look into tools that they might require for the safety of others that already belong to them. Your mother does have jewels she purchased with her own funds.”

“And my father’s favorite watches. I don’t believe he paid out for any enhancers with his, but he has at least two suppressors like mine. My mother had some jewels with suppressors installed as well.”

Terry lifted his hand to his ear and said, “Please bring the former monarch’s personal jewelry collection to His Royal Highness’s suite.”

“How much belongs to New York versus them?” I asked, frowning at the fact Terry had distinguished between personal and crown property.

“Most were purchased as investments for the kingdom; they had limited personal property,” he replied with a grimace. “We have not broached this situation with your sister yet. She won’t handle it well. It’s one thing to destroy their personal property, but it’s another for her to dissolve things that were purchased with kingdom funds.”

I bowed my head and heaved a sigh. “All right. We’ll take the jewels to the junkyard, I’ll deal with talking to them, and I’ll make it clear that New York’s official stance is that they can remain dead and gone in the eyes of the world as long as they go quietly. How much are the jewels worth?”

“They should be able to comfortably retire after selling the jewels, and they would be able to do so with a lavish lifestyle.”

“Can they do so separately?”

“They can,” he confirmed. “The idea is not without risks, however. They would have significant enough funds they might be able to pursue establishing a new kingdom.”

“If they do so under a different identity and do so peacefully, I couldn’t care less, Terry.”

“That was our thought as well. But can they do so peacefully?”

I lifted my head so I could regard the RPS agent with a raised brow. “My parents are a lot of things, but they prefer the threat of violence more than violence, unless you happen to be one of their children. But perhaps we took the hits so other kingdoms wouldn’t.”

Terry wrinkled his nose. “That’s a disturbing but plausible thought. Will you be able to handle talking with them?”

“If they were to go overseas and live out their lives in obscurity, I would be fine with this. But they’re going to do something. What that something is? That I can’t guess. But they could have acted at the vineyard. They did not. As such, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. If they have something to say, I’ll listen—and I’ll reserve judgment for after. But if they even look at my sister the wrong way, you won’t be able to separate their ash from the dust on my floor, that much I promise.”

“I’ll do everything I can to protect you,” Terry promised.

Of that I had no doubt. “Please put in a good word with whatever therapist gets saddled with me. After this, I’m going to need one.”

---