Page 30 of Gemini Queen
I can’t help thinking that, what with Damien and Cybelle’s still-unsolved murder, plus the fact that Ronin’s a Leo who summons fire, that fucked-up history puts Ronin Pendragon’s name at the top of the suspect list.
Not that it stopped Ronin from fucking me, and Ireallyhope Neo isn’t reading my mind now. Actually, it would be kind of handy to know how to stop the mental spillage and block out that sort of involuntary eavesdropping. If it takes me a day or two to hijack that plane, maybe I can focus on learning that while I’m here.
Just so the time isn’t totally wasted.
Pondering that plan, I turn back around and investigate the armoire.
It smells like camphor and it’s surprisingly full, but there’s not a lot of variety given the sheer volume of shit hanging in there. There’s a whole row of red-and-black plaid skirts and blue-and-white plaid skirts and green-and-gold plaid skirts and, well, you get the picture. There’s a rack of crisp white blouses with pearl buttons and stiff collars. There’s a half-dozen tailored wool blazers in cherry and black and burgundy with the ever-present Academy logo stitched in gold on the breast.
And there’s a whole row of drawers down the side, filled with cashmere sweaters and pants and more pressed pajamas like the ones I’m wearing, along with a few actual white nightgowns, a drawer full of cable-knit knee socks, and the requisite undies. There’s even a row of strappy mary jane pumps and snow boots and a pair of black-and-white saddle shoes (I swear I’m not making this up) lined up neatly on the bottom.
In other words, there’s not one bloody damn thing I would normally even consider putting on my body.
Jesus. Would it have killed Lucius to throw in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt?
I turn around, ready to grumble, but I already realize it’s a wasted effort. Lucius isn’t here, and there’s nowhere else in this room where some alternate universe of wardrobe options can secretly be lurking. There’s the bed, the armoire, a vanity, a cushy window seat that looks like a reading nook, and a big desk with a well-stocked bookcase.
There really is no other option.
I’m going to have to put on something from this armoire.
“Wear the burgundy,” Neo says calmly to my indignant face. “That’s the color we wear on Wednesdays.”
“Fine,” I grumble, “but I’m not putting on the skirt.” Because the color of my blazer is also not the hill I’m going to die on, but that skirt just might be. “I’ll wear the pants, I guess.”
Neo sits up and looks concerned. “Hey, I get that you’re a rebel and you don’t really want to be here, but I honestly wouldn’t advise it. You and I are excused from study hall this morning, but we’re due in class in an hour, and you have to wear the uniform. Otherwise it’s a decorum referral and detention with Master Zerxes—he’s the headmaster of Villa Tiberius—and you really don’t want to risk it.”
“They can’t put me in detention when I’m not even a student.” I fold my arms across my chest and sound belligerent, even to myself. “Anyway, why would detention with, uh, Master Zerxes be a risk?”
“Because Damien and Cybelle were both students in Zerxes’domus. Which means Zerxes and his entire cohort were members of Cybelle’s court. That makes them loyal to the Aquarius queen. And they really hated losing their courtier status when you were assigned here instead of theirdomus, the way Zerxes wanted. That makes them our enemies.”
Well, that’s just peachy. I haven’t even ventured out of my room yet, and I already have a whole houseful of enemies. It’s starting to sound like I need to payreallyclose attention to whatever Neo’s willing to tell me.
And he really must be listening about not reading my mind, because he seems to think I need more persuading.
He leans forward and props his elbows on his knees. “Trust me, Zara. You don’t want to tangle with Master Zerxes, and definitely not alone. At least not until you get a handle on your power.”
“No, I get that.” Resigned, I dive into the armoire and start pulling out the requisite items, all of them clearly new, expensively made, and tailored to fit my size exactly. I drag everything behind an antique dressing screen that’s painted with a pretty forest scene and start stripping down. “Are you telling me every single person in Villa Tiberius is my enemy? Even though I’m supposed to be their queen?”
“Pretty much,” Neo admits.
“How many enemies is that exactly?”
“Nine students plus Master Zerxes in that house. They’re a bigger house than we are. We’re actually the smallest of the three.”
“Just my luck,” I mutter.
“It’s because we’re the most exclusive. Master Aries is super picky about who he lets in.” Physically Neo’s keeping his distance, but I can feel his gaze on the screen, because of course he knows I’m getting naked back here. “Queen Messalina… you know, Cybelle’s mom… is still technically young enough to maybe have another kid. She’s, like, in her forties? It’s just she wasn’t planning on it, because Cybelle was a total bitch but a weak witch—kinda like her mom—and Messalina didn’t want Cybelle to have a rival. Now everyone in Villa Tiberius is hoping if you’re out of the picture, maybe we’ll get another Aquarius queen.”
“That does sound like the best solution for everyone.” Hearing this, I feel a little more hopeful. By this point, I’ve worked my way into the prim white silk panties and white lace bra and I’m buttoning up the crisp linen blouse. The well-made garments caress my skin, but I feel naked without my leather.
I’m still wearing my lucky cuff and my dive watch, at least, and I damn well plan to keep those.
“The Senate’s already confirmed you as the next queen,” Neo informs me, “and it’s not a title that can be revoked. The abdication process takes decades, and that’s by design. That means for another Aquarius queen to ascend right now, you’d have to be dead.”
My hope plummets back to my heels. Grumpily, I pull on the burgundy-and-gold plaid skirt and button it. It’s short and pleated and comes to mid-thigh. “Well, uh, what about the third house? Do they hate me too?”
“Villa Hadrian,” he supplies. “Twelve students in that one, plus Mistress Agrippina, the headmistress. There are only twenty-seven students in the whole Academy right now, but in terms of status and test scores, the cohort from Villa Hadrian’s at the bottom of the heap. Some of them barely have any witchcraft, just common magics, so they can’t go toe to toe with the big dogs. They’ll play it safe and wait to see who comes out on top.”
