Page 113 of Gemini Kings
Well, if she didn’t chafe against her constraints, she wouldn’t be Zara.
“As to that, my dear,” Lucius says mildly, “your antics in the skies above Las Vegas were not particularly well received by the Arcane Senate or the AIB, both of which have had to tidy up the matter. In the internet era, that hasn’t been easy to do. They’re still turning up the occasional TikTok or Instagram post and having to discredit the entire affair as a casino publicity stunt. In truth, they’ve had to produce an extensive disinformation campaign, to which your father has wisely contributed.”
“Yeah, well, that’s big of him. Considering that whole fiasco was actually my dad’s fault.” Zara snorts. “Talk about disinformation. It was literally entrapment. He lured my ex into the open, sprinkled the intel where he knew I’d find it, fucking tried to kidnap me, and then when I resisted, he decided to have me unalived—to put it in TikTok terms. I’m still not getting how any of that’s my fault?”
“Oh, it’s our fault for rising to the bait.” I sigh. “How horribly tedious.”
Truly, I’m starting to swing around toward appreciating Lucius’ point of view on this entire wretched affair. If only we’d taken him (and Neo, with his political instincts) into our confidence in the first place and trusted them, quite possibly we would have ferreted out the trap.
Then this whole messy circus could have been avoided.
Including the bothersome intrusion of this kissing dragon into our bucolic and polyamorous happiness.
Lucius pats at his perspiring brow and slips out of his tweed coat, while I watch him disrobe with a degree of focus that’s nearly psychotic. At this point in his cycle, he’s so aroused he won’t even meet my gaze.
Well, no matter.
He’ll bend for me tonight, and we both damn well know it.
“There have always been those,” he tells our queen, still doggedly avoiding my stare, “who say you’re too headstrong, too impulsive, too reckless, too undisciplined to hold the throne. For those who doubt, these rumors of a hidden Aquarius queen possess a certain pernicious appeal. For all their magical weakness, at least the Aquarius are… well behaved.”
“But what about this so-called rival?” Zara tosses the magazine on the table. Instantly my hand snakes out to claim it. “There isn’t a pic or even a name in this article. Just this comment that some news outlet in Mongolia resurfaced the story. Assuming another candidate even exists, who’d actually want to take my place? And would they be strong enough to do the whole witching world messiah thing?”
Lucius tugs his tie loose and looks fretful. Clearly, the poor dear is having a hot flash. “Truly, the existence of any rival at all is impossible to confirm. As I’ve said, it’s an old rumor, with just that single fresh clue to this so-called rival’s whereabouts—Mongolia—a clue which seems rather too obvious to be believed.”
“You think it’s a setup? Someone wanting to lure Zara out from behind the wards… to blooming Mongolia?” Ronin scowls and tightens his arm around my waist. “Bloody hell.”
An electric frisson of alarm hums between us. Based on the well-publicized evidence of Zara’s latest exploits, a clever and determined adversary might certainly be tempted to bait their trap in a way that plays on our little queen’s famously impulsive and headstrong nature to lure her into the open.
Out from beyond the wards, where she’s vulnerable.
My chest tightens and the air floods with a sudden spike of my Mogadon pheromones, until the room simply reeks of aggression. Lucius bares his fangs, Maxim snarls into his soup, Ronin growls under his breath, and even Neo looks fierce. As for my girl, she looks… dangerously thoughtful.
Good God. I hope she isn’t actually considering rising to this clumsy bait. That’s certainly not how this little game is going to play out if I have anything to say about it.
Which, of course, I do.
“Mongolia, huh?” Zara says slowly. Her eyes narrow with interest. “Never been there. Normally I’d say wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
Our entire cohort holds its collective breath.
“Zara,” Lucius growls through his fangs. “I am undertaking certain inquiries on your behalf, but these things take time. It’s really rather difficult to ascertain—”
“Relax, Teach.” Her tight mouth softens in a wry grin. “I’m not about to hijack the jet and go haring off again—as much as I’d like to. I kinda learned my lesson about busting out of this joint and sneaking off on my own and leaving you guys behind the last time.”
The tight clench of alarm in my chest loosens. The room’s honed tension loses the worst of its edge.
“Thank Christ for that,” Lucius sighs, his fangs retracting. He pats at his brow with his handkerchief.
“So I guess that means we wait—for now—and see what your mysterious inquiries turn up.” Zara tucks her knees up to her chin, props her chin on her folded arms, and looks positively mutinous. “What am I supposed to do in the meantime? Just keep studying for my midterms like everything’s hunky-dory?”
“Actually, studying for your midterms would be an admirable start.” Lucius gives her a severe look which, knowing the precious girl as I do, will thoroughly dampen her pretty schoolgirl panties. “Demonstrate through your actions that you take your royal responsibilities seriously. And, for the love of God, kindly forego any more unsanctioned adventures in the outside world. Do these things, and perhaps this public discontent will die away on its own.”
“That’s one way to handle it,” my queen says slowly. She unfolds to her feet and resumes her pacing. “Or we could take a more proactive approach.”
Lucius looks alarmed all over again, but I’m intrigued.
“Tell us what sort of scheme you have brewing in your diabolical mind, darling,do,” I purr.
