Page 12 of Pining for the Prince
If the other tribes had been called then he’d have been more worried but still Goya being here was not expected. “I would have thought she’d have told you if we were supporting the Met. She doesn’t usually keep things like that from us.”
“Especially considering the work you do to help the security council. Might be worth you asking her. It could put you inan awkward position.” He bit his lip. “Maybe your friend Gwil might know something.”
“He’s harbouring a long-term dislike of Goya. Gwil believes it was Goya who blocked his return to the police after he was turned. While he might be right, it’s more likely to do with the fact he was kicked out of the Met while he was still human. Organisations like that don’t tend to have short memories.”
“More of a reason for him to find out then, he’d have knowledge to hold over Goya.”
Gwil could put out some feelers but he couldn’t expect an unbiased account. “I’ll see what he says. But I think I need to speak to Mother too.”
“Good idea.”
The stone on Wavel’s bangle glowed green, he grimaced. “Better go.”
“Jezi?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it programmed to alert me when she wants something. At least it’s green—if it were red I’d be in trouble.”
He waved his brother off and wondered about the best way to approach his mother. The soiree she was hosting shouldn’t go on for much longer, and usually she was in a good mood after the shorter events.
Sure enough, guests were already leaving when he made his way to his mother’s private sitting room, the place she went to decompress after spending time in her public persona. Hyax could understand that, there was always a certain expectation when a member of the royal family was on display. There was no room for any slip of the royal mask.
A servant had brought him one of his favourite cocktails, and he was flipping through the online catalogue of a new fashion collection he knew Gwil would hate, when his mother arrived, as stunning as ever in her finery and blonde hair woven with jewels, he knew he was lucky to have inherited her looks.
“Oh, Hyax, darling. I wasn’t expecting to see you in here.”
He stood and kissed her on the cheek. He flapped his wings, which was something he missed when in the human realm, as they weren’t visible, even to other fae. “It’s a flying visit.”
“Then how can I help you?” she asked as they sat.
Hyax waited for the servant who had arrived to deliver his mother her mint tea to leave. “I’ve been hearing rumours. So I thought I would come straight to you rather than add to the rumblings.”
“I see.” She took a sip of her tea and stared at him over the rim of her cup, nothing given away by her cool blue gaze. “What have you heard?”
“That Goya has been here.”
“He might have been making a personal visit.”
Hyax snorted. “Indeed he may have been, but since he’s the head of the Paranormal Division of the Metropolitan Police I somehow doubt it. What are we helping him with?”
He’d decided that was a better tack than asking if they were helping them, as that suggested a weakness his mother wouldn’t care to admit to.
The way her shoulders stiffened, and the slight vibration to her wings made him think he wasn’t going to get a straight answer. “All I can say is it is a delicate situation. I am not at liberty to give details, but rest assured there is no need for concern.”
“Is it anything to do with the recent raids?” he pressed. “I’m not asking to be nosey, but I don’t want to be caught somewhere conducting business for the Crown and be put in a compromising position.”
“You are not likely to be in the sort of establishment that would be raided. Your security would step in if needed.”
His security monitored him through a magic link he’d adapted to prevent them from seeing too much, and they knewbetter than to interrupt unless he summoned them. He hadn’t needed them yet. “I get myself out of most situations. It wasn’t out of concern for my safety, more our reputation as a family and our tribe.”
“You haven’t given me any reason to believe that would be an issue during the duties you perform.”
“What about outside of my duties?”
She placed her cup on the side. “You do have an eclectic set of friends. I can’t imagine any of your siblings having a vampire as a business partner.”
“We work well together, our skill sets complement each other.” He bristled. “You’ve never objected before, in fact you’ve always been quick to praise our successes.”
Gwil’s vampire nature hadn’t been welcomed, but instead on the whole ignored, and he knew it had little to do with Gwil himself.
