Page 40 of Queen Takes Rook
My grove had been extremely busy while I was away in Mexico. I stared in wonder at what Morrigan had wrought.
At the base of the heart tree, the ground had cracked open and fallen away to create a deep, hot mineral spring. Lined with smooth stones, a pool bubbled and steamed, inviting me to step down into the water for a nice long hot soak. Rose petals from my heart tree covered the surface, releasing their delicious scent into the air. Almost like Mayte’s flowery scent, but thicker and less sweet, like the difference between a cabernet sauvignon and a crisp, light moscato.
The tree itself looked damaged with a deep gaping hollow in its trunk, but then I noticed the flash of brilliant feathers inside. Quetzals. They were flying in and out of my tree… like the ones in Mayte’s nest.
A portal, between the two heart trees. My mind raced with possibilities, though I didn’t step into my tree in order to find out if I was right. I didn’t want to smell whatever was happening with the traitor Mayte had disposed of in hers.
Rik gave me a hand as I slowly stepped into the water. “When you admired the Zaniyah grotto, I had a feeling you might find your own surprise when we returned home.”
It was smoking hot and oh so good. I had to step down incrementally until I was in up to my neck. Closing my eyes, I leaned back against his chest. “Intention, I guess. I need to be careful with random thoughts. I don’t want to accidentally wish ill on someone and regret it later. Surprises like this, though, I absolutely love.”
Daire sat on a boulder beside us and dangled his feet into the water. “Are you ready to talk about how to deal with Marne’s mirror call?”
I blew out a sigh. “Yeah, we need to talk through a strategy. Guillaume said she doesn’t do anything without a plan, so I can’t afford to wing it. You said that Triune politics were your gift. Do you mean like a power? A strength? Or just something you’ve always been interested in?”
“Both.” He quirked his lips, flashing his dimples. “I’m easy to talk to. I’m easy to get along with. Mom and our queen always said I was too amiable by far. So I built that as my reputation. It’s my greatest strength. The Triune game gets tricky when other people know you well enough to start playing to your weaknesses. If I said I’m too amiable by far, what do you think my weakness likely is?”
“That you’re naive and too trusting.”
“Exactly. I allow people to believe that I’m naive and too trusting. It’s what they expect and it matches my strength. You’d be surprised how much people will tell me, hoping to mislead me, or worse, hoping that I’ll mislead others because I won’t see through their lies.”
I frowned. “I don’t like lying to anyone. Even Marne.”
Omissions, sure. My life wasn’t anyone else’s business and I didn’t have to correct their ridiculous assumptions. But I didn’t like the idea of deliberately lying to someone, especially if I meant to bring them to justice.
“Then we use that. We make sure your reputation is that if Shara Isador tells you something, it’s not a lie or an exaggeration. But then you have to follow up on it. If you say you’ll kill whoever tries to hurt one of your Blood, then you’ll need to act on that when someone does.”
His words alone were enough to trigger my anger. Nobody had better try to get to me by hurting one of my Blood. “That won’t be a problem.”
“Think about what Marne Ceresa knows about you. You were lost and never raised in a nest. Most queens will assume that you don’t know how to deal with the finer details of court life, let alone the Triune. But you’ve already proven yourself more than capable by claiming a sib and deflecting House Skye’s attempt to absorb you.”
“If she’s heard about Ra’s attacks, then she’ll be even more impressed,” Rik added. “You’re a new fledgling queen, dealing with Ra and the most powerful American queen. Marne will know you have plenty of power to spare, and either you’re damned lucky to escape so far, or you actually know your stuff.”
“So, what you’re saying is, it’s too late to play stupid.”
Daire huffed out a laugh. “Which would be a lie anyway, and Shara Isador doesn’t lie. If you go into this meeting with Marne pretending to be stupid and unskilled or weak, then she’ll know you’re playing her for a fool. The queen who broke Keisha Skye’s geas and claimed House Zaniyah as an ally cannot be clueless.”
Guillaume and Nevarre climbed down onto the ledge beside Daire, though neither sat down. “All clear, alpha,” Nevarre said. “I didn’t see anything for miles in any direction.”
“Good. How are the twins fitting in?”
Guillaume shrugged. “Fine, though they’re a bit standoffish. They have each other, so they don’t need camaraderie with us.”
I concentrated on their bonds and found them walking the edge of my nest with Xin. He was his ghostly wolf and Itztli was a huge black dog, but Tlacel walked with them like a man taking his pack on a walk. They weren’t talking like friends, but they were comfortable together. My silent wolf often ran alone, so I was pleased that he had company, and his silence made him a welcome partner for the twins.
I turned toward Guillaume, propping my arms on the ledge, and he immediately squatted down. “How many queens have you known?”
“In the biblical sense, or received introductions?”
I arched a brow at him. “Both, I guess, but I don’t want the details. You know I’m a jealous queen.”
“Many queens, but they’re all dead now, thanks to Desideria. She ruled as the highest Aima queen for centuries. The other two Triune queens are Marne Ceresa and Jeanne Dauphine. I personally met Marne Ceresa three or four hundred years ago but would not say I know her at all. I’ve certainly neverknownher.”
He waggled his eyebrows, making me snicker. “I’ve never heard anyone mention Jeanne.”
“Most queens refer to her as the Dauphine. She’s one of the oldest queens, and certainly powerful, both in our courts and the world’s. Her less powerful line founded the ruling family of France centuries ago, though her Aima court became more and more secretive as the French monarchy grew in prominence. She was rumored to be a close friend of Desideria’s when they were young queens, but they became bitter enemies once they both gained seats on the Triune. As Desideria’s reputation grew, the Dauphine withdrew, though she still holds a Triune seat.”
“What’s the point of holding a Triune seat if she’s not actively doing anything for Aima queens?”
