Page 49 of Queen Takes Checkmate
Daire snarled at her beneath his breath. I bumped him with my knee to settle him. “Did Gina tell you what I would require to join my team?”
Her eyes burned brightly, almost as if she had a fever. “Yes. It would be a great honor, Your Majesty. I'm willing to do whatever you wish to ensure your trust.”
Vivian’s spark burned hotter, matching the heat in Madeline’s eyes. Something was definitely wrong with her.
To be safe, I glanced at Carys. Her owl had hopped down off her shoulder to peck at a crumbled scone on the table.:What's the probability that Madeline will betray me in some way?:
Carys looked at the woman beside me and twitched in her chair like someone had poked her. :Shockingly high. She's not to be trusted.:
I touched Gina's bond.:I changed my mind. I can't trust her.:
The consummate professional, Gina didn't reveal any surprise or disappointment. “Please excuse me,” she murmured as she stood and moved aside. “I need to make a call.”
“I wouldn't mind tasting your blood at all, Your Majesty,” Madeline said, a little too eagerly. Even Gina, whom I trusted implicitly, had been surprised at first. It was a great honor, yes, but not something that most consiliari did any longer. At least that was the impression I got from her.
Daire casually shifted closer to Madeline, putting himself between me and any danger. He was already licking his claws, though she didn't pay him any attention. Her second mistake.
“Oh?” I drawled softly. “I didn't think it was customary for queens to make human servants nowadays.”
“It isn't,” she replied quickly. “But it should be. It's a smart choice, Your Majesty.”
“Did Keisha give you her blood?”
“No, not at all. It wouldn't have occurred to her. She was too jealous of her power. She didn't trust anyone.”
“How many years did you work for House Skye?”
“Only ten, Your Majesty. Her previous consiliarius had cancer, I believe, and passed away suddenly.”
Rik growled in my head.:She did die, I remember that. But I don't think it was cancer.:
“Did she serve House Skye long?”
Madeline shrugged apologetically. “I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I don't know.”
“Which house did you serve before you came to House Skye?”
Madeline blinked. “I didn't serve a house, but I worked in the best accounting firm in New York City for twenty years.”
I sipped my coffee and blinked back at her, keeping my eyes wide and innocent. “I'm new to how the Aima do things. How did Keisha come to hire you, then? Gina worked for my family before I even knew anything about them.”
“I came highly recommended.”
I heard a bit of stiffness in her voice. I listened harder, letting my senses focus on her solely. Her heartbeat was rapid. I detected the flutter of her pulse in her throat. Her body temperature was also elevated. Sweat beaded on her brow.
“I didn't work directly for any house, but I had many previous dealings with House Skye and had interacted with the former consiliarius several times. So Keisha knew me.”
I settled back against the chair, seemingly relaxed. “What did you have on her?”
“Excuse me?” Her voice rose in pitch. “I don't know what you mean.”
“You had to have something on her. Some dirt she didn't want anyone else to know. So she hired you. What was it?”
She stared at me a moment, her eyes hot and bright, almost delirious. She hadn't seemed off to me yesterday. I would have accepted her as my second consiliarius on Gina's recommendation alone. If I hadn't been so tired...
“Please,” she whispered raggedly. “I need this. Desperately. You're my only hope. I'll do anything. Anything at all. But I must be by your side.”
“Why?”
