Page 5 of Queen Takes King
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I saw where I want to move lastnight.”
Gina’s eyes lit up. “Excellent, I can’t wait to assist you in procuring a nest, but you don’t have to move if you don’t wantto.”
“The last thing we want is to end up on the news. I mean, isn’t there some Triune law against that sort of thing? If not there shouldbe.”
“The Triune definitely would not look favorably upon a major news story featuring the Aima, but some coverage is unavoidable in this day and age. It’s not the end of the world and you certainly don’t have to leave if you’re notready.”
“What do yourecommend?”
Gina tipped her head. “That depends on you. Will you want to retain this home in the future and return occasionally? Or would you rather sell it outright and distance yourself from thislocation?”
My immediate thought was to sell it, but I didn’t answer right away. I took several sips of my coffee, thinking. I had some good memories here, but I didn’t have to keep the house to preserve those memories. There were painful ones, too. Every time I looked down at the back entrance to the park, I’d remember my parents’deaths.
And it was ridiculous to own more than one bighouse.
Daire made a low snarky sound, drawing my attention. “You already own more than one bighouse.”
“Ido?”
Gina’s eyes widened. “Oh yes. We’ve invested in property all over the globe for generations. You’d be hard pressed to go to a major city in Europe or Asia and not have your own home ready andwaiting.”
“Ready? And waiting? Likethis?”
“Of course. If the Triune calls, you would need to go immediately, and there won’t be time to set up and open a house. They’re all fully stocked with goods and perfectly maintained, ready for occupants at a moment’s notice. Some are large enough that they’re staffed all yeararound.”
“You worry,” Alrik whispered against my ear, his voice low and rumbling like thunder. “My queen does not worry. You should have all the houses you could everdesire.”
His voice thrummed a chord inside me. My mouth ached, but that only pissed me off, because I wanted what I couldn’t have. For whatever reason, my fangs hadn’t come in. They may never come in. So the knife-thrust of hunger deep in my gut was torture, pure andsimple.
I pushed away that longing, hardening my voice. “I guess I’ll keep it,then.”
“Very well,” Gina replied. “My next question, then, is whether you care to be a bit of a celebrity, or if you’d rather hide in obscurity when you visit this house. Because we can let her think you’re a minor royal princess from some obscure country… or you can lock the doors, draw the blinds, and post security to run her and anyone elseoff.”
I didn’t have to think about this one. “I’ve been hiding all my life. I’m sick to death ofit.”
She grinned. “Then let’s have some fun with our nosysalesperson.”
3
Shara
Gina gaveme her laptop to search for the house I’d dreamed about while she made a few calls. It didn’t take me long to find the manor house in Eureka Springs, situated on a beautiful river with forty acres of Arkansasforest.
It was for sale, of course. Because when a goddess sends you a dreamhouse…
You can damned well expect to find it available forpurchase.
Though the price tag made mechoke.
She looked over my shoulder. “Oh, excellent. Nice size, nice location. I’ll have Angela look up the history on the place, see how long it’s been on the market, and make the offertoday.”
“How long will it take? A fewmonths?”
She laughed and patted me on the shoulder. “Oh honey, I see that I still have some impressing to do. Give me a few minutes and I’ll let youknow.”
She walked over to the fireplace and started talking on herphone.
I turned my attention back to the real estate listing for myhouse.
