Page 76 of Queen Takes Triune
My eyebrows arched at her tone. To make matters worse, Mehen vibrated with menace, his dragon incensed by her attitude. It certainly didn’t help that she held one ofhisbooks.
“I meant to have a little chat with Marne Ceresa, but—”
Carys slammed the book down on the side table closest to my chair, startling Winnifred, who appeared to be asleep on her shoulder. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”
“Honestly… no. I forgot that you were even here.” I started to wrap the mirror back in its velvet covering. “I never see you, unless I hunt you down, and when I ask you something in the bond, you’re… difficult.”
“Stop.” Quivering with rage, she glared at me. Mouth pinched, hands fisted, ready to rip me a new asshole. “I’m the one who’s difficult? When I’m forced to deal with a wet-behind-the-ears slip of a girl who doesn’t even have the fucking brains in her head to wipe her blood off a mirror charmed by Marne fucking Ceresa?”
If I hadn’t made the rule about dragons in the house, I’d be tempted to let Leviathan teach her some fucking manners. I didn’t expect stuffy protocols. I hated all the bowing and curtseying and“Your Majesties.”But I damned well would be treated with a modicum of respect in my own fucking house.
But then it dawned on me, once my pride got out of the way. She was abso-fucking-lutely right.
The mirror. I’d bled on it. I’d activated it. And yeah, I’d been ready to send it back upstairs with Itztli without a care in the world. Confident in the salt and coffee grounds and complete darkness to hold the queen of Rome at bay.
When I’d fucking left the front door to my house wide open.
“You’re right,” I said softly. “Daire, would you mind cleaning the mirror?”
Immediately, he dropped to my feet and swiped his tongue over the surface. Purring, he lifted his head. “Mmmm, I like some salty coffee with your blood, my queen.”
I wrapped the mirror in velvet and lifted it up for Itztli, but he dropped at my feet and pressed his forehead against my knees. “Forgive me, my queen. I should have reminded you to cleanse the mirror as alpha directed when you first received it.”
One by one, the rest of my Blood did the same, bending knee and ducking their heads.
We’d all forgotten, despite Tepeyollotl’s warning.
“You’re right, Winnifred,” Carys muttered. “Exactly like herding cats.”
Daire’s purr rumbled louder. “Excuse me, you rude old bat, but I’m the only cat here. No offense, Itztli.”
“None taken.” He lifted his head and took the mirror from me. “Though bats aren’t rude. She’s much more like Mehen in that regard.”
“I ate bats too,” Mehen warned, snapping his teeth. “Just another kind of rodent.”
I sighed and looked at the book she’d brought to me.The Prose Edda. I flipped through a few pages, enough to figure out that it was Norse mythology. She’d picked up on my sudden interest in Ragnarök and tried to do something nice.
Though goddess, I wished she wasn’t so damned prickly.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Carys said gruffly. “I shouldn’t have insulted you, and I have mostly abandoned you to your own devices since you brought me here. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t seem to leave your library. It’s like there’s something there that Ihaveto find. It’s important. What’s happened that you felt the need to reach out to Marne Ceresa?”
“Oh, nothing much. Let’s see, I broke the Dauphine’s sigil that wards her secret identity, grew a portal tree in the basement of Isador Tower, rushed home to find the nest under attack by a zombie that used to be my Mom, cremated Mom’s body so it can’t happen again, and decided to strike back at the Dauphine by telling Marne where she’s hiding. But instead, as soon as I activated the mirror, Byrnes called Gina and summoned us to court.”
Winnifred flapped her wings and Carys stared at me, aghast.
Feeling a bit better, I managed a smile. “So, care to go to Rome with me? We have eight hours to get there.”
“She can’t attend with you,” Gina said. “The summons is for House Isador only.”
“But she’s my sibling queen now.”
Carys wilted. She actually looked disappointed that she wasn’t getting to go to Rome. To fucking court, called before Marne Ceresa for goddess only knew what reason. “If Byrnes didn’t list me by name, then I’m not allowed to attend. Hellfire and damnation. I would’ve enjoyed seeing you kick Marne’s ass.”
That easily, she made me forget our earlier argument. She didn’t doubt that I’d survive this mess. Her only regret was that she wouldn’t get to see it for herself.
Gina flipped on the second television screen. “Angela, Marissa, are you still there?”
Her two assistants immediately sat down in front of the camera.
