Page 46 of Queen Takes Triune
I nodded slowly. “That tells her we broke the sigil but are still politely reaching out to her. Yeah, I like that.”
Lips quirked, Gina picked up her phone. “Are you ready to kick the hornet’s nest?”
“Go for it.”
14
Shara
Isat back down, nestling into the heat of Rik’s body with Daire against my knees, while Gina made the call. She put it on speakerphone so I could hear everything. It rang five times before the call was picked up.
“Hello?” A female voice said.
“Good afternoon, this is Gina Isador calling on behalf of Shara Isador, who would like to arrange a meeting with Her Majesty Leonie Delafosse.”
There was a long pause, enough that Daire wriggled against my legs with impatient glee.
“I see,” the woman finally replied. “How may I help you?”
I couldn’t help but note that the woman didn’t state her name.
“My queen is newly risen to her house after being lost for several years. She’s reaching out to all the queens in the Americas hoping to make alliances. Naturally House Delafosse came to mind.”
“Naturally.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
Gina looked at me and shook her head slightly. Our initial plan wasn’t working. For whatever reason, this presumed consiliarius wasn’t buying our alliance story, even though that was exactly what we intended.
“From what I hear, your new queen isn’t making alliances, but rather taking siblings.”
If Leonie Delafosse was really just a minor queen holding court in New Orleans, then that would be a completely valid concern. I didn’t blame her if she was afraid that I’d use the alliance excuse to force her into a sibling relationship.
If she were actually a minor queen.
And if I were the kind of queen who’d force anybody to give me their blood and support.
“Who is it?” A different voice spoke, soft and feminine and very southern belle.
Holding Gina’s gaze, I asked,:Probably Leonie?:
She nodded.
The call was muffled a few moments, as if we’d been put on hold or someone had covered up the microphone. Then the second woman spoke again.
“My, my, a new, sweet young queen. Are you as strong as they say you are, sugar?”
I bristled but didn’t say anything right away. Her tone gritted with fake sugary sweetness. I’d worked in Alabama before, so I knew the“bless your heart”tone. Which was basically the polite way to say,“go fuck yourself,”or“what a fucking moron,”or rarely, it might actually be sincere, which made it all the more deadly a phrase to use.
“I guess that depends on who you ask,” I finally said. I didn’t want to make an enemy of yet another formidable queen, but I wasn’t going to be walked on, either.
“Keisha Skye didn’t have a chance to ask.”
I kept my voice even and calm, though sparks flared in my blood. “She shouldn’t have fucked with my Blood.”
Leonie laughed, a high, sweet trill that was actually quite musical. “So fierce and protective. You’re the queen of New York City now. What do you want with me?”
While she hadn’t acknowledged the broken sigil that pointed to her secret identity, it glared like a neon elephant in the room between us. She had to know that I knew, but she continued to pretend to be nothing more than a minor queen enjoying the vampire-friendly city of New Orleans. So I’d play along.
“I’m reaching out to all the queens I know of, especially the ones who’re close. I’d like to form as many alliances as possible.”
