Page 58 of Controlled

“I’m aware.”

“If you encourage their misbehavior rather than giving them the tools they need to adjust, I will remove you.”

Her posture relaxed and her expression softened, somewhat. “I understand.”

Despite her apparent acquiescence, Noratu was not convinced that she intended to cooperate. “The guest house is equipped with continual surveillance.”

“You make it a habit to spy on your guests?” she challenged, head tilting back as their gazes locked.

One of his recurring guests had requested the additional security, but he refused to explain himself to a traitor. “It is not my intention to review the recordings, but that can change without warning.”

Hostility flashed in her gaze, but her only response was a tense nod.

“Go,” Draven dismissed. “And tell Flora to return. We have need of her.”

Iris rushed from the house as fast as her arthritic limbs would carry her.

“She is going to be a problem,” Noratu predicted.

“I know, but I’m not sure what else to do with her. She has already contacted several of her friends. If she leaves, she could become even more of a problem than she is right now.”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?” Noratu paraphrased the human adage.

“Something like that.” Draven moved to the sofa and sat down. “Flora would have been my choice to mentor her cousins if our triad were not so new.”

That surprised Noratu. “You don’t trust our mate?”

“Of course I trust her, but bad attitudes are contagious. If her cousins spend the next month complaining about Altorian rules, Flora’s rebellious nature could resurface.”

“And we would have to break her all over again?” Noratu arched his brows. “I’m surprised you are considering any other option.”

Flora walked down the main hallway a few minutes later, her expression troubled. “We can’t trust Iris with my cousins,” she announced as she reached the living room. “She started running her mouth before I even left the guest house. She promised Cara that her lessons on Altorian history would be very different from what is taught at the Citadel.”

Noratu looked at Draven. They had taken responsibility for the old woman’s behavior. They could not allow her to stir up resentment of Altorian customs, even with her granddaughters. “I can dispatch a security drone, make it obvious that they are being watched.”

“She won’t care,” Flora stressed as she moved to stand at Noratu’s side. “Everyone blames my mom for taking me and my cousins to Earth, but I’m starting to think Iris was the true radical.”

Noratu wasn’t sure what to make of that. “What changed your mind?”

“I was led to believe that my mother was devastated by the loss of her husband. But her years of depression also make sense if Iris convinced her that hiding on Earth was the only way to protect us and later Mom regretted the decision to leave her mates.”

“Iris did not need to be the instigator for that,” Draven pointed out. “Autumn could have regretted her own decision just as easily. From what I have heard, your mother was very much in love with her source.”

“Iris and Autumn likely reinforced each other’s resentment,” Noratu added.

Flora nodded. “Nadis told me all the things Iris suffered before she chose to leave the Citadel. Her past is filled with tragedy.”

“Tragedy does not excuse criminal behavior,” Draven stressed. “And kidnapping Raina and Cara was a crime.”

“I wasn’t trying to excuse what they did, just understand it.”

Draven acknowledged the clarification with a nod then fell silent.

As usual, Draven’s emotions were closely guarded, but Noratu could sense Flora’s sadness, her longing for all that she’d lost. Her life on Earth had been innocent and uncomplicated. There was no way to return to that calm simplicity, and he didn’t think that was what she wanted. But power came hand in hand with responsibility, and Flora was feeling the weight of her new reality.

“If Iris has been indelibly radicalized,” Draven resumed after a long, thoughtful pause, “she cannot supervise Cara and Raina. I think keeping them apart would make all three needlessly hostile, but Iris cannot be their mentor.” He pushed to his feet and moved closer to where Noratu and Flora stood.

Flora considered the options for a moment, then asked, “Will I have time to mentor them?”

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