by Erin R Flynn
The princess I had been specifically speaking to set down her plate with a huff, giving me a death look.
“Princess, all of their hotel rooms have been packed and their luggage ready for them, but at the guest trailers,” Hope announced as she joined us. “We weren’t petty and let them steal the bath products they had packed, but we did take back the electronics as several were lifting just about anything they could find.”
“There’s no way you packed our belongings that fast when this all just happened,” Camilla argued.
“Well, we had some sex and stuff, and my coven isn’t only shifters,” I drawled. “Plus, again, we were listening and knew you were going to do this.” I gestured to the assault vehicles and lots of armed people. “They didn’t just magically appear. We were ready for you and they have lives, so leave. Now. I won’t say it again or allow you to challenge me in my own coven.”
It annoyed me that several seemed to hesitate and think about doing it, but only behaved when Vitor, Petre, Tian, Moon, Sisay, and Branko all pulled out swords or weapons. They gave me curt nods or withering looks, but then stormed off like they were going back in the castle.
That wasn’t happening.
“The trailers and your bags are closer this way,” Vitor told them as he moved to block the path. He pointed past the tower to his left so they had to go by all the assault vehicles and people with guns. “We’ll escort you out of the territory and off the continent.”
They listened though, truly understanding they’d pushed me too far. No one said a word for several moments and I enjoyed my burger, loading my fries with ketchup and just devouring it all.
“Princess Hanna we also found—” Trisha started to say.
“Wait,” Winston, one of Hanna’s nobles who stayed, like Sebastian and Jacob did to be her eyes and ears here, cut in. He waited a few more minutes where everyone was tense, but I just kept eating as I knew I had to get back to the tree and crash soon. “We’re clear. I apologize for interrupting.”
“No, thank you,” Trisha said firmly, before turning to Hanna again. “We caught something that will interest you. It’s muffled and we didn’t catch a name, but Ostrava, which is not far from you in Czechia. You know the princess there?”
“I do,” she sighed. “What is going on?”
“Camilla’s been in touch with her, and we have her on tape saying that princess was planning on making a move against you to acquire all your electricity, and she might not be the only one,” Trisha explained. “They’re not happy they weren’t invited to play and get in on your finds. Camilla was gloating that they were stupid going for you when she was going to take the source and all would bow to her then.”
Me. That was me.
I snorted. “Funny because they didn’t even take my kicking them out seriously until the ancient guys with blades backed me up.”
“That sounds like a boy band,” Hope chuckled, cutting through the tension.
“How do the bugs in their covens work?” Hanna asked Vitor.
“Wait, we have everyone here that we made a pact with, but some of them brought relatives that do not like me and might not behave well,” I interjected, glancing at a few I was speaking of, focusing on one in particular. “And if you don’t stop looking at Kristof like you plan on trying to have a rendezvous with him or steal him from my bed, I will fuck you up.”
“Don’t even play offended, we heard you,” James cut in before she could put on a performance. “Or that Darius might be a better target as he did something to hurt Inez.”
“I would never betray my princess or cheat on my wife,” Darius seethed.
“I believe you,” I said firmly. “You would never.” He gave me a relieved look that I knew at least that and settled down. I glanced at Hanna before Matilda and Nora. “She’s planning on something new and vile of having me adopt her and taking over from the inside as there’s no way she could get the support to take me over directly.” I smirked at the “young princess” who wouldn’t take over her coven.
“It would never have worked, darling,” Nora taunted her. “Inez loathes the idea of adopting princesses and finds the whole practice distasteful.”
“You’re not wrong but I’ve never said that,” I clarified. “But I don’t judge any who have done it. For me. As someone who didn’t grow up at court. I find it—I couldn’t do it.”
“No, you’d just let me stay forever if I wanted, like an idiot with a piece of paper you think will protect you like those of your coven. Or your new guard dogs you won’t even let fuck you as the other rabid one you just ‘married’ like a common nobody,” she seethed.
My eyes went wide as her older sister, Princess Lawan from Thailand, who I had gotten along with fairly well so far, stood and stormed over to her. She slapped her across the face hard enough that the younger sister went down. “You do not embarrass our house, not now, not ever again, Sister. How dare you conspire against my ally behind my back?”
“You know nothing, Lawan. You have been given everything, and I nothing, as I was second-born!”
“You know nothing, baby sister, as this was not a prize handed to me, but shackles and heartache you will never know,” she bellowed. “I offered you a chance to rule at my side, rule with me as my second, the one I could always trust as my sister. I would never have cast you aside or out in the cold to be adopted, or fade into the nothing, as others of our bloodline have.”
“You wouldn’t support me taking any coven over,” she sobbed.
“Hasn’t there been enough death?” Lawan shot right back, throwing her arms in the air. “There is a fraction of the world still alive, and we are still trying to survive the apocalypse. We haven’t done that yet. One more time trouble lands, and not in a way that isn’t directly on us and our whole coven could be gone. We barely survived the bombing of Bangkok.
“And no, I will not support you taking over another coven because I do not believe in it. There is no reason! Why can you not stay at my side as my most trusted council and ally? Why is that not good enough for you? Support me and find love, find all we cannot have as ruling princesses and do it from home and help me rule. Why are you so selfish and heartless that it’s not good enough for you?”
“I would never have allowed it, for one,” a different princess said; their mother, if I had to guess.
“I do not care, Mother, as you are no longer in charge and have not been in a long time. You pitted us against each other, dangling the coven in front of us as who you would hand it down to. I never rose to your bait. I would rather have struck out on my own as Inez has, even if it meant failure, than betrayed or fought with my sister. It was the coven that pushed you to let me take over.
“So they would not back you in taking power again. Do not even try with the lies as I know better. The choice is not yours. It was always mine. You said I was a fool for listening to a dream and traveling far, and yet it panned out. I make wise choices and take calculated risks to benefit the coven. They would accept if I named my younger sister as my right hand given it’s the apocalypse!”
“You were serious?” her sister whispered, staring up at her with shock. “Mother said—”
“Mother is a jealous witch who banished her own sister and bubbles over with jealousy that I would be stronger and not do the same,” Lawan snapped. “The rest we will discuss at home, and maybe you will finally hear me, Sister. But first, you will apologize to our ally and never, not ever again, even think such thoughts on something so underhanded. We have better morals and hearts than that.”
She nodded, standing and giving her cheek a quick rub before coming towards me. She didn’t just bow, but got down on the ground and completely prostrated herself before me.
“Princess Inez, I apologize not only for my vile words, but my evil thoughts and ideas. My wise sister is right, and my house is one of more morals and heart than that. I beg you to forgive my lapse in judgement when my fear overruled my sense as I, like you, feel the adoption o
f a princess something detestable and terrifying to sign away my life in that manner.”
When she said it like that, I sort of understood her better. Yeah, I would have done a lot to not have that fate.
“I understand where your mind was, and I can get being scared, but killing innocents to save yourself is never excusable.” I let out a shaky breath. “I led corrupted to Safie’s coven to save myself and my coven, and I told myself it was okay as they were with her, they were her coven and on her side. I couldn’t have been more wrong as many were relieved and thrilled to be free of her.
“So I’m not perfect in keeping with my own morals and beliefs. I get how we fall. I hope you don’t again as even I know Lawan truly treasures you and feels you are worth more than being brushed off as the second princess. I trust Lawan will find some sort of acceptable penance, but I accept your apology.”
Lawan dipped her head with me. “With your permission, I ask my sister be allowed to see an example of how the corrupted hunt you as you showed us. That was the moment I became a believer and realized the stakes were higher than I thought. Plus, it certainly solidifies how badass you are, Inez, as she has been sheltered and will learn to fight the dangers out there and hunt evil.”
“Glad someone thinks that of me,” I teased, but nodded, accepting it was a good idea.
The party was much more fun without all the assholes. People were jumping on grills and helping out to get everything delivered on trays to the outposts.
“What are these?” Nora asked in between bites.
“It’s Nick’s ‘four quarters’ blend,” Jaxon answered. “A quarter each of lean beef, venison, pig, and bear, which gives a lot of the fat, but isn’t overwhelming, like bear meat can be.”
“It’s delicious. You can taste some of the bovine fat rendering when it cooks,” Hanna praised. “And the grinding is excellently blended.” She shrugged when she got several looks. “My coven made money on sausages and is part of our heritage. Of course I know meats.”
“It was smart of him to find a blending that’s so much better than straight beef burgers as you have excess of those last three. So why butcher more cows that can last a while longer?” Matilda agreed.
“I have my moments,” Nick said with a bright smile as he joined us. He gave me a worried look, but didn’t comment how tired I probably looked. “Seattle wants to know if they’re making more boozy cupcakes now that there are fewer guests. They prefer to do some next week for the clans and outposts, but they’re a bit wiped from stepping up to help.”
“Yeah, of course,” I agreed. “We’ve got enough gelato, and we can just grill and fry up the food to bring there for them. I mean, we don’t even need to grill all the shark steaks, right? Can we just bring them over and they have them to freeze?”
“Great minds think alike as that was what several hoped for as well. They are processing more of the sharks caught to give as gift bags for your actual guests,” he told me. “Also, I hear it’s been requested that some of your super old fart nobles take turns hunting in Houston as the corrupted were all led there, and there’s concern they might keep moving if not finding something to chomp on.”
I nodded. “Yes, thank you. I will also give one shipping container full of shrimp and blue crab, along with at least a dozen alligators, to each court that sends a few to clear every inch of New Orleans. Not just they cannot sense corrupted, we can do that too. I want no accidents because one was left hiding in a closet or underground as we’ve had.”
“Sister, you will go and lead ten of ours to clear a large section of that city, knowing you helped feed our people,” Lawan told her sister. “Every building, every room, every closet, every nook and cranny, and underground hiding spot, or pipe, you will make sure is safe for their people.”
“Yes, Sister,” she agreed, dipping her head. “Thank you for this chance.” She went over to a group of their coven that were staying with us to help clear out and raid areas, telling them to bring their food with, and they could have more on breaks, but it was time to hunt.
Nice.
The rest got in on the deal as well, and Petre went with to tell the heads of clans that it was going on and they’d have some big fishing days ahead of them. It was nice when things went well or according to plan.
It was rare, but nice.
I took a nap after stuffing my face, barely waking when I felt Kristof rubbing me down with lotion. He’d been so hesitant last time I’d done this as he didn’t think he could be gentle with me. Since the start, he’d passed that sort of thing off to someone else, but now I thought he liked it. It wasn’t simply an excuse to touch me, but I think he liked knowing he could be gentle if it was with me.
Plus, it seemed cathartic maybe, sort of how people liked to paint.
“What’s wrong, my love?” he asked quietly, letting me know I’d sighed.
“It feels good.”
“I’m glad, but that was not the sort of sigh you gave.”
“I want to start planting my other seeds,” I muttered. “I know we don’t have the greenhouses ready, but I feel…”
“That is not selfish when Aether gave you that power to make the seeds.”
I wasn’t explaining this right. “Do you like woodworking?”
“Not particularly, why?”
“Jaxon does.”
“I’m missing what point you are trying to make,” he grumbled, not upset with me, but himself.
“You have no idea if you like woodworking or not, do you, love?” Cerdic asked gently.
“No,” I breathed. “I have no idea what I like, besides food now that I’ve had more. It seems so stupid to think of, but I never had the time before, always sleep-deprived and trying to survive, but now… I wonder.”
“What else do you wonder?” Kristof asked, sounding genuinely curious.
I shrugged. “I can’t swim besides doggy paddle, I know that. I didn’t remember how to drive if I ever knew. Do I know how to ride a bike? What about coloring? Did I like coloring? I like that the kids enjoy it, and getting them art supplies, but I saw this thing, um, Perler beads, I think it was called? You put them in patterns and designs and use a clothes iron to melt them into shape. Childish, right?”
“Why?” Cerdic asked, shrugging when I gave him a shocked look. “Look, I can’t know what it’s like to lose my memories, so you need to decide how you feel and what’s the best path for you. I will say that there weren’t all these cool and crazy things when I was a child.”
Kristof snorted. “Toys weren’t allowed except dolls for my sisters. Most boys only had toys if they learned to whittle.”
“Exactly,” Cerdic agreed. “When squirt guns came out, I bought a ton and brought them over to a community center. I played with the kids there all day because I wanted to see what they were like, and then let the kids keep them. Adults are allowed to let out the little kids inside of them too. And you’re practically still a kid, Inez. Twenty-three? Even humans still think that super young.”
“Maybe,” I sighed, getting sleepy again. “We have so much to do that it seems such a misuse of time.”
“Those who have stressful lives get a pass to play and relax,” Kristof murmured. “Many criticized presidents for playing golf. They need breaks too.”
“Well that last one, it was all he did at his own golf course,” Cerdic argued.
“Yes, he was a useless boob who didn’t know he was a boob, that people put in power so they could do all their misdeeds with his blessing,” Kristof grumbled. “I about gave up on humans after that and retired to my house for years.”
“The point is when things settle a bit, we all have hobbies and ways to realize what we like. There’s no reason you shouldn’t too, and if it takes you a bit to find what those are, then so be it,” Cerdic told me firmly.
I hoped it was that easy.
19
Trisha
The rehearsal dinner wasn’t going to plan. At all. Tons of people showed up uninvited, a
nd even worse was the quality of who showed up. Yeah, it wasn’t the nice people that maybe missed the memo the first time.
And I didn’t mean just the princesses.
“Well, how lovely they have the food already wearing red so if we spill, no one will notice,” a noble said to me with a group of friends who laughed like it was the funniest thing ever.
“Touch any shifter here and our princess will have your head,” I warned. “It’s not allowed in her coven.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Well of course not, that would be uncivilized. No princess would ever condone that.” He smirked at his friends. “The young shifters these days are fairly dense, aren’t they?”
“I find so,” the second guy chuckled, eyeing me over like his next meal. “But I hear feline shifters are excellent in bed. I know you saw her first, but I think there’s enough to go around for all of us.”
“You are not hearing me,” I hissed at them.
“No, you’re just not getting it,” he snickered. “The princesses never ‘allow’ the mistreatment, but the nobles get the perks of them having spirit animals. Shifters will do anything to have the protection of the coven, and while your brother may share your princess’s bed as I’ve heard, there’s only a handful of your clan left. That means you’re the perk her nobles and visiting nobles get. The men, for visiting princesses.”
“Inez would never allow that,” I argued, my heart racing too fast. All of this was reminding me of my time in the Navy. One officer or politician saying he could make or break my career if I didn’t act like a woman should and do what they wanted. Like women in the military were there to make it easier for them to get their rocks off and that was the only reason.
“She’s young and alone,” the first told me firmly. “She’ll do what she has to so she has the right backing and friends that enjoy visiting often as that says a lot without saying too much. You’re one of the perks to the visit, honey. You just didn’t know that was part of the job.”
I froze in horror, wondering if everything Ma and Gram had told us about the princess was really true, and we’d been ignoring it all because of how nice she was. Could this really be my life now? A whore to help the coven? Entertainment for visiting dignitaries?