Her nostrils flared and a trickle of smoke drifted out. “Which stud dares issues invitations without consulting me?”
Panicked male voices rushed over her in the harsh consonants of the dragon language.
“He is human.” Viola raised her voice over the din.
Silence descended so abruptly she thought she had gone deaf.
“Who is your father?”
Well, that was a good question.
“I am.” A human male stepped in from the side of the stage. He was wearing a red sash.
“Sebastian?” Cassandra glanced from the man to Viola and back again.
Viola stared at her father for the first time. Her mother refused to even tell her his name. Always referring to him as “that man” or “your father.”
She’d inherited her coloring from her mother, but she saw her nose and chin when he turned to smile at her. He beamed, and she felt something stirring in the weave. It was black and chilling and coming from Cassandra.
“This is my daughter,” he said, coming down the stairs and clasping Viola in his arms.
Viola stiffened and the court gasped. She extricated herself as gracefully as she could and tried to come to terms with the fact that this man was her father.
Sperm donor.
Give him a chance. He’d helped her by being here.
Viola was getting a headache from arguing with herself.
“Please escort your daughter to our guest rooms,” Cassandra said with a polite malevolence that would have rusted metal.
“This way,” her father said, taking her out a side door near the stage.
“Bring me my wine,” Cassandra bellowed out.
Cassandra was Sergei’s nightmare Queen.
Viola almost got whiplash, looking back at her, but her father pulled her down the hallway, and the door shut behind them.
Chapter Fourteen
“So uh, Sebastian,” Viola said as they climbed up wide, stone stairs. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m glad you came,” he said. “I was worried you would be taken by a stud.”
“How did you know that I...shifted? Let me guess, you saw me being hustled into the car with my hoo hah hanging out?” That little geek’s blog had gone viral, and the comments from YouTube weren’t very nice.
He shook his head. “No, I’ve known since you were born that you were a dragon. When Lerisse broke the spell, I tracked you down. It was very helpful that you still lived with your mother.”
“Wait.” Viola stopped in the hallway. “You knew I was a dragon? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have believed me?” Sebastian gave her a rueful look. “Well, you might have, but your mother didn’t want to hear it.”
Viola cocked her head. “I suppose it would be a little suspect coming from someone who never even sent me a birthday card.”
“Do you think your mother would have given them to you?” His voice was dry, but there was a hint of hope underneath it.
“Did you try?” Viola countered.
“No,” he said quietly. “Perhaps I should have.”
He opened a heavy wooden door, and she peeked in. It was an enormous bedroom. A double-king-size bed was the centerpiece of the room. Viola walked in and whirled around.
“This is amazing. But where is Merrick going to be?”
“In the courtyard with the rest of the studs. Unless you require his...” —he coughed— “services.”
“Uh no, that’s quite all right,” she said, backing into the room, waving her hands wildly. “Am I going to be safe here?” Sergei wouldn’t be too happy that she was here, but it wasn’t as if he’d told her the Queen’s name. Would he still come for her? She crossed her arms over her chest. He’d better.
“You will now,” he said. “I’ll have someone bring up some lunch. Do you have any preference?”
Viola’s stomach growled and she was bone-weary from the flight. She could feel reaction set in and she sat at the end of the bed. “I need to get in touch with my Protector.”
“Why isn’t he here?” Her father frowned.
“I don’t know. We were escaping from a Cult of Humanity attack. I don’t even know if he’s alive.” She stroked the furs piled on the bed. Big pillows were thrown at the head. A fire was just starting to catch in the fireplace, so the room had a nice smoky scent. All she wanted to do was pull the blankets up over her head.
“What’s his name? I’ll send him up should he arrive soon.” Sebastian started to close the door behind him.
“Sergei. I think he was in this court before.”
Her words stopped him in his tracks. He hung on the heavy door for support. “That butcher is your Protector?”
“He’s not like that.” Viola reassured him.
“He hates Queens,” Sebastian whispered in a low tone, darting glances over his shoulder.
“I’ve noticed,” Viola said. “Can you let him know I’m here and that I’m okay?” If he was even still alive. Pain darted in her chest at the thought she would never see him again.
Sebastian stuttered. “I-I don’t know. He isn’t in our records.”
And if he were alive, would he take this opportunity to be free of her? That thought was too sad to even contemplate.
“What about Reed or Jack from the American embassy?” At least she knew they would come for her. Carolyn would never give them a moment’s peace until they did.
His face cleared. “Of course. I’ll leave that message for them. Is there anything else?”
“There’s everything else...Dad. Starting with how you knew I was a dragon and ending with why are you with Cassandra?”
He walked over to her and knelt by the bed. “I never told your mother what this meant.” He rolled up his sleeve and showed her a tattoo of a pike with flowing ribbons in a rainbow color.
“Nice ink,” Viola said. “Is that supposed to mean anything to me?” Viola was actually a little weirded out by the tat. It reminded her of what a cultist would have on his body.
“Order of the Dragon Slayers. It’s an officer’s rank.”
“So you slay dragons?” Viola refused to flinch away from him. “Why are you working for one?”
“I only slay dragons who are a threat to humanity or have killed humans.”
“How many dragons have you killed?”
Sebastian hung his head. “I’m not proud of what I've had to do. I’ve had the unpleasant task of putting down five studs.”
“How did you do that? You're human. I just saw one of my court take a tank shot in the gut and fly from New York to Ireland. How the heck can a guy like you kill one of those?” Viola pointed toward the door.
Sebastian leaned into her and spoke in a low voice, “My training allows me to work around the dragons’ magic.”
“How?” Viola leaned away.
“I'm afraid I can't tell you that.”
“Could you sound anymore creepier? You're like that robot from 2001: A Space Odyssey.” She scooted farther away from him.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.” He wrung his hands. “You're not in any danger from the Order. They have a soft spot for Queens, anyway.”
“So are you their personal assassin or Cassandra's?”
“She’s helped identify the miscreants.” Sebastian stood up, his knees cracking. “But ultimately, it was the Order's decision.” He made his way to the door again. “Is there anything else I can get for you? If not, I should be returning to my post.”
Viola settled back on the pillows and yawned. “Was Mom always so bigoted against dragons?”
Sebastian rubbed his hand over his face. The gesture was so familiar. She'd seen her mother do the same thing. “No. In fact, she loved Cassandra’s money. Until I decided to pack up and come to Ireland. I wanted to take you both, but this castle isn’t any place for humans.”
“So why are you here? I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Cassandra knows you’re with the Order of Dragon Slayers and ke
eps you close for a reason? Aside from sex? I mean I don’t want to know, if it is the sex, because even though you’re a stranger, you’re also my father and that’s creepy. Ack, now I've grossed myself out and have to bleach my brain.” She rubbed her hand down her face and wondered if he was thinking it was a familiar gesture, too.
“Dragon slayers can sense dragons. That’s how I knew when you were born that you were destined to be a Queen. But my brothers-in-arms knew there was something stopping the Queens from shifting at puberty. So I caught Cassandra’s attention with my tattoo and agreed to be a member of her court to keep her updated on the Order’s movements. In exchange, I got free rein in her laboratories to experiment while researching a cure for the curse.” He leaned on the doorframe.
“So, you left Mom and me and took off to Ireland without a second glance?” Viola tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. It really shouldn’t matter. This man was a stranger. She never knew her father. Hadn’t thought of him in years. But what would her childhood have been like if there hadn’t been a curse? Would her mother have been different? Nicer, more nurturing?
“My work, if it had been successful, could have ended the suffering of the Queens. It would have freed you. But if you and your mother came with me, I ran the risk of having Cassandra know I had a Queen as a daughter. She may have kidnapped you, or worse.” Sebastian gripped the door until his fingers were white. “Please believe me. I had your best interests in mind. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought of you.”
Viola shivered, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t from the drafty old room. But Sebastian caught the movement and came back into the room to tend to the fire. “If she’s such a bad Queen, why have you stayed with her?”
“The devil you know. The others are more reptilian than human.” The heavy logs he tossed on the fire sent sparks up.
“So what happens now?” Viola wrapped a fur blanket around her shoulders.
“You can stay here until the Queen’s Conclave next year. No stud would dare harm you.”
“Nothing’s free, Dad. What does Cassandra get out of this?” She wished she could blame the stone walls for the chill, but it was dread that had her trembling.
His lips twisted. “That’s between you and her, but as my guest, you won’t be obligated to grant her a favor in the future. That’s something, at least.” He checked the latch on the window and brought a few more candles over to the bedside.
“Is that what the other Queens have to do?” Viola appreciated the extra light and the attention. But if he got her a glass of water and wanted to read her a story, she was going to kick him out.
“A favor for a favor. It’s best not to be beholden to a Queen.”
Viola took a deep breath. “Who leads the Queens? The elder council? Justice?”
Sebastian gave a short laugh. “No one.”
“Who’s the Queens’ Queen?”
Grimacing, Sebastian shrugged. “Each Queen is an authority. The Queen’s Conclave is where they make policy decisions, and then it’s by majority rule. The elder council is only an advisory board. Justice is Cassandra’s Protector, and he’s also on the advisory board with the rest of the Great Wyrms.”
“Who’s her consort?” Viola couldn’t keep her head up anymore and she sank onto the pillows.
“It depends on the day of the week.” He tucked her in and, against her better judgment, she let him.
“Here’s what I don’t get,” she said, turning with the covers so she could watch him leave. “What if I ask a stud to help build a school and another Queen tells him to burn it down? Who does he listen to?”
“Both. A Queen’s word is law. He’d build your school and then burn it down.”
“What if he didn’t want to do either?” Viola yawned so wide her jaw cracked.
“The studs live to serve.” Sebastian left the room.
“And the price for defying a Queen?” she called after him.
He poked his head back through the doorway. “Death, torture, banishment. It’s up to the Queen.”
Viola shook her head. “Pleasant thoughts.”
“I’ll be able to help you with getting used to the court. I can see that you’re tired. As much as I’d like to stay, you need your rest. Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“I don’t suppose there is cable or wireless this far up?”
“I’m sorry, no. Is there something you need?”
“Is there a local yarn store around?” Viola asked.
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, after a surprisingly sound sleep, Viola was seated on the stage in Cassandra's receiving room on a pillow that was form-fitted to her ass. She should have been comfortable, but she wasn’t sure what to do with her legs.
She’d had a really nice erotic dream about Sergei, too. She started to blush as the finer points of the dream came back to her. It was probably not a good idea to have those kinds of thoughts when she was under scrutiny. But it beat the nagging anxiety that he was in another cage being tortured to death. Squirming, she wondered how long she’d have to sit here before she could wander around and see if anyone knew how to contact him.
The other ten Queens looked more at ease than she did. One Queen from India seemed so comfortable in a yoga position that Viola attempted it. After a series of embarrassing cracks and almost tipping off-stage, she decided to try a different position. A Queen, almost as old as her mother, was double-jointed and sat with her knees together, her legs forming a W.
Viola was pretty sure if she chanced that, she’d drive her spine up through the top of her head. Stretching her legs out straight only worked for a little while before one fell asleep and she had to nondescriptly bang it on the floor to get the pins and needles out.
All the newbie Queens were perched like birds on a wire to observe how a Queen—Cassandra—ran a territory. So far, it sounded like a pain in the ass. But at least Merrick was allowed in the seated area. She was relieved to see him unharmed and gave him a quick wave before the Queens shook her heads at her. Another faux pas. She’d never get this shit straight.
Her father stood at Cassandra’s right hand, fetching food and drink before she could think to ask for it. Viola didn't see the job fulfillment in that, but to each their own. After about two hours, she was ready to call up the Cult of Humanity and see if they wanted to rumble. Anything to break up the tedium.
Cassandra also liked to hear the sound of her own voice. Quite frankly, this would be a lot more tolerable if Viola knew if Sergei was alive, and if she had a pair of needles and a ball of yarn. But her proposed trip to the country market was vetoed by Cassandra’s entertainment committee. They’d be visiting the village this weekend. Viola wasn’t feeling up to putting on her diva shoes to make a fuss about it, so she rested and ate and came to terms that this was her life now. And to give Cassandra credit, no one had tried to kill her, which was a nice change of pace.
The stares of the studs made her uncomfortable.
She’d never felt like a piece of meat before, and it frightened her that she might be expected to sleep with this many men and have all their children. Panic tightened in her throat, but she felt a soothing calm from the weave and gazed down the line of the ten other Queens. She wasn’t alone. And she wouldn’t be forced.
“Now naturally, sisters, when the Conclave comes, if you have eggs or are pregnant, we will want to situate you in a larger, safe territory. So if any of you feel the need to commence your destiny, I will graciously allow any stud in my stable to get you started on your future.”
So much for that idea.
“Land is very important,” she continued. “Some say that the Queen controls the land, but it’s the opposite. There is magic in the soil and it will taint a Queen not strong enough to handle the memories that the blood has soaked into the ground.”
The heavy wooden doors shuddered.
“Was that a bomb?” a tough looking Queen, covered in piercing and tattoos, asked. Based on he
r accent, Viola pegged her as a New Yorker.
Viola shook her head. It wasn’t loud enough. She checked out the ceiling. Those stones would hurt if they came down. She didn’t want another building falling on her, so she got to her feet.
“It’s nothing, sisters. Sit,” Cassandra ordered. But the other Queens were standing.
This time an impact cracked the doors.
“Justice!” Cassandra growled, her voice amplified by the dragon bass as her skin flickered.
The other Queens had barely gotten off the stage before Cassandra transformed in a coiling green explosion. Her enormous mouth roared a challenge as the doors crashed open and smashed into Justice, who slid across the ballroom.
Sergei strode in after him and threw two handfuls of...something...at Cassandra. The objects rolled and came to rest at their feet.
Heads.
Human heads. Viola retched, this morning’s eggs and bacon wanting out, but she managed to grit her teeth and stop herself from doing a Technicolor yawn all over Cassandra's nice receiving chamber.
“What is the meaning of this, Sergei?”
Viola looked up from the heads to see Cassandra’s gaze riveted on him. Jealousy coursed through her. No way, sister. That one’s mine.
He was unharmed, dressed in his biker jacket and faded blue jeans. Launching herself at him, Viola was glad when his arms tightened around her.
“Those are the men who have been conspiring to capture another Queen so they could redo the curse,” he said to Cassandra, pointing with one hand at the heads, while his other arm kept Viola clamped to him.
The studs in the stands on each side of the room erupted with anger. Shouting was lost as some dragons changed form and roared challenges at each other. Chaos reigned as Cassandra barked orders.
“I’m so happy you’re all right,” Viola said. He was edging her toward the door, away from Cassandra’s stage and the studs fighting over who was more affronted that humans dared to capture a Queen.
“We need to get out of here,” he said, gathering Merrick up with a look. “Before all the posturing these studs are doing to impress the Queens turns deadly.”
The Queen's Flight: The Emerging Queens Book 2 Page 13