“What can I do for you on this lovely evening?”Of course, I know exactly what I can do for her, and this evening is turning out to be anything but lovely.But I’m not giving her an opening if I don’t have to.
“Must we play games?This is quite the serious matter.”
Oh please, I only ever play games, and she damn well knows it.But her face remains utterly devoid of emotion.So boring.
Fine.“Have you told Calandra?”I ask.
This time, Daria twitches.Interesting, so Mother doesn’t know.
“Do I need to tell her?How serious is this?”she asks.
Serious enough that I probably need to give royal land away, embezzle money and beg Stirling to make the deal of a lifetime, but no big, honestly.
“It’s fine.It’s probably just some fan boy wishing he could get a piece of me.”
Daria’s eyes narrow to slits.
I tuck the letter into my handbag.“I’m going to be late.Is there anything else?”
“How long has it been going on?”
“Not long.”Half a lie.It’s been going on two straight weeks.
“I’m launching an investigation.And you’re getting a bodyguard.A personal one.”
“I don’t need a fucking babysitter.It’s just some city boy desperate for attention.”
Daria leans down into my face.“Your safety is my concern.Not which fanboy wants to slip his todger in your knickers.”
I open my mouth but all that comes out is a stifled cough-laugh.The word todger should not be allowed in the mouth of someone so stern.
She continues, ignoring my lip twitch.“There will be no protesting.You will take the bodyguard, or I will personally chain you to this room.And given the imminency of the royal wedding, I think we both know which Calandra would prefer.Understood?”
I press my lips together to stop the scream from coming out and nod.But not before giving her a sly birdie as I march down to the palace vestibule.Was it childish?Probably.Did it make me feel better?Absolutely.
My new bodyguard is standing by the carriage.His arm out wide, indicating I should get in.He looks like he’s eighty.Wrinkled, hunched over and as beige as the clothes he’s wearing.
Fucking great.
Chapter4
Penelope
As predicted, this welcome party is dull as fuck.Morrigan, though, seems pleased with the proceedings, and our ‘honoured’ guests are arriving any second now.
“When they arrive, you will be polite,” my mother says.
We’re in some restaurant cum bar at the edge of the city with expensive, lavish chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.They glitter and charm the eye.A drink will cost you an obscene amount of coin.So the only people in here are the wealthy and the filthy rich.Mother ensured the welcome party included the elite, the noble and the magically powerful.In other words, friends of the palace.
She didn’t want to risk an outburst or fight breaking out either, so everyone has been prepped, checked, and primed to within an inch of their lives.
Servers are dressed in a black-and-white uniform that looks like it was starched to death.The atmosphere in here is the perfect blend of sensual rouge lighting: not too bright as to bleach the air, but not too dim you struggle to see the face you’re talking to.The tables are full of hour d’oeuvres and there are even bottles of blood imported from Sangui.That was a particularly well thought out idea on Mother’s part.I’ll give her dues, she’s prepped well.I just wish the bar wasn’t full of people.But that is a decidedly me problem.I can’t seem help myself.I piss off almost everyone I meet.
Morrigan was right about one thing; I’m more preoccupied with clothes than humans—at least they’re nice to me.
“They’re due any minute now,” Mother says, her eyes feverishly glancing to the door.She grabs a glass of champagne off a passing server’s tray and guzzles half of it.
She thought it was sensible to meet the vampires on neutral ground.Though what is neutral about a bar full of drunk magician idiots who have consumed more Sangui Cupa than they have blood in their body is beyond me.We’re in New Imperium for goodness’ sake.Neutral territory would have been the tunnels.Not that I can tell anyone I’ve been in them or know anything about them.
