“The alpha’s brother,” Alston answered.
“Oooh,” she said slowly. “He’s going to be pissed.” She knew she would be if someone killed a member of her family. Just like she was sure her people were pissed at her for the life she’d taken. Murdering people was a dangerous business. She was going to need more cotton candy. It seemed to help keep her from thinking about the consequences of what she’d gotten herself into. Not only had she killed one of her own, she’d now joined in with an organization who’d just taken the lives of an alpha pair known across every supernatural race. Yep, she was definitely going to needa lotmore cotton candy.
“I do believe a celebration is in order,” Ludcarab said as the noise died down. “Sincaro, Cain, why don’t you take your warriors out for a feast?”
Myanin swallowed down the bile as she saw the vampires licking their lips. She knew exactly what kind of feast they were talking about. Nasty parasites.
“The rest of us will break into my own personal stores of wine,” Ludcarab continued. “And Alston, could you provide some of the infamous fae dining fare?”
Alston actually smiled at the elf king. “I think I can manage that.”
Myanin had to think for a moment about what they meant. But then the knowledge from Lyra popped into her mind. The fae had food that had a drug-like effect. It caused euphoria in those who consumed it. “Great,” she muttered. “Just what we need: drunk, drugged, power-hungry supernaturals who are already high off the death of three formidable leaders. That’s not a recipe for disaster at all.”
“I expect you will be joining us.” Ludcarab turned to her, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Play their game, Myanin.“Of course. Wouldn’t miss a chance to celebrate a great victory.”
“Excellent.”
The shouting and general idiotic behavior continued as they patted one another’s backs, and the room began to disperse. Hopefully, they were at least going to put on clean clothes before the revelry began.
Myanin stood back and watched as Ludcarab spoke with several of the fae warriors, no doubt hoping for gruesome details of the deaths of the alphas and warlock king. She thought it foolish for them to let their guard down for even one night. Not only had Myanin been a warrior for a very long time, but she’d also learned much from one of their oldest history keepers. Thadrick had shared his wisdom with her, once upon a time, when they’d been close. He’d told her of mighty battles and the mistakes that the defeated had made. She’d always found it interesting to hear the tales of how a battle that had been so in favor of one race had suddenly turned without warning, giving the underdog the victory. She couldn’t help but cheer for the ones who’d won miraculously, though by all rights they shouldn’t have.
She walked over to the far wall and leaned against it; her eyes followed what was happening in the room but her mind was somewhere else. She couldn’t let nostalgia or the love she once held for Thadrick get in her way. He’d taken her life away, not just broken her heart. If the only way to get to him was by using the Order as a means of protection until the time to face him came, then she’d just have to play the part. She’d figure out a way to get out from under the Order’s thumb once Thad and his witch were in hell, where they could burn in agony together where they belonged.
* * *
“Jennifer.”Decebel’s voice filled her mind, and the urgency she heard caused her to surge to her feet. She’d been leaning against the wall playing a game with Titus through the wall while Thia tried to copy her knocks. She’d have to thank the Great Luna for giving her a genius rug rat, though Jen had a feeling that once Thia was a teenager, her opinion might change. She knew from her own personal experience that teenagers seemed to lose all their intelligence once the hormones kicked in and they decided they were somehow immune to injury or death.
“What’s wrong? Did someone else die? Who died? Did the Order attack someone else? Another pack?”
“Slow down, baby,”Decebel said in his calm, deep, “don’t lose your crap” voice. It annoyed her but he was right. She was wound as tightly as a paranoid psych patient convinced the toaster was going to come to life and try to strangle her with its ?“Someone else did die. Many died in the battle, but that is not what we need to discuss right now.”
“How can that not be what we need to discuss?”She was shrieking, which pissed her off. Jen did not like it when her voice started shrieking, even if it was only through their bond and not out loud.“Who else died, Dec?”
His sigh was audible through their bond.“Cypher.”
“Shit, damn, shit,”she cursed, not only through their bond but out loud as well.
“Shi—” Thia began, but Jen managed to get a hand over her daughter’s mouth.
“No,” she said firmly. “You can say ‘hell’ till it freezes over, but not theSword.”
When she uncovered Thia’s mouth, the little girl looked up at her and smiled. Jen saw the wicked gleam in her eye, one she knew all too well from her own face. “Dada.” Thia giggled. It was as if she was taunting Jen with the fact that shewasgoing to say theSword in front of her dad.
“Jennifer?”
She’d have to deal with mini-me later. Jen turned her attention back to her mate.“Is Lilly okay?”
“No. But she’s doing what she must right now, and that’s leading her people.”
“She’s strong,”Jen said.“She will get through this.”It’s not like she had a choice. She was a queen and had a daughter and a grandson.
“She will. But I need you to focus now.”
“I am focused.”
There was a pause.
