“I’m not interested in managing the festivities,” I interrupted Gratia. “What else does a queen do?”
Gratia’s eyes narrowed. “A queen does many things, but event planning is a big part of that.”
“They’re pointless and boring.”
Carmine’s sister cast me a withering look. “Exactly. What do you think royals get up to if we don’t make them a little miserable?”
Huh.That was a point. “They would create their own misery.”
Gratia sighed. “She has some sense in her. Yes, they would. And they still do, but in far lesser volume than if we didn’t give them an outlet that was also a small punishment with its regularity.”
“I wouldn’t begrudge any of that if I didn’t need to attend. As queen, I declare that I won’t attend.”
She snorted. “You’re not queen yet, and a queen still answers to my brother. My advice? Make friends with the idea that you will always—every night for the duration of your life—attend a nightly festivity. Unless you spawn a child, and then you might have a week off.”
I worked hard not to let my reaction show. “Just a week?”
She shrugged. “Anything more is lazy.”
My gut twinged, and I didn’t resist as my divination magic rose to the fore. “You won’t think the same when you birth your twins.”
Gratia wrenched to look at me. “What did you say?”
I strode down the hall. “I’ll consider your advice, Gratia, but I’d like to learn a queenly duty that doesn’t make me want to stab my eyes out first.”
The demon grabbed my arm, and I allowed her to spin me back.
“What did you say, Syera?” she pressed. “About spawning children.”
First, I had to admit that the spawning part was accurate, having been through the experience myself. Second… “I would like you to show me the other queenly tasks first.”
She swallowed and nodded. “Done.”
“All right then,” I replied, then gripped both of her hands and closed my eyes. My divination magic flowed from my center and over the other demon. She hissed at the sting.
My voice floated between us, and my words arose from the source of my power and not really from me. They were from my ancestors. From the mother herself—the source of magus power. “Soon you will find your mate. You will birth twins. First. Then more.”
She sucked in a breath. “How many? Who is my mate? How long until I meet him?”
I opened my eyes and drew my hands out. “Best to have some mystery in life, Gratia. Now, what’s first?”
There was a lull.
“Decide on a queenly pursuit!” The demon’s snapped reply wasn’t totally convincing. She was more than a little rattled. Her crimson eyes blazed.
I cast her a look. “Like world peace?”
Gratia’s expression went blank. Probably at the wordpeace. “Something for the demon populace. Or something that supports the king’s reign.”
Oh.“Okay, I’ve got it.”
“Already?”
“Yes.”
Gratia walked faster to keep up with me. “Which is?”
“To eradicate all loincloths and nipple string in five years.”
