“Which is not him.”
A thin smile. “I’m here to continue your training. Regardless of whether you’re angry with me, you are still my daughter and my heir.”
When I opened my mouth to protest, Cernunnos raised his hand. “On top of that, you deserve to know the depths of your power. There are rumblings around the world about your heritage. Word is getting out about who you are. You will need toknow the scope of what you can do so you can field…challengers off.”
I took a long sip of my coffee. “Challengers?” I echoed.
“Our kind are bloodthirsty, Evie. I’m surprised you haven’t already had issues.”
“Nothing more than normal.” I eyed him. “Though I hear you’re the one responsible for curbing the inordinate number of suitors I’ve had lately.”
“None of those men could have held the crown alongside you.”
The words were said so casually, but his eyes held a deadly gleam.
“Just like Caelan could not.”
He lifted a shoulder. “You need someone who will always have your back.”
I snorted. “I knew you were spying! No one has timing that immaculate!”
He laughed. “I wasn’t spying. I just happened to venture onto your land and overheard the fallout.” His eyes twinkled. “You really tossed the woman off your land?”
“Yes,” I grumbled. “She deserved it.”
“I’m sure she did.” He drained the rest of his coffee and sat the mug down. “Though I’m curious about Caelan’s opinion about your temper. Do you feel the Lord is right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course not. I’m not saying I don’t have a temper. I’m merely saying it only comes out when someone pushes me too far.”
“Like Caelan?”
A begrudging smile tilted my lips. The first time Caelan really pissed me off, I embarrassed him at one of his parties with an automaton I made that taunted him with the story of a wolf being outsmarted by a fox.
He was livid and destroyed my shop.
To be honest, that was the most fun I’d ever had in my life.
“To be fair, he deserved it, too.”
“Then you have your answer.” He leaned forward. “You do not go out looking for fights, Evie. That’s the most important part of being a leader. But when a fight comes to you, you do not hesitate. You are decisive, sometimes vicious, and you never regret how you chose to respond. Those are the traits of a queen.”
I still hadn’t decided whether I planned to take up my crown. My life here was a good one, even with my sometimes-rocky relationship with Caelan. Moira, Ash, and Tess were my family, and I couldn’t imagine leaving them to rule over a people I had little experience with.
I changed the subject. “Have you seen Tess?”
My father’s eyebrows rose. “Your banshee? I do not speak with her one-on-one. Is she missing?”
I told him where she was.
My father looked disturbed. “Strange place for a banshee to visit. Are you planning to retrieve her?”
“If she’s there of her own volition, I don’t want her to think I don’t trust her. But I don’t know if she is, so I plan to find her.”
“I’m also here about Lugh.”
I groaned. “He asked for five days.”
“You should have sent him home the second he fell through whatever portal your vampire friend opened.”
