“I can recommend a British tailor who does exceptional work,” Pàtair added. “She might need a day or two to arrange their schedule at the last moment, but she’ll have a quickturnaround for quality garments. She has a full team who could deck out any of the Triune queens’ Blood in a matter of days.”
I had no idea how much tailors and new suits would cost, especially rushing over an entire team from Britain. That sounded outrageously expensive. Add to that the price of this glorious house… It couldn’t be cheap. “Can I afford all this?”
Clara arched one perfectly lined eyebrow at me in complete disbelief. “Your Majesty. Honestly. Do you doubt my skills so much?”
My eyes flared. “No, of course not. I have no idea how much all this will cost, and I know you just had this house built. This land couldn’t have been cheap, not with that incredible view of the ocean. Can Ironheart support that much expense, especially all at once?”
“Any consiliarius worth their salt will be able to double their queen’s fortune in their lifetime. Easily. You have an entire team of financial wizards who do nothing else but invest in property, land, and businesses to ensure the longevity of your House’s finances. If you’d like a current valuation, I’ll have the team pull the numbers for you, but House Ironheart is worth billions, Your Majesty. You could buy this entire island if you wanted it.”
Billions? My mouth hung open in shock.
I didn’t care about the money. At all. As long as we had a comfortable, safe place, and my Blood had their needs taken care of, then I would be happy anywhere. But after living so remotely in Minnesota, without servants or a large house…
Evidently, I’d mistaken Mother’s choice to downsize for frugality’s sake rather than only personal choice.
I couldn’t imagine giving up a nest like this one to live in the tiny, rustic cabin. Let alone a nest of Reykjavík’s scale, which was surely even grander given how many centuries it’d been the primary Ironheart nest. What had been so horrible in Reykjavík that Mother had left and never gone back?
LOKKEN
Frost crystalized in my veins,a white-hot burn that gave me no peace.
I’d thought the close quarters on the ship were difficult to endure without slaking this blazing ice for my queen. Most Blood never even got close enough to their queen to feed occasionally, let alone offer sex, but my new queen had already made it very clear that she at least intended to feed us often and well.
Too well. Because every time I tasted the magic flowing in her blood, I could only wish for more. A taste of her skin. The stroke of her hands on my body. The flicker of her lust burning me like a torch. If she was so generous with her blood brimming with goddess power…
Would she be as generous with her pleasure as well?
Now that we were on land and safely in her new home, all I could think about was the secure chamber below. The large bed built for a queen’s pleasure. Whether she would ask me anytime soon to join her. If she would also have her other Blood at the same time?—
Fuck. I pushed those thoughts away and locked them in thick blocks of ice. I would not have her bond filled with?—
:I will indeed have you as soon as we retire.:Her bond flowed through me like a ribbon of luxurious black velvet.:As long as you don’t object to Dörr being with me at the same time.:
A surge of power swept from me before I could control it, frosting the water glass before me on the table.:I will never object to anything you ask or desire, my queen. I’m yours to use as you see fit, in any capacity or company you wish.:
Everyone had finished eating while our queen talked with consiliarius. Everyone except the newest Blood. Goddess, the man was on at least his third giant piece of chocolate cake, after demolishing every other main-course dish on the table. Evidently, I’d failed at trying not to glare at the man still stuffing his face.
“What?” He said around another mouthful of cake. “I paddled halfway across the fucking ocean, turned back again to come here, and I still almost beat you. I’m hungry.”
Myrk heaved a huge sigh as he gazed at our queen. “So am I.”
“Okay…” Gunnarr gulped the last chunk of cake and then almost choked when it finally hit him. “Oh.” He pushed the plate away and said much too loudly, “All done. That was a fantastic spread, Pàtair. I’ve never eaten better.”
Unappeased, the human jerked his head toward the table and the other staff immediately moved to clear the last of the dishes. “If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask, Your Majesty. There’s an interactive panel in your suite that will allow you to call or text me any time of the day or night. If I’m unavailable—” Which his flat tone indicated would be an impossibility, “The message will also go to the kitchens, where someone will always be available twenty-four hours a day.”
Helayna laughed with a bashful lift of her shoulders. “Oh, I would never think to wake someone in the middle of the night simply because I wanted tea or something else inconsequential.”
“Nothing is inconsequential in your House,” Clara said firmly. “We exist because of you. Your power and legacy support our jobs and homes. Our very lives. If you’d like a glass of water and don’t care to trouble one of your Blood to fetch it foryou, anyone in your House will gladly race to do your slightest bidding.”
“Then they’ll come to the kitchens and brag about finally having the opportunity to serve you,” Pàtair assured her. “After you’ve rested, I’d love to have a few minutes of your time to discuss menus and dishes, so we always have your favorites available.”
“Of course.” Helayna stood and took the man’s hand in both of hers. “Thank you so much for this lovely dinner. I’ve never been so well taken care of.” One corner of her mouth tipped up in a rueful quirk. “At least, not that I remember.”
The human blushed beet red and muttered something beneath his breath as he bowed low over her hand. Flustered, he shot another hard look at Gunnarr and then rushed after the other humans.
“I hope you’re not offended, Your Majesty,” Clara said, giving a worried look at the man’s retreating back. “He might seem brusque, but he has a heart of pure gold.”
Helayna slipped her arm around her alpha’s massive biceps. “Not at all. How could I be offended when he kissed my hand and made so much incredible food? Though you might need to give me a tutorial on how to use the panel he mentioned. I’m not good with technology.”
