“Okay, fine!” Louis conceded, throwing his hands up.
“A ghost for a familiar,” Cade mused. “An interesting choice.”
I nodded. “Pucker has been incredibly helpful and loyal. Let’s include him in everything. He can also be our fastest messenger since he’s a ghost and he isn’t bound to a single house.” Ignoring the shifter and vampire princes’ skeptical looks, I added, “Besides, we should feel for him. Before he was murdered brutally a century or two ago, he was a talented warlock. To keep him at his best, all he needs is a sip of energy from you now and then. Maybe three times a week?”
“What?” Rowan frowned.
“He’ll take a sip of your energy,” I explained with a wave of my hand. “Ghosts need immortal energy to stay healthy. I won’t always be around, so I’ll need you heirs to step up and share the responsibility.”
Louis shook his head in clear disgust. He was selfish like that, a vampire who’d always taken from others without ever considering tit for tat.
The door swung open and Rock pushed in a food cart stacked high with dishes. Without a word, Sy and I rushed toward him, nearly knocking him over in our eagerness. I snatched a chicken pie while Sy claimed a slice of strawberry cheesecake. We carried our prizes to the table and descended on the food like a pair of hungry locusts with questionable table manners. Twenty-one years of shared meals had left us with identical instincts.
Almost immediately, I found myself eyeing Sy’s cheesecake, while she kept sneaking spoonfuls of my chicken pie. Some things never changed; we always wanted what the other had.
Rock shook his head in fond exasperation. “Ladies, there’s plenty for everyone.”
He began unloading platters onto our table: roasted meats glistening with juice, fresh bread still steaming, out-of-season fruits, and pastries so puffy they made me sigh with delight.
The heirs began briefing each other on what had unfolded in their courts and their parents’ reactions. Surprisingly, Silas was now the shifter king, despite having been the most vocal against seizing thrones to prepare for war.
They strode over to our table, each pouring a shot of whiskey. Killian took the seat beside me and started piling food onto a plate for me, while Rowan had already rushed to Sy’s side. Before long, the two of them were locked in a silent competition over who could heap more food onto our plates. Not that it mattered, as Sy and I would eat whatever we wanted, no matter whose plate it came from.
“How did the two of you separate?” Cade asked with scientific curiosity, removing his fashionable scarf and draping it over the back of his chair.
“Yeah, explain why there are suddenly two of you,” Silas added, his tone newly authoritative as he forked a bloody steak onto his plate. He’d only been king for a few hours, and it was already rubbing off on him.
Louis glanced between Rowan and Killian, a smirk playing on his lips. “It’s less complicated now. I’m sure you two appreciate that the most.”
“We went into the inferno, burned to death, and came back,” Sy said with a casual smile, even as I shuddered at the memory. Killian’s arm tightened around me. “Then Barbie grabbed Heaven’s Arrow from the bottom of the lava lake and speared us right through the heart.” All the heirs stared wide-eyed. Rowan winced as if he’d felt Sy’s pain. Killian or Tyson shuddered. They might be the big bad, but neither of them could stand the thought of me suffering.
“The oracle said it was the only way,” I added. “It’s over now. Let’s move on.”
“That’s the worst explanation I’ve ever heard,” Louis drawled, though his fangs kept extending as if he couldn’t decide which of us smelled more enticing. He took a deliberate sip from his glass of blood wine. “And I’ve heard Silas try to explain battle tactics.”
“Fuck off,” Silas retorted.
“When did you meet Lady Moirai, Barbie?” Cade asked, leaning forward. “We could use her counsel in this war. She might see something we can’t.”
“She only shows up when it’s absolutely necessary, which usually means she wants me to do something dangerous,” I said. “She’s still hiding from my father, terrified of him. Remember when you all wore matching tuxedos and masks to confuse Lilith and cover for me? I went to the House of Demons looking for clues but found nothing.” I paused, rolling my eyes as I remembered Sy taking over and dragging Rowan into a closet tofuck. Those two had no shame. “The oracle ambushed me there and told me to get Heaven’s Arrow.”
“What else did she say?” Killian pressed.
“Not much. Just the usual cryptic shit.” I shrugged, picking up a fork. “You know how she is. You’ve met her. Can you guys let me eat instead of interrogating me?”
I had to keep the most crucial information from even Sy and my mate. When the time came, I had to do what must be done. They wouldn’t like it. I didn’t like it either.
Let mate eat!Tyson’s command boomed through our bond.
“All right,” Killian said, scanning the heirs. “First order of business—the trial. Barbie and her sister escaped from the Underworld…”
“Bea too!” I added.
Just then, Cami and Bea appeared in the doorway. My friend had cleaned up, her blue hair free of ash, wearing the crisp uniform of the House of Mages. Killian and I were the only ones who still looked like we’d rolled through a dust storm. We’d clean up after eating our fill.
“Bea!” I called out. “Come sit by me.”
Cami and Bea joined us, squeezing into the space between me and the vampire prince.
