“That would be an apt assessment,” Gwen said, throwing her king and lover a look of angry adoration.
I didn’t know someone could be angry and adoring at the same time, but Gwen did it quite handily.
I shook my head and leaned back in the comfortable leather seat of the vehicle.
“What’s this one called?” I asked. “A suvee?”
“An S-U-V,” Aiko corrected as he sat next to me.
“I heard you were tearing around in a Soviet-era jeep, princess.” Bel leveled a smirk at me from his seat ahead of us.
“I don’t know what two of those words mean.”
It was still surprising to see so much of Dorian in his face. They were opposites, but so very much still twins.
Of course, the question still stood. Who would name their sonBelshazzar? On purpose. A tiny laugh escaped me as I tried to picture a toddler trying to create mischief and his mother yelling his full name at him.
“What’s funny?” Gwen raised an eyebrow.
“Baby Belshazzar.”
“Ah, you got there. That name on a little kid.”
“He must have been teased by his peers.”
Bel glowered at me. “I was. Until I threatened to drink them dry.”
“And had every single one of the playmates we hadmoved awayover the next week,” Dorian offered. “Oneweekand they were all gone. No one could ever clear a room like my brother.”
“Shut up and die, Dorian.”
A dry chuckle escaped Dorian as he leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.
The drive back to the stronghold was about two more hours, mostly thanks to the mess that bombs and missiles had made of the road. Temporary roads had been constructed around boulders and craters. There was debris being removed as the crews could.
Another point Teresa was right about. These were human crews clearing the roads, and some of the vampires worked alongside them.
Live and let live.
“Your quarters were moved, highnesses.” Joshua appeared in the garage with his ubiquitous clipboard. “The royal sleeping quarters, actually just about all the sleeping quarters, are too dangerous to be occupied. I’ve had the crews move your things to your new quarters. That’s a blanket statement. All of you were relocated.”
Harmony appeared, motioning Gwen and Bel to follow him. A moment later, Joshua waved us on to follow him.
Our walk down the hallways was silent. Dorian marched ahead without checking that Aiko or myself were following. We were, but that wasn’t the point. He didn't appear to care if we were or not.
So, I had not only lost my twins, but I was going to lose Dorian as well.
Aiko squeezed my hand, trying to reassure me.
It wasn’t. Not that I didn’t appreciate his attempt, but this wasDorian.
We halted in front of a door. “This is your new room. You are no longer under house arrest, princess, since we can’t keep you contained, and your mates are back. I am sincerely sorry about Roran and Rilen. They were good men.”
The words felt like a red-hot poker to my chest, but I nodded in thanks. I wasn’t getting words out around the pain that was blocking my throat and squeezing my lungs.
Dorian slammed the door open and strode in. Aiko and I walked in slowly and carefully closed the door behind us.
“Oh, look,” Dorian said. “A bed big enough for five.”
