Cathal growls something in Crow.
“I’m far too old to take a husband.” Her pink gaze settles over me, which deepens my frown.
“No.” Cathal’s timbre is as glacial as his stare. His fingers finally stop strangling mine, but it’s only because he’s become more shadow than flesh.
“I wasn’t contemplating sending Daya to Glace. Not when she’s about to meet her mate. I was actually considering offering up Kanti. Since we Shabbins aren’t monogamous, a marriage wouldn’t prevent her from seducing your enemy, Lore. Unless Konstantin istheenemy, in which case?—”
“I’m sorry, but what did you say, imTaytah?” My daughter sounds alarmed.
“That monogamy isn’t?—”
“The part before that,” Fallon interrupts. “The part about my mother.”
“Oh, didn’t your father tell you? Behati foresaw Zendaya meeting her mate in Luce. It’s one of the reasons I allowed her to make the trip, since I know how precious true mates are to shifters.”
Fallon’s complexion whitens while Cathal’s purples.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Priya’s voice skips around the deathly quiet chamber.
It’s not wonderful and I’m not happy she’s bringing it up. “I choose Cathal, Taytah.”
She sighs. “Though you are Shabbin, abi djhara”—she pushes away from the table and stands—“I’m afraid you’ll have to give up polygamy, since shifter mates do not share. Isn’t that right, Lore?”
Lorcan doesn’t answer. He doesn’t even seem to register Priya’s question, so focused is he on Cathal.
“Anyway, thanks for keeping my granddaughter safe, Cathal. Shall we?”
“Shall we what?” I ask.
“Head to breakfast in Isolacuori with the Glacins before sailing home. Vladimir’s simply dying to make your acquaintance, emMoti.”
My tongue feels swollen with heartbeats. I do not want to meet the Glacins, the same way I do not want to go home. This time, it’smygrip that tightens around Cathal’s.
He shoves his chair back and stands, then helps me up. “We’re done here.”
Lorcan must speak to him through their mind link, because Cathal’s shoulders jerk and he turns his glower onto his king. Aloud, he says, “Let Zendaya go. We will join them in a moment.”
Cathal’s nostrils flare.
“Just to Isolacuori for breakfast. Fallon and Imogen will accompany them. The rest of Priya’s guards are already on site.”
My daughter bounces out of her seat and rounds the table toward me, her complexion still wan. She speaks softly to her father, who finally relinquishes my hand to her.
Chapter 26
Zendaya
Although Lorcan said they’d join us soon after we left, breakfast comes and goes and they still haven’t floated down from Monteluce.
Fallon suggests a walk through the estate gardens. We all stand and trail after Vladimir and Priya, shadowed by guards from all nations. The Glacins wear pale blue; the Lucins, black; the Shabbins, red and white.
“Where Lore and Cathal?” I whisper to Fallon.
She pats my hand. “They should be here shortly, Mádhi.” Suddenly she perks up. “Look! It’s Syb and Pheebs.” Her two friends are bobbing down one of the crystal-clear canals of Isolacuori in a boat that is as slender as it is shiny. She starts to wave at them excitedly but then stops and peers around. “Goddess, I’m terrible at this whole stately queen-thing,” she mumbles in Shabbin, which earns her a soft snort from the Prince of Glace, who masters my mother tongue better than I do.
“Give it time, Your Highness,” he says. “Soon you’ll be just as arrogant and jaded as the rest of us.”
Fallon laughs and kisses my cheek, promising she’ll be right back. Then she starts toward the golden bridge that mygrandmother and Vladimir are crossing, but stops and whirls. I can tell she’s concerned about leaving me alone with Konstantin, even thoughaloneis a stretch considering Asha and Abrax are but a stride away.
