His non-reaction made me narrow my eyes and openly study him.
Chase wasn’t what I wanted. He was a werewolf, and still susceptible to fae magic.
But as a werewolf he’d have some advantages. Werewolves were agile—not like the vampires, but in strength they could beat vampires every day. They—most shifters, really—also were extra perceptive with better eyesight, hearing, and smell.
What I really need in a director of security is someone competent that I can trust. I can trust Chase Washington.
I felt the truth of that statement all the way to the bottom of my gut.
“Okay,” I nodded.
“Yes?” Chase stood straighter yet, resembling a finely sculpted block of marble.
“Chase, I’d like to offer you the position of director of security,” I said. “I’m not going to lie—it’s dangerous work, and I don’t think my nobles are going to give you a welcome that overflows with warmth.”
Chase gave me a slight bow. “I understood the possibilities when I applied for the position. Thank you, Queen Leila. I vow to see that you are safe—both among your own people, and when in public.”
“Thanks. It’s the ‘among my people’ part that I’m most concerned about,” I said blandly. “We’ll provide you with a room at the mansion and all of that—Skye?”
“Yes, I can handle the details and introduce Mr. Washington to the guards who will be under his command.”
“Please, it’s just Chase.” Chase gave Skye a charming smile—which, I was impressed to see, didn’t even make her blink.
“Thanks, Skye. And welcome, Chase. I hope you enjoy your employment here.” I was edging my way down the aisle, hoping to run into Dusk or Dawn, but Indigo was two steps ahead of me.
“Queen Leila.” She propped her hands up on her hips and locked her knobby knees. “You’ve got an appointment this afternoon with an accountant, and youneedto eat a proper meal—no more of these plastic-smelling protein bars or beef jerky.”
I sighed with enough angst to make a TV soap opera star proud and followed the brownie as she led the way out of the stables. “It’s fine,” I said.
“You say that too much.”
“It’s my catchphrase! Every queen needs one.”
Indigo gave me “the look,” which she leveled at me whenever I was being cheeky and she wanted to blast me but remembered at the last second I was technically her queen.
The look consisted of her eyebrows lowering to give her a particularly unimpressed expression, matched with her mouth screwing up as if she had just sucked on a lemon. It was fun to know I was so charming I could inspire the expression!
“What you need is a cup of tea,” Indigo decided once we reached the shadow of the mansion.
I snorted as I followed her inside. “Oh, heck no.” I had to pause and blink, the brightness from the sun half blinding me now that I was in the shade. “I’m not drinking any tea. I’ll make an online grocery order first.”
“If you have special dietary needs tell the kitchen and they’ll send someone out,” Indigo said.
“No, I don’t want anyone touching my food.”
Indigo might have pushed the matter, but we rounded a corner and almost plowed into a crowd of nobles.
Yeah, that was one thing I was having a hard time adjusting to.
Since I was the queen, the whole Court revolved around me. As a result, the lower floor of my new home was a common place for nobles to laze about.
Totally weird.
And yeah, their presence irked me—not because I minded them being there as much as I found it stupid they apparently had all this free time to just stand around and gossip.
“Queen Leila, how pleasant to see you out and about.” One of the nobles smiled and approached me, but the angle of his lips was more predatory than welcoming.
“Good morning.” I glanced down at Indigo to see if she could help me get out of this, but she’d retreated a few steps so she was standing a little behind me, her eyes lowered and her hands gripping the bottom of her cable knit sweater—today’s was purple.
