“It’s because you even have toaskthat, that I know you’re despicable,” I said.
Lord Linus managed to keep up his innocent look despite my harsh criticism.
I wonder, is he really an idiot? Or just pretending?
Lord Linus sighed. “I heard about this—daughters rebelling against their parents. Don’t worry, Leila—I’ll always love you! Which is why I’d like to bring up the discussion of mypay.” He flashed his white teeth at me. “I’d like an advancement, thank you.”
Yeah, he’s just an idiot.
I tilted my head back and stared up at the painting on the ceiling.
“Are you all right, Queen Leila?” Skye asked.
“Yeah. It just feels like I’ll never be able to catch up. Like I’m going to die, buried by work.” I rubbed my eyes. “I need to find a husband, learn how to bolster our realm barrier, get myself crowned so the other Courts don’t get any ideas about us, deal with whoever hired Rigel to kill me and whoever bespelled the food—assuming they aren’t the same person—cut spending, keep learning how to manage the Court…”
My throat squeezed, and it was hard to breathe. “I don’t think I can do it.”
“You’re doing quite well, Queen Leila,” Skye said.
“Yeah, but doing ‘well’ isn’t going to solve all those problems.” I straightened up in my chair and tried to motivate myself to stand—I had too much to do to sit here and feel sorry for myself.
“It’s important to remember these problems were not your creation. Thus, none of it is your fault, thus, it’s also not your fault if you can’t solve it!” Lord Linus said with the assurance of someone who had used this excuse before.
I rested my chin on my hand and stared at him. “You’reone of my problems—do you know that?”
He ignored me. “What you ought to do is go visit your mother. Nothing can soothe you like a hug from your mother!”
Because the advice was coming from him, I was initially tempted to ignore it, but he actually had a point.
“That’s not a bad idea—I haven’t seen her since I moved in.”
Lord Linus folded his arms across his chest. “It’s as I’ve always said—you inherited your genius from me.”
“Really? Because I think it’s more like the saying that even a blind, deaf, ancient squirrel unable to smell will occasionally find a nut,” I said.
“I’m pretty sure that saying doesn’t use all those descriptors,” Lord Linus said.
“Maybe not, but they apply in your case.” I stood up and rolled my shoulders back. “But this decides it—I’m clearing my schedule for this Saturday, and I’m going home to see my parents.”
Chapter Nineteen
Leila
Ispent an unbelievably peaceful day with my parents—arriving early enough to eat breakfast with them, where I proceeded to pound down enough food for three people.
Most of the time was filled with eating—that was mainly me—drinking coffee—also just me—and chatting with my parents.
I helped Dad clean out stalls—there is something really therapeutic about doing work with your hands after you’ve been penned up doing office stuff for weeks on end—and by the time the blue sky was darkening and the clouds were streaked with pink from the setting sun, I was sitting out in a lawn chair that overlooked one of the horse pastures, nursing a cup of decaf coffee.
The birds were singing extra loud as they returned to their nests for the night, and a few lightning bugs started to glow, tracing spinning pathways through the air.
Bagel was pushing his face through two of the wooden boards in the fence—which had been repaired since the fae thoughtlessly sliced through it.
I sat on the edge of my seat and caressed his velveteen nose.
“You know, I think he misses those horses of yours.” Dad propped his arms up on the fence and affectionately rubbed Bagel’s forehead.
I almost spat out my mouthful of coffee. “Thenight mares?”
