I step inside, nodding at the guards, and find Grace outside the throne room, greeting residents waiting to make demands or ask favors from their Horseman with a warm smile, her dark skin glowing with happiness.
Technically, Grace should be in the War Castle handling her own domain since she’s the Queen of War, but after working with Anxo for so long, she hasn’t fully stepped away from being his unofficial right hand.
I don’t know how she deals with people from both WarandConquer without losing her mind.
You’d never guess this five-foot-four woman, whose blood is probably made from sugar syrup, is the Queen of War if she told you.
If it were up to Grace, war would be illegal everywhere.
She radiates a softness that puts everyone at ease just by being in her presence. Her curls are pulled into a half-bun, strings of glitter woven into the thin braids framing her face.
Glitter is just everywhere today, isn’t it?
“Why do you look like you want to strangle someone?” Grace grimaces at me.
“What is wrong with Dean?”
“A lot.” Nevaeh joins us, eyes sparkling with mischief because she knows I’m about to give details about my private life.
“I thought you were going to the Griari empire.”
“Don’t change the subject. What did Papa do?”
I sigh, “He’s not scared of me. Like at all. And he keeps instigating me like I won’t stab him.”
“Don’t take it personally. Dad’s not afraid of anything. It’s a little creepy.” Grace reaches to pat my shoulder, then stops herself at the last second.
I fucking hate it when she does that. I’m not going to bite her hand off if she touches me.
Yeah, maybe I look angry, but that’s just my face. I always look like I’m mad at something.
Nevaehwraps an arm around Grace’s shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. “It’s not creepy, it’s a Blackburn thing. Get on board already.”
“No thanks. I’m trying to keep our bloodline sane.”
Nevaeh snorts. “It’s too late for that, honeybunch.”
Is this really the family I’m stuck with for the rest of my life?
I throw my head back with a groan. “I feel like I’m going to explode whenever I’m near him. It wasn’t like this with you and Anxo. You guys were so calm and nauseatingly happy.”
“Because we weren’t fighting the mate bond.” Neaveh gives me a look when I roll my eyes. “We were hesitant—mostly me—but we didn’t pretend like we didn’t matter to each other. Trust me, the more you fight against it, the worse it gets. Your Divine needshim. Give in before the hungry bitch decides to take things into her hands.”
Okay, now I’m officially scared. “What do you mean?”
“There are some stories about mates going so crazy that they…”
“They what? They what, you glittery freak?!”
“I hope you never have to find out, mama.”
Mama?! I think I just threw up in my mouth.
Nevaeh blinks at me, a wide smile stretching across her face. She’s doing this on purpose.
I lean in until our noses almost touch, then poke her forehead with my finger to push her back. “Never call me that again.”
“But I always wanted a mama.” She fucking pouts like a child.
