His lips twitched and he gave me a short bow. “As I’ve said often and at great length in the past, you are quite unlike most queens, Your Majesty.”
Daire entered carrying a tea tray and set it on the low table in front of us.
More specifically, in front of me. Even in Leonie’s house. It was a subtle reminder that I was the strongest queen in this room. But after she’d lost so much…
I fought the impulse to glance over at her and note her reaction or even apologize. None of this was my fault—but it wasn’t hers, either.
“May I pour for you, my queen?” Daire asked.
When I nodded, he dropped to his knees on my other side—away from Sekh—and quickly made my cup the way Winston did at home. I took the saucer in my left hand and balanced it on my knee but didn’t sip until Leonie and Gwen each held theirs. He asked each queen how she preferred her tea. First Gwen, my established sibling and queen of New York City, and then Leonie.
I fought the urge to sigh. It reminded me of sitting beside Marne Ceresa’s koi pond, feeling like a fat fly tangled up in her web.
:It’s your right,:Rik murmured softly in our bond.:You are Triskeles. This house exists only because of you.:
:I know. I just don’t like playing such games. It’s demeaning.:
Daire handed Leonie her cup and she sniffled, her hands trembling. Tears spilled from her eyes, and I felt even worse.
“Thank you,” she whispered. Then she gave me a wide, shining smile that sent me mentally reeling. “When you’re trapped and helpless for so long, you think about the craziest things. I would’ve given anything to escape. My other hand. An entire leg carved up like a Sunday ham. The Dauphine could’ve used a crudité fork and plucked my eyes like she was sampling olives from an appetizer tray. As long as she freed me.
“But I knew the truth. No one was coming to save me. Even if the Dauphine died, who would even know where all her prisoners were? Who’d care? Who’d risk their own necks to free them? Let alone use their own power to heal them. Why would they? When they could simply take the empty house and any residual power as their own at no cost to them?
“But you came, Shara Isador. You healed me. You fed me. And now you allow me the simple pleasure of sipping a cup of tea from Mama’s best china once more with fresh cream your Blood fetched just so I could have a moment of normalcy again.”
My throat tightened and I gave her an equally teary smile. “What use is all this power if we can’t do some good with it? Besides, everything is easier to bear if we can share a nice drink or meal with friends and family.”
Daire took my cup and saucer for me, so I could continue feeding on Sekh and not spill tea everywhere. He carefully lifted the cup to my mouth.
I savored a sip of tea and then gave him a wobbly smile. “It’s perfect.”
He flashed a quick, pleased smile and gave me another sip. “Our queen would burn the world down to save someone she loves.”
Leonie’s eyes shone brighter. “Then I hope to earn our queen’s love too.”
Sekh let out a grudging sigh in the bond.:Well done, warcat.:
And for the first time since the general had joined us, my warcat was able to purr in his presence.
13
SHARA
Our two flesh eaters strolled back into the nest together, laughing and talking as if they’d known each other for centuries. Vore had even been able to transfer back to his human form without needing me to assist him. Great. Except he wasn’t able to conjure up wizard robes like Merlin.
Luckily Nevarre wasn’t the only Blood who packed a bag, though Guillaume’s basketball shorts combined with Ezra’s spare plaid shirt made an interesting outfit choice.
Vore came to stand before me, his body language relaxed, his eyes soft and bright. He even dared a slight smile that tugged at my heart.
“My queen, your enemies have been destroyed, and no innocents were harmed.”
I held my hand out to him, but instead of taking my hand in his, he dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead to my knuckles. I turned my hand enough to cup his cheek, sliding my fingers into his thick black hair. “Thank you, Vore. You did well.”
“We eliminated all evidence except for scraps,” Merlin added. “Quite a tasty feast if I do say so myself. I haven’t fed so well since the Battle of Arfderydd.”
Vore leaned in closer, pressing against my legs. His bond rippled like a serene, gentle mountain creek gurgling around stones. No screaming. No pain. For the first time in his existence, he’d been able to fully embrace his gift and his true nature without fearing he would lose control and hurt loved ones.
He laid his head on my lap and let out a soft sound of pleasure as I combed my fingers through his hair.
