He bobbed his head to me and then flew up into the thorny tree. The rest of Shara’s Blood exited the tree behind us and began dispersing to their guard duties. Though the knight and general followed us toward the house. It was a sprawling old-fashioned manor house complete with turrets and fanciful peaks in the roof, tucked into the woods and mountains around us.
Closing my eyes for a moment, I drank in the stillness and peace of this place. All the powers of earth, even animals, welcomed their queen home. The very ground trembled with joy at each touch of her footstep. Trees rustled and swayed. Birds swooped overhead that should’ve been roosting for the night.
In the distance, I felt a fairly large city, but I didn’t know Arkansas geography enough to know what its name might be.
“Eureka Springs,” Shara said, picking up on my unspoken question. “Rik and Daire found me just a few miles away. A group of thralls had run me down and surrounded me. If they hadn’t come to my defense, I would’ve been torn apart without ever understanding what we are or embracing my power.”
“You weren’t raised in a nest?”
“No. I had no idea what any of this even meant. I thought Mom was human. She was killed when I was sixteen years old. Only after my Blood found me, and then we found my consiliarius, Gina, did I learn the truth. Mom was my aunt, but she’d given up her power to live as a human. My mother, Esetta, sacrificed herself to have me.”
She looked at me, a sad look in her eyes I couldn’t quite decipher. “Esetta Isador was a renowned queen in my day.”
Shara’s eyes flared wide, filling with tears. I feared I misspoke, but her lips trembled with a smile. “You can remember her name. Part of her sacrifice was for her name to be wiped from all living memory.”
I gave her a small shrug but allowed my lips to curve in an equally tremulous smile. “Until you lifted me from the pit and restored me, I was the same as dead, Shara, my queen.”
15
SHARA
As we neared the house, Gina opened the back door and stepped aside. “Welcome home, Your Majesty. Congratulations on a successful trip.”
“Thank you, Gina. Let me introduce you to the real Leonie Delafosse, my new sibling. Leonie, this is my first consiliarius, the one and only brilliant mastermind behind Talbott Agency with eyes and ears everywhere the Triune may gather.”
Blushing, Gina curtsied. “It was your mother’s idea.”
“But you continued to execute the vision once she was gone.”
Leonie offered her hand, and as soon as Gina closed her fingers around hers, she pulled her into a hug, startling her. “Thank you.”
“Oh, dear, of course.” Gina lightly patted her back. “Despite our best efforts at discovering the Dauphine’s true identity, we had no idea you’d been imprisoned and impersonated, Your Majesty. I truly had very little to do with our queen’s rescue mission.”
“You serve her, and so I owe you a debt of gratitude. Without House Isador, I’d still be lying forgotten and dead beneath my own house.”
“Now that we know the truth,” I said, “I hope we can track down some of Leonie’s people who might have escaped the Dauphine’s attack.”
Gina’s eyes sharpened, glittering with interest. “Absolutely. If you’re up to it, let’s sit down and gather everything you can remember, Your Majesty.”
“Just Leonie,” she replied. “I remember everything. I’m eager to get started finding my family.”
We sat at the small round table in the sunroom just off the kitchen, while my Blood flowed in and out around us, grabbing food, changing clothes, and shifting duties. I honestly wasn’t even aware of Rik’s orders any longer. They had their guard duties down to a seamless, regular pattern.
:If you’re aware of Blood guard duties, then we’ve already fucked up,:Rik whispered in my bond.:You shouldn’t ever have to worry one second about who’s doing what around your nest to keep it secure, my queen.:
Of course Vivian was assigned inside the house, rather than aerial duties. Just in case I needed her tonight.:You really are the best alpha ever.:
He kneaded my shoulder with a pleased, low grunt in the bond.:I try, my queen.:
Winston brought a fresh pot of tea to the table. “I hear Daire provided an adequate cup of tea earlier, Your Majesty.”
“More than adequate. Leonie, this is Winston, who runs the entire house seamlessly and somehow manages to keep ravenous Blood fed at all hours of the day and night. Winston, this is my new sibling, Leonie Delafosse.”
He inclined his head in a short bow. “Your Majesty, it’s an honor to meet you. May I pull together a meal for you, Your Majesties?”
“I could eat,” I admitted. He immediately turned toward the kitchen, so I called after him, “Something light. Don’t go to any trouble.”
Daire snickered from his position at the door. “You know him better than that, my queen.”
