Page 66 of The Crimson Princess
I can’t resist a comment. “It’s actually very good for concentration.”
The vampire’s eyes land hard on me and go wide with shock. “Oh shit. Shit.” He scrubs his jaw and casts Toren a disconcerted gaze. “Sorry, man. I didn’t know she was going to be at the morning meeting.”
Toren’s lips quirk as he glances my direction. “Meet Gideon, Satima. Gideon is second marshall to Stefan and also a close friend.”
“Gideon is renowned for his temper,” Stefan says dryly. “I know that’s hard to believe.”
Gideon scowls at Stefan. “Screw you, Stefan.” He yanks the chair out and sits down, pointing at me. “And do not agree with Tabby when she gets here. I do not need the princess of Ravengale siding with her. She’ll use that against me, and I’ll be royally fucked. And yes, pun intended. Don’t royally fuck me.”
I surprise myself by laughing and sipping from my goblet. “I don’t know who Tabby is, but when I was hunting in the human realm, we started doing yoga. It really did help me learn to calm my nerves under pressure.”
“Must be a gale thing.”
Toren holds up a finger at Gideon, who grimaces at the reprimand while I just laugh. “I don’t offend easily,” I murmur and glance at Toren. “You should have heard what some of the zombies I killed in the human realm said to me right before I killed them.” My eyes find Toren’s amused stare. “Am I interrupting a meeting?”
“No. We have an informal breakfast get together a couple times a week.”
“There’s no food,” I point out.
“They’re on their own this morning. I want to take you to the bakery I told you about.”
“Freya’s place?” Stefan asks, a lift to his voice. “Because if you’re skipping the line at Freya’s place, I’m coming. I’ll leave as soon as I get my food.”
“Yeah, I’m in on that,” Gideon says. “Bring it on.”
A gorgeous, petite, female appears next to Gideon, her hair gleaming like white gold. Tabby’s dressed in leather, her long locks falling in waves around her delicate shoulders, her blue eyes lightingon me.“Is he bitching about the yoga?”
I make a mental note to ask Toren how two of his vampires thus far can blink when I thought that was a skill only royals and random highborns possessed. Gideon rolls his eyes at the female vampire and cuts her a scathing look. “What do you think, Tabby? Yes. I’m bitching about the yoga.”
Tabby’s gaze lands on me, a smile lighting her lovely features. “Princess Satima. Welcome.” She leans over the table and offers me her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
I accept her offering and she squeezes me gently. “We’re happy to have you here.” Her eyes twinkle. “Unless you try to start a war, of course. Then we’ll have to fight you.”
“That will not come from me,” I assure her. “And call me Satima.”
“Satima,” she says, straightening. “I’m Tabby. I’m sure you figured out that I train our new recruits.”
“On how to be pussies,” Gideon grumbles. “Yoga is for pussies and humans.”
“And which category do I fit in, Gideon?” I challenge.
He shifts in his seat awkwardly. “Oh ah…you know.”
“Apparently we’re the pussies,” Tabby says, reaching down and squeezing Gideon’s shoulder. Gideon hunkers down with grimace and growls at her. “Stop that shit, Tabby.”
“I don’t want the new recruits to be pussies like you. You have a low pain tolerance, Gideon. Yoga would help with that.” She releases him and eyes Toren. “How do you feel about the yoga strategy?”
Toren stands and offers me his hand, helping me to my feet. “Like I’m hungry. Freya’s opening her bakery early for us. You all may come, but then you need to get lost.” Toren blinks us out of his kitchen, and we appear inside a vampire’s version of a cozy bakery, and I’m coming to realize they do everything in dramatic fashion. It’s two levels with a pair of curved stairways on either side of a balcony. The immediate area is filled with a mix of cute tables, covered with red silk cloths and adorable table displays decorated with books and baubles.
A beautiful petite blonde with long hair and black rimmed glasses, rushes our direction. “King Toren,” she greets, her energy as young as the twenty-something years she appears, though looks are deceiving. “I’m so pleased to have you and Princess Satima here with me,” she adds, bowing to us both. “Welcome, princess. I’m Freya, the owner of the bakery. And I’m absolutely honored to have you join us today.”
“I’m honored to have you invite me. I’ve heard amazing things. Do you use magic to bake?” I ask, as the gift of baking exquisite treats is actually quite rare and highly regarded.
She holds up two fingers an inch a part. “A little bit of a very special magic passed down through my family.” She glances at Toren. “There’s a sampling table set-up in the oval private room upstairs.”
Toren’s team appears to our right, and her brows shoot up. “I didn’t know they were joining you.”
“They begged,” he says. “And they aren’t joining us. I told them they would need to take theirs to-go.”
