Page 83 of Tricky Princess
She glared at him and mouthed “you’re a dead man” as the server walked up to their table.
30
Rosier
No matter her pleading, Ros had insisted they walk home. He wanted as many people as possible to see her while he held her hand. He thought it would be fun to show off Ellea and to meet her friends or neighbors. But he quickly grew angry—not that she noticed. She was too busy pointing out all of her favorite places, the best cafes, and even her favorite bookstore. Despite the late hour, the city was bustling with humans and supernaturals, mostly witches and a handful of supernaturals Ros was too distracted to identify. He was distracted by the witches that were openly gawking at her, not him. The looks weren’t the awed ones she deserved, but indignation. Some of them even looked afraid. Ros didn’t know how to handle it. He wanted to shout at them, growl, or even kick a few tables. Instead, he held her hand and smiled as she pointed at her favorite herb shop.
Finally, they arrived at her home, and before he could ask her about those nasty looks, her grandmother had thrown open the doors and run out to hug her and kiss every inch of her face. Ros looked over the two witches and met the stare of her uncle, Felix, who gave him a knowing look. “Rough walk?” he seemed to ask. Ros flexed his shoulders and put a small smile on his face as he grasped Jadis by her hand and kissed it once.
“Jadis,” he said, forcing himself to look into her searching green eyes.
Her face was stern for a split second, and then she smiled back at him.
“Rosier.”
They walked together to the front door. Ellea wrapped herself around her uncle’s middle, seeming like a small child. It reminded him of how young she still was. He shook Felix’s hand while she still clung to him.
“I missed you both so much,” she mumbled into her uncle’s chest.
“I’m not surprised to see you in one piece, Zaza,” Felix said, pulling her off of him by her shoulders and searching her from head to toe with a smile. “I heard there was a sword?”
“There was, but we thought it would be best not to walk down the streets with it.” Ellea looked at him, and he widened his smile. She saw right through it.
“I’m surprised you didn’t show up to the council meeting with a crown on after all I heard about your trip to Hel,” Jadis said, grabbing Ellea by the hand and leading her inside.
Ellea looked back over her shoulder, mouthing “sorry” as her grandmother dragged her to the couch. Jadis shooed away the napping Garm and Billy before plopping down next to Ellea on the plush velvet cushions.
“I’ll give you a tour after my interrogation,” Ellea called from the couch as Felix led him to a vast kitchen.
The house was so much bigger than her family’s cabin. He felt like he could fit his whole home in the kitchen and living room alone.
Felix grabbed four mugs from the cabinets. He placed the cups near the espresso machine as the giant hunk of metal came to life on its own, grinding coffee and pouring milk into a pitcher. Ros tried to stop the plate of cookies that came flying toward him with an upturned hand; chips, a multi-layered sandwich, and an assortment of fruit followed quickly behind.
“I’m fine,” he growled to the house, and Felix chuckled, turning toward him.
“So how’d you like the city?”
“Seems to be infested with a bunch of asshole witches,” Ros grumbled, taking a seat at the island.
“They aren’t all that bad, but they don’t care that it was her parents that fucked with a bunch of mortals. They see the daughter of two monsters who murdered with no regret and who almost ruined things for our whole community. Then you mix her powers into that and…well, it was hard for her growing up, but she’s learned to ignore it.”
“She shouldn’t have to ignore it.” It came out like a hiss, and Felix arched a brow at him. He took a steadying breath. “She is more than her parents, more than her powers.”
“I know that, my mother and you know that,” Felix whispered. “But the council and our community may never see that. It doesn’t help when she retaliates with her tricks and small backlashes.”
“That is nothing. I wanted to burn the place to the ground after the tenth witch sneered at her.”
Felix shook his head, and four mugs floated around him. One landed in Ros’ hands as the other three flew into the living room to join Ellea and Jadis.
“You’re being pretty decent when my father was the one to kidnap her and bring her to Hel for almost two weeks.” Ros glanced between both of them, then eyed Ellea as a mug and the plate of cookies Ros had refused floated to her. She scooted over.
He could sit next to her.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling up to the ceiling as though the house had a mind that lived in the attic.
As soon as she was settled, her mug in hand and a cookie in the other, she leaned into him. She wasn’t at all acting like they were about to talk about her kidnapping, her parents killing over a thousand people, and probably several other uncomfortable things.
“So your father kidnapped my granddaughter,” Jadis said blandly.
