Page 45 of Vicious Fates and Vast Futures
I feel Adelaide’s magic jump to the surface and a soft glow surrounds her. When she speaks, her voice is dripping with menace. “Your lives.”
The queen nods tightly. “We agree.”
Chapter Nine
Adelaide
I’m trailing Bryn down the royal hallway, wondering what the hell is going on. He’s striding like he’s got somewhere to be and I’m practically running to keep up with him.
He comes to an abrupt halt in front of my grandmother’s rooms and turns to me. “You’re to tell her that Eira is in desperate need of her attention and guidance. Thoseexact words,a chroí. If she asks where, your answer is simply ‘her rooms.’”
I get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know something is about to happen but I don’t know if it’s my gut or the shimmer of fate against my unconscious. I take a deep breath and pound on the queen’s door, prepared to do as my mate asks without question.
When the guards lead us to the queen, I recite what Bryn told me. Grandmother swiftly thanks me and shepherds us out of the room, following us to the hall.
She turns towards Eira’s room, and Bryn takes my arm and steers us in the opposite direction. But only until the queen lets her hand print glow upon Eira’s doors and slips inside silently, leaving the door ajar. Then Bryn turns us and damn near runs to the alcove closest to Eira’s rooms, tucks us away but leans out to watch, his body blocking me in safely.
I whisper to Bryn, “Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that shit is about to go down?”
“Because it’s not the only thinggoing downright now.”
I realize what he’s set up. Or perhaps a better way of saying it is what he’s clued the queen into. Yup, shit is about to go down.
I hear raised voices, females and a male, but the words are unintelligible. The male yells, “Iloveyou, Seren!” There’s a shrill laugh before the voices fade again.
Suddenly, a brilliant white light emerges from the door, painting the hallway in shadows. A scream emerges from the rooms. I recognize the descriptions of my grandmother’s most dangerous power and a cold sweat breaks out across my skin. Is she going to kill both of them for this? Just her captain, her lover? Or just her granddaughter?
A few moments later, Seren emerges, looking broken. As she slowly retreats to her rooms, ignoring the guards surrounding her, I hear a ragged sob escape and my heart hurts for her. I look back to the still-open door of Eira’s rooms. No one emerges.
I suppose finding my lover of decades in bed with my granddaughter would break me too. A swirl of jealousy arrives at the mere thought of Bryn or Ossy or Nairna touching anyone else. Yeah, I could see myself exploding some Fae for that as well.
Seren’s steps are heavy and slow as she returns to her rooms, flanked by her silent guards. When her door is shut with a resounding thump, the guilt at setting this up settles into me. I frown, feeling terrible. I mean, I didn’tmakeDeclan bump uglies with Eira, but I still feel guilty for being responsible that Seren found out.
I turn to Bryn. “Now what?”
WE RETURNED TO OURrooms and made plans to stay in for the rest of today and as much of tomorrow as we can. My heart still hurts for Seren. But making myself scarce seems prudent, both because of the little hand we played in Seren finding her captain and lover cheating on her, but also because I’m the only heir left standing.
We’ve tossed some dinner in our magicked slow cooker that Rory got his hands on for me and are just flipping a coin for sides on a doubles game of billiards when the mirror clangs angrily. Bryn heads for it as Ossy pulls me into his arms.
“Baby,” he rumbles, my face buried in his chest, “I might need to bend you over the pool table for a quick round.” His voice is teasing but I hear the need in it.
“I’m not sure I’ll finish in a quick round,” I answer. “You all have been really grinding the orgasms out of me. I think I’ve lost my hair trigger.” I’m teasing him—mostly.
He growls. “My little queen rules my heart, but her body serves me. You don’t get reprieves when I’m in need, Adelaide.”
