Page 48 of Roses and Murder
Autar leaned in.
“What’s the plan? We’re taking them down, right? I can get information from the inside because the idiot made me his general just because I’m big.”
I wanted that more than anything. There were more people who hated them than liked them. It just wasn’t possible because of the arse kissers like Goran.
“We can’t do shit to them. Imighthave gotten the cure and this would have gone differently, but Goran inadvertently snitched when he was trying to sell me out. We’d have to geteveryoneon board to overthrow them without knowing ahead of time and you just can’t trust some of these people.”
“It’s just not fair,” Ronan said. “They’ve screwed everyone over and there’s still people begging for scraps from them thinking they won’t. Even if they do help, it’s only when they benefit.”
“Nothing’s going to change until Nestran finds someone stronger than them who everyone can rally behind. Someone who can rally everyone and show them theycanstand up to them,” Beck said. “But that person doesn’t exist.”
No, they didn’t. The gods were cruel. The people on Nestran with magic had a known weakness. They wanted the Barons gone, but they didn’t really want much to do with humans, either.
“They probably never will,” I said. “Let’s get your mom the cure and get the party started.”
“She’s over there with Rowena. Rowena wouldn’t want to miss this and with me gone, someone needed to make sure no one stepped on her foot by accident and got assaulted.”
Yeah, that was valid. I still liked that kid. Neco presented Theda with the cure. She gave him the ‘Mom’ stare before she drank it.
“This is the end of your dealings with your father, right?”
“Of course. Please take it.”
Neco wasn’t technically lying. Folcard was the one who hired him, not his father. I wasn’t going to correct him because I wasn’t a snitch. Neco was good at what he did and I didn’t want to worry Theda. I’d handle it.
Rowena flung herself at Neco. He picked her up and squeezed her. Rowena didn’t know half of what was going on, but she was a smart kid. She was still an Argent kid, and she knew what was up. Her mom was sick and her brother had to go to her father. Her fathercouldhave demanded payment from both of them when she was old enough. Neco took care of that.
“You know I’ll always protect you, right?” Neco growled.
“One day, I’m going to get big and change everything.”
“I’ll bet you will.”
Rowena was beloved in Guttertown.Wewould rally around her. The rest of Nestran would just see her as a Guttertown brat and probably wouldn’t.
I could hope, though, because that person Beck mentioned certainly wasn’t me.
“Let’s get this party started!” I yelled.
The rest of Guttertown started hooting and hollering. Yeah, it was time for a celebration the likes Guttertown had never seen.
Ipoked Leodos, who was sitting at the bar of my tavern waxing poetic to Trevils and Aimes about how the sun shone out our future queen’s arse. Yeah, he might not be saying it toher,but Leodos was madly in love with Princess Esylle.
“Listen, now that youknowI’m a girl, can I give you some advice?”
“Sure, kid.”
“You’re insanely tall, not ugly, and her dad likes you. Just tell the woman you’re in love with her.”
“Are you kidding?” Ollie asked. “Leodos is kind of hot for an older man. I wouldn’t kick him out of our bed if one of you wanted to invite him.”
Leodos started choking.
“With that, I’m going to buy something greasy from a stall outside. And whatever you’re calling this new infusion, I want regular bottles.”
Yeah, I hadn’t even named it yet, but people loved it. I was going to have to step up my infusions, especially if Leodos was buying. I was going to let Ollie and Ronan loose when it came to naming it because my creativity lay in recipes.
Just then, Darnell, who managed to live in Guttertown andnotbe able to handle his spirits, crashed into me and held onto me for dear life.
