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“Oh, I don’t? That’s funny.” Though she didn’t laugh, and she sounded more awake. “I could have sworn the destroyer of beds was here with me. Though I beg you not to destroy this bed until I make sure Winston has a few more spares.”
I grunted a grudging acknowledgement. At least that explained why motherfucker hadn’t torn shit up like I would have the first time I fucked our queen in a bed. If Rik hadn’t practically choked me to unconsciousness.
Opening her eyes, she cupped my cheeks in her hands and dipped through my bond, making me shiver. Scales shimmered beneath my skin. Leviathan blew out a plume of smoke winding inside me like a black river of poisonous fumes.
“I need you,” she whispered, her voice solemn. “Always. I love you. I wouldn’t have been able to hold the legion without your help.”
The smoke burned my fucking eyes. Choking me. Roughening my voice like a fucking gravel pit. “Then can I ask for a boon, my queen?”
Her lips quirked, her fingers softly tracing over my jawline. Her thumb stroked over my bottom lip. “Of course, my dragon.”
“Can I kill something and eat it? I’d prefer to start with that fucking bitch but if you plan to delay your strike on her, then a deer will do. Or even a cow.”
Startled, she laughed. “I can’t go after the Dauphine until I know where she is, so I guess you’ll have to settle on option two. As long as you don’t hunt anything that’s mine.”
My lips curled with disgust. “Like I’d eat fucking rats and crows if I could have a cow.”
“No wolves, either.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine.” Though of course I didn’t want to eat fucking wolves either. “Only me, though. Motherfucker doesn’t get to hunt unless he begs on his belly and kisses your feet.”
:Fucking bet, asshole,: motherfucker retorted in my head.
:Bring it the fuck on, motherfucker,: I snarled back.
Though what I really wanted to say was…
Me first.
“Fucking great.” Rik heaved out a sigh like a fucking earthquake. “Give me a fucking reason to bash your heads together and fuck you both to unconsciousness.”
:Bet,: echoed again in our bonds.
From both of us.
21
SHARA
What a difference a few days of rest—and one big sphinx—could make.
Sitting at the table with Gina, I braced as she patted the huge stack of files between us. “Are you sure?”
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Do we know anything else about the Skolos queens?”
“They’re still in the Galveston area as far as we know. We have a Talbott Agency team on the ground, but we don’t know anything new yet. They haven’t even spotted any of the queens in person, and no one’s coming or going from the houses.” She opened the top file. “First up, House Zaniyah is asking permission to take a sibling queen for House Isador.”
I resisted the urge to seize Mayte’s bond and ask why she hadn’t asked me herself. Plus, I wanted to know all the juicy details. Was this queen someone she had a personal relationship with? Or was it purely business?
Gina slipped a stack of papers in front of me, all in legalize that made zero sense. “The new consiliarius we sent to House Zaniyah did an excellent job writing up the agreement, and Her Majesty has been quite pleased with Deborah’s work as well. House Vitória is located in São Paulo, Brazil, and Queen Jacinta has ruled for nearly six hundred years.” She flipped the legal documents aside to a typed page on House Isador stationary. “Here’s their offer.”
The page read like a tip sheet, neat and tidy and easy to read.
Queen Jacinta Vitória will swear fealty to Her Majesty Mayte Zaniyah, as well as Her Majesty Shara Isador, both by proxy through Zaniyah’s sibling agreement and in person if requested by House Isador.
Princess Xochitl is named as House Vitória’s heir unless Queen Jacinta produces an heir of her own. Then Xochitl receives an equal share of their legacy.
Princess Xochitl will claim at least one Blood from House Vitória once she comes of age, and as many additional Aima as she wishes to take as Blood, excluding Queen Jacinta’s alpha.
