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The door opened and Magnum stepped inside the room to announce my guests. “Her Majesty Gwenhwyfar of House Camelot, with her Blood Sir Lancelot, Bors, and Mordred, as well as Merlinus Caledonesis. Also, Your Majesty, your second consiliarius, Kevin Isador.”
Also dressed in all black—though with leather jackets and thick motorcycle boots—Bors and Mordred stepped into the room and shook hands with my two Blood. Sekh introduced himself only by his name, not his rank or lineage.
The two Blood then came closer to the table and saluted me, fist over their hearts as they bowed. “Your Majesty.”
“Welcome to House Isador,” Gina said.
“Please make yourself comfortable,” I added. Not that they would, any more than my Blood would relax and sit down with us.
Lance gave my two Blood a pleasant nod but didn’t shake hands with them. Not with his queen on his arm. His hair had grown out some since I’d seen him last, and his face had filled out a little more. With Elaine Shalott removed from this world, his eyes weren’t as shadowed. Releasing his arm, Gwen curtsied with practiced elegance I envied.
All her Blood moved with the lean, lethal grace of swordsmen. Except for the one Blood I hadn’t met yet, Merlinus, who brought up the rear beside Kevin. The famous wizard of Arthurian legends—though Merlinus looked nothing like the gray haired and bearded wizard in a nondescript robe so often portrayed in movies. He wore elegant black slacks and a long-sleeved old-fashioned silk shirt in brilliant purple. Long silvery lavender hair swept over his shoulders, and his eyes were an even deeper indigo, almost black. He bent in a graceful bow like a courtier. “Your Majesty.”
“Our queen, Shara Isador, last daughter of She Who Is and Was and Always Will Be, welcomes you,” Gina said. “This is Her Majesty’s alpha, Alrik, and her other Blood, Okeanos, Llewellyn, and Thierry, with Queen Carys.”
Merlinus’ eyes narrowed into dark slits as he looked at Thierry. He didn’t say anything, but I could only guess the conversation happening in his queen’s bond. I didn’t make any excuses or explanations who I brought to my own fucking table in my own fucking house. Thierry deserved to be here more than they did.
Kevin flashed a wide smile and bowed to me, though not with the same flourish as the wizard. “Your Majesty, welcome back to New York City.”
“Glad to see you again, Kevin.”
He took a seat by Carys, leaving the seat opposite me open for Gwen, who looked absolutely radiant in a white evening gown with slits in the long skirt revealing red velvety material underneath. Her crescent moon necklace glittered in the candlelight but the only other jewelry she wore was a simple ring on her hand. It didn’t look like the one Arthur had been wearing, but I’d only glimpsed it briefly when we forced him out of my blood circle. Her mahogany hair was swept to one side, falling in a thick, elegant curl over her shoulder.
“You look like a glamorous movie star,” I told her, smiling.
She laughed as Lance seated her, her eyes shining with so much joy and happiness that I felt my own eyes shimmer with unshed tears. “I was going for old-fashioned Hollywood glam. Thank you for giving us a reason to dress up.” She reached up and clasped her alpha’s hand on her shoulder, mirroring Rik behind me. “Even more, thank you for everything you’ve done to help us, Your Majesty. We’re free of her influence for the first time in more than a thousand years. Without your help, I never would have been able to bring Merlin back from Avalon, either.”
Merlinus took a seat on his queen’s left, but none of the knights sat at the table. Though Mordred did at least step closer. “I would like to voice my personal gratitude for your consiliarius’ assistance. Without his help, I may not have survived long enough to be reunited with my queen.”
I nodded. “Kevin proves his incredible skills and loyalty in increasingly clever ways every single day. I too am more grateful than I can say that he agreed to become my second consiliarius.”
Kevin’s cheeks blazed with heat and an embarrassed yet pleased little sound escaped his lips. “My pleasure, Your Majesty. It’s an honor to serve in any way I can.”
“I’m pleased to report that all of your siblings in Isador Tower are still alive, my queen,” Gwen said. “Though I’d love to hear more about what caused you to have such suspicions.”
“House Isador is going to war,” I said softly, watching her reaction.
She didn’t ask against who or why. Instead, she leaned forward with a wide, vicious smile. “House Camelot rides at your side, my queen.”
37
SHARA
Before I got into the details, I asked Gwen to tell me about how she’d defeated Arthur while Magnum quietly brought drinks to the table. I wasn’t sure what kind of wine she served but it was light and crisp with a hint of honeyed sweetness.
“He said something about fertilizing Tiamat’s eggs,” Gwen said. “But I don’t know how many.”
I touched my dragon’s bond. :How many eggs do you think Tiamat had Arthur fertilize?:
:Dragons rarely lay more than a couple of eggs at a time,: Mehen said in the bond. :Though She’s the Mother of Dragons. She’ll hold on to every fucking drop of his semen to fertilize eggs for centuries. She’ll have a flight of baby red arthuri in no time.:
Greeeeeat. “I guess we’ll find out. Do you have any other Blood to Call?”
Gwen dropped her gaze to her glass, her fingers lightly tracing the delicate crystal stem. “I’m not sure. At least…” She sighed and lifted her gaze back to mine. Some of the shining light dimmed in her eyes. “I’m afraid Arthur managed to kill most of my former knights, but I’m hopeful some are still in hiding. Though they haven’t answered me yet.”
“The Knights of the Round Table are notoriously embroiled in quests, my queen,” Merlin said, rolling his eyes at Sir Lancelot. “They’re probably waiting on you to embark on another epic journey or battle to find them.”
She sighed. “Back in the good old days, we’d just have a tournament and invite all the knights to come to me.”
