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That saying is probably military in origin, I explained, thinking that might curry favour with her; after all, she loved a battle. ‘Music’ was a term soldiers used for gunfire. ‘Facing the music’ meant going into battle – either that or it comes from when disgraced soldiers were paraded in front of the other soldiers to the sound of the drum.
If they were disgraced, they should have been harried and eaten.
Cannibalism is very much frowned on.
Not to wolves, she said flatly. It is far worse to allow your pups to go hungry than to feast on the flesh of your enemies.
I was exceedingly glad that she hadn’t started to eat our enemies even though we were incredibly hungry. We should have made Nina bring us some food before we strolled back outside. Live and learn.
Ivy trotted next to us as we made our way back to Fellworth House.
All right, Terrance? I asked my crown.
Oh quite, Your Majesty. A crown is like a child: it should be seen and not heard. I shan’t disturb you unless you call on me.
We no longer hold such outdated beliefs. Nowadays we are happy to let our children be both seen and heard.
How bizarre, he commented and I suppressed a smile. Perhaps the werewolves weren’t the only ones in need of modernising.
I walked deliberately slowly to make the wolves wait for my return. They had seen me battle and kill three foes without breaking sweat, then partially shift my head and scare an opponent into instant submission; even so, I wasn’t fool enough to think that I’d gained the respect of all of them. But hopefully I’d bought myself some time to consolidate my power.
I found Greg among the crowd. Although he kept his face blank, his eyes were smiling at me. I wanted to smile back but now was not the time – we needed some privacy for me to show him exactly how I felt about him. I was gratified that he had followed my orders because leaving me to face danger alone must have been the hardest of trials for him. He was not a man to stand by idly, yet he had respected me enough to let me do so. My heart swelled.
I was so fixed on Greg that for a moment I didn’t notice the movement around him. The terrace moved like a sea as all the wolves fell to their knees and bowed their heads. Esme’s exultation roared through me. They truly recognise us as Queen!
For now, I muttered grumpily.
‘Thank you all for recognising me formally as your rightful Queen,’ I called loudly. I decided to strike again while the iron was hot. ‘My next act as Queen is to limit the number of challenges a person can make or receive. You may make or receive one challenge to your rule once a week. In that way, no one may be attacked repeatedly with no time for respite. We are above such unfair and dishonourable action, are we not?’
As one, the crowd looked at their toes.
‘Anyone found breaking this law will forfeit any title they have gained through such a cowardly attack and will enjoy a brief stay in the seat of power.’ I smiled unpleasantly. If Nina could make a cosy room with books, she could make a secure prison too. Hopefully, her dark reputation would make anyone think twice.
‘As I will it, so mote it be,’ I finished my proclamation.
Queen Lucy was in the house.
Chapter 35
David looked up as we walked into our private rooms then surged to his feet. ‘How did it go?’ He stared at me and his jaw dropped slightly. ‘You’re covered in blood.’
Archie grinned. ‘The blood of her enemies. It was awesome! She slayed!’
‘Yes, thank you, Archie,’ I said primly. ‘Though he has a point. I am covered in the blood of my enemies and I’d like to rectify that. I need a shower.’
Usually when I shifted, the blood was normally as lost as my clothes, but this time I’d been coated in blood in my human form when I’d been lugging dead bodies to my new, not-so-feral, house.
I started towards the bathroom before any of them could see the trembling that was starting in my hands despite my best efforts to stop it. Hysteria was crowding the edge of my mind.
‘She burst into flames!’ Archie continued.
I paused mid-step and whirled round. ‘I did what?’
Liam nodded solemnly. ‘When you shifted, you burst into flames like you were the phoenix or something. It was awesome.’
Terrance’s comment about adding a certain je ne sais quoi came flooding back. You set me on fire? I asked my crown, a shade wildly.
Well, it wouldn’t harm you, my Queen. I’d never harm you.
