Page 76 of Hybrid Heroics

“Not always,” he defended.

“She did just then,” my mage said, nodding his head toward the pantry.

My fae leaned his head back, dragging his hand down his face. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’ve seen her drink whiskey, too. But I doubt you guys are going to get her to swap her favorite liquor just because you’re not woman enough to stomach tequila.”

“Hey,” Novak snapped, clutching his chest. “That’s rude. But also right. I’m not woman enough to drink it. Not even a little.”

Franklin chuckled. “They sound happy to be home.”

“We all are,” I confessed. “It will be better after tomorrow.”

He nodded. “I’ve also added cameras to all the entrance points. We still need to set up wards on the windows.”

I stared at the wall of monitors, noting the only place that was missing was the waterfall that dropped into the pool. When I asked Franklin about it, he grinned.

“I’ll show you that before I leave.”

“I’m not taking this too far,” I whispered. “Right?”

He stopped at the door, observing me for a minute before he shook his head. “No, Sloane. Alric has been trying to kill you since you were born. There is nothing wrong with besting him at a game he started. Don’t doubt yourself now.”

“It isn’t doubt,” I clarified. “I don’t feel bad about what I’m going to do.”

“You worry what your parents will think of your plans?” he guessed.

“Not really.”

“Then why ask?”

I leaned my hip against the table. “Because I value your opinion.”

“If anyone deserves your wrath, Lo…” He paused, a small smile playing on his lips. “It’s Alric. I’ve been alive long enough to have seen more than his mother and grandmother in power. I watched the King women rise from nothing, before Geetha killed the man who murdered her sons.

“She started the King line by avenging her children and slaughtering the village king’s family. She took his title, and then surpassed it, leaving it as a legacy for the women in her line to follow. Geetha only had one child left after her sons were killed. And Wulfhild was a warrior. Strong, determined, unafraid. Just like you.”

My brows dipped low over my eyes. “Who is Geetha?”

“She was your great-grandmother’s great-grandmother.” He shook his head again. “We can talk about this later. Let’s go to the roof.”

“Yeah. Okay.” I cut my eyes at Franklin, sensing his hesitance.

He didn’t want to tell me this story, and I couldn’t figure out why. Not that I had time to worry about it right now. But I was curious. I hadn’t heard anything about Amelia’s family other than her mother’s name was Catalina. And she had been a powerful High Priestess before her death.

Naturally, I had questions, though I knew Franklin wasn’t the one to ask.

We climbed the stairs—all the fucking stairs—to the third floor. As we started down the hall toward the roof access, York popped his head out of his doorway.

“Hey, Frank,” he greeted, tipping his head. “We’re gonna steal Sloane for a minute.”

“We’re—” I gasped as a thorny vine wrapped around my waist. “What are you doing?”

“I’m too fucking old for this,” Franklin muttered, turning to walk back down the stairs.

“You’re abandoning me?” I yelled as York drew me in.

Franklin’s chuckle floated up the stairwell. “Your mates. Not mine.”

“Fucker,” I breathed, tugging at the vine. “What are you doing?”