“Oh? And what don’t I know?” Alicia challenged, her eyes flashing shock when Hope ignored her and focused on Nora.
“Princess Inez thought it prudent to ask given the onslaught of extra guests,” Hope said to Nora. “Also, the two covens of Cerdic’s family will be behind the partition, so you will have access everywhere.” She pulled out several things from a bag and set them on the table. “We found a huge stockpile of jerky rubs, and I thought I should ask you which you prefer for the gift our princess is planning for you.”
“Gift?” Nora asked as she leaned in and picked one up. “Whatever for this time? Being her second is not a burden and a formality.”
Hope looked a bit fidgety. “Not when she does this. It’s very taxing to grow her tree ,and given the level of stress these parties have placed on her, she will need someone to be in charge. All of the nobles will be close to protect her, along with all of her knights.”
Nora’s eyes flashed shock. “She’s that vulnerable?”
Hope gave a swift nod. “She bleeds the whole time and pumps her power into the ground. It’s… There aren’t words for it, and I know she wanted to show her allies as none of you were able to see how your own trees grew, but yes, she is vulnerable when it happens.”
Interesting.
Nora nodded. “I accept such an honor as to be the second of Aether’s champion as she grows her tree and court.”
“Thank you, Princess Nora.”
“Of course, darling.” She shook one of the containers. “What are these rubs going on?”
“They need to cull a good deal more of the alligators,” she answered. “That makes delicious jerky I was told, but we found out there is a ridiculous amount of caribou in one of Canada’s providences near our outpost in Edmonton. I believe she is also preparing gifts of frozen trout from that area for all three of you who helped so much.”
“Were there a lot?” Mother asked.
Hope rolled her eyes. “Scott Curtis said a few of them went to check out the lakes in the area to see how they were and the damn fish were just jumping right in the boat there are so many. It’s even worse in Minnesota as there was a problem with the Asian carp in the Great Lakes before the corrupted and that hasn’t gotten better. Nick says it’s like a cheaper salmon, but salmon’s awesome, so yeah, fish those babies.”
“They’re like imitation crab compared to real crab,” Nick confirmed. “Delicious fried or in sushi, but my favorite is fish stews if you have a shrimp or lobster stock, and we will, I will make sure of it.”
Nora picked out two rubs and thanked Hope before going back to tasting, everyone basically ignoring Alicia, which threw fuel on the fire, but also made her less bold. She left with one last spiteful look at our table.
“All of these are delicious and wonderful fillers,” Nora told Nick. “Truly, this is much better than even my coven could throw together so fast, given the times. You are set, darling.”
“Good, thank you,” Nick sighed. “I was thinking of one tequila, rum, and vodka option each day. I think they’re working on moonshine ones now that someone brought over cases of the stuff, but we can split those too.”
I excused myself while they started talking about the next round of boring party stuff. I grabbed a bottle of rum and headed outside to the pool. It was inviting, but more than that, I simply wanted fresh air. I hadn’t been as amused with that princess’s outburst as I had thought. No, I was jealous. Always, always jealous of my own fucking twin.
And he couldn’t give a shit about me. Granted, I had done that, but he’d been blinded by what he did as well. He wasn’t as innocent and blameless in all of what happened as he would like to believe. However, I couldn’t deny that I had been young and stupid. So stupid because it also cost me my freedom. I looked up at the tower I knew to be Inez’s and found myself hoping she was good to Cerdic.
I shook my head and walked off drinking. When the bottle was gone, I headed to Salt Lake and claimed a room, swallowing down wishes I could never have as I went to sleep.
The next morning, I was back at the castle before most, wondering what I was even doing there. Why was I staying for this? I wasn’t needed. I wasn’t wanted here, and I’d spent the first hundred years of my life like that. Did I really need to see Cerdic give his oath?
I wasn’t sure, but when I caught sight of the spread they were putting out for brunch, I was definitely staying for the food. I ate, and ate some more, but then Mother wanted a word with me, Sebastian speaking with Jaxon about something Nora was handling as well. I nodded and went with, willing to be nice to get more of the food as things had been pretty dire at the coven.
Instead of speaking about what she wanted, we walked into a situation with Father trying to force Inez into a corner and give him sexual favors for his support. I couldn’t even get my mouth to work, my brain reeling and shocked in a way I wasn’t sure I had ever been. My judgmental but always proper and dutiful Father had tried to seduce another princess.
Fuck me.
Of course, moments later, Inez started bleeding, and that meant it was time for the fun. We moved behind the partition. Well, they did, I was peeking to watch the show.
Cerdic knelt, and then Inez asked her two nobles if they agreed to the match. I’d never heard a princess
