“We could get some bird shifters to fly around for security as well,” someone suggested.
“Good, do it,” I agreed. “I want round-the-clock patrols until this madness is over.”
I met up with Eddie to check in and found him working with Tian, of all people, on how the surveillance linked up to the DoD satellites worked. Interesting. So he was going to make a run to one of the other covens.
I honestly thought he would have disapproved as he seemed to disapprove of most things.
We headed back to the castle to make an appearance and act like we weren’t up to anything.
Inez came over to me and gave me a hesitant look. “I get spiraling out. I’ve done it a lot too. I would never toss you guys up as—”
“I know,” I said firmly, understanding Kristof had told her what had happened. “I know that and I’m sorry I doubted you.”
She gave me a sad smile and patted my arm. “I’ve doubted a lot more than that. As long as you trusted me when you came out of spiraling, that’s all that matters to me.”
She headed off, leaving me speechless. She was way too forgiving when most would have been hurt or asked for more from me… Or at least a real apology besides a few quick words. I wasn’t sure how to even process that, but I was distracted by James watching her.
Again.
I went over to him and pulled him aside in the tower where no one would hear us. “James, I think—”
“I messed up, I know,” he whispered, staring at the ceiling. “I know, Trish.”
That threw me. He normally brushed off his mistakes but this time he wasn’t using his charm to get out of trouble, and I wasn’t sure he’d actually made a mistake. “How so?”
He swallowed loudly and met my gaze.
He fell for her. I saw it in his eyes that he was falling or had already fallen. “Oh, James.”
“Right?” he chuckled darkly.
“You might not—she feels for you too. Do you want her?”
He nodded. “But I won’t ever get involved with a princess.”
I flinched. “You don’t deserve her then.” I crossed my arms over my chest when he gave me a shocked look. “She’s my friend too, James, and I doubted her once tonight, but on this I would never doubt her. If she took that step, she would be as real with you as the others. This is your shit and you’ll hurt her with it. She doesn’t deserve that.”
“I know that,” he hissed, turning slightly, but not before I saw tears in his eyes. “Fuck. I wish she was a shifter.”
I gasped. “You didn’t say that to her, did you?”
“No, I flat out lied even when she told me sometimes she wished it,” he admitted.
“Then it’s time to distance yourself from her.” I shook my head when he opened his mouth to object. “James, I love you, but I adore her too and we need her. We have everything here, our family. We’re her top people and lots would want those spots. Please, please don’t risk those in the fucking apocalypse.”
“I know you’re right.” He cleared his throat, wiping his eyes again.
I hugged him. “There are lots of attractive people all over. Go have a fling and get over her. Go have a few if you need to.”
“Yeah, maybe a night of hot sex is exactly what I need,” he mumbled, not sounding convinced at all. “Thanks, Trish.”
I nodded and let him go, catching his arm when he moved to leave. “Not with a vampire. You’d destroy her if you had a fling with a vamp but won’t touch a princess. Respect her more than that and have fun with shifters.”
He bobbed his head. “Yeah, maybe in a week or two after I grieve I can’t have her.”
My heart broke for him when he left. Idiot. Men were such idiots. He probably could have her… Simply not how he wanted or had always dreamed of mating. That was up to him what was more important. Her or what he saw as the life he wanted?
The life I’d wanted hadn’t ever involved the corrupted so… Yeah, shit changes.
We made it through the rehearsal dinner and got everything set up in time, but it was just the beginning of the games and bullshit. What we learned listening in was fucking terrifying, and we needed to be unified more than ever, work harder to fortify our coven, and protect Inez.
Because all of the princesses were planning on making moves against her. Holy fuck, it was truly terrifying. It was fairly hard to sleep after hearing some of that, but we made sure we recorded it all so we had the evidence.
The next day we had another problem… Well, many, but one that worried me.
“Ceawlin left,” one of the bird shifters who had been doing patrols reported to me.
“That’s the first good news I’ve heard today,” I mumbled, rubbing my tired neck. I sighed when he shook his head. “What else?”
“He suddenly blurred away from the castle and intercepted a princess. I think his princess. I couldn’t hear much, but she knows about Inez and we have power. That made her happy, and they said something about starting plans before blurring off.”
“Shit,” I hissed and with feeling. “Okay, thank you. That’s a concern we’ll have to handle after the party. A big one.”
Needless to say, that put me in an even shittier mood, so when I came across Olivia talking shit once again, I lost my temper. I muttered apologies to the group she
