Lies in Blood (31 page)

“
Why wouldn’t I be?”

“
Well, he knows something, right? So—”

“
Ara, he doesn’t know anything of value. He has
theories
. I asked him, I probed to see if he might have erased yours or Mike’s minds, but he didn’t give any indication. And he’s a terrible liar. If he’d done anything to you or to Mike, it would’ve come out in my interrogation.”

“
Interrogation?”

“
A brotherly interrogation,” he said softly, running his hand down my arm. “Stop worrying. I really don’t think anything bad happened between you and Mike that night. He’s always taken good care of you.”

“
I know. It’s not like I think he pushed me. I—”

“
Really?” he said, curious. “Because that was my first thought just now, when you said he had no memory.”

“
Really?”

“
Yeah. But it’s unlikely his lapse in memory is connected to yours. He was under a lot of stress back then. And as for you? Well, you hit your head pretty hard, Ara. I think you’re just worrying too much.”

“
Yeah.” I snuggled back into his neck. “Maybe.”

The ocean cooled the grounds around Loslilian, sending its sweeping, stormy breeze low across the lands. The last two days, with David being home and, essentially, on holiday, the summer had been warm and the days longer and brighter. But I woke this morning to the sound of thunder and a great, raging storm going on in my heart as well as outside.

We stood on the steps at the front of the manor, a taxi waiting by the fountain, the tears of farewell restrained by formalities, trying to let each other go. I focused on the softness of David’s fingers in mine, running my thumb down his nail. “Try to enjoy yourself at Elysium,” I said. “At least a little bit.”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m releasing prisoners I sentenced—some I locked away, never to be seen again, all because my queen has a too kind a heart. I’m not sure I’ll enjoy this, Ara.”

“
M’yes, but you’ll be a good boy and do it anyway, won’t you?”

He bowed mockingly. “Yes, My Queen.”

“
Good.” I reached up and patted his head. “Now, run along like a good little king, and set your people free.”

He gave a breathy laugh as he turned on his heel, saving the last kiss for a journey across the wind from his lips, to his palm, to me catching and storing it in my pocket.

“
Be safe, David.”

“
Be strong, Ara.”

I bowed my head once. “I will.”

“
Catch ya later, kiddo.” Eric stepped up and hugged me.

I breathed him in deep, committing all of him to memory. “I’m sure I’ll see you again.”

“
I’m sure you will.” He winked at me. “I’ll have to come back in twenty years and check out this hot daughter you’ll have.”

I slapped his arm softly. “Good thing I know you’re kidding, or I might be tempted to neuter you.”

He laughed loudly, his fangs showing under that cocky, carefree smile. “Good thing you think the best of me and actually thought I was joking.”

“
Get outta here,” I said playfully, shoving him.

He backed away and stood beside David, copping a light punch in the arm.

“
Later, Ara.” Quaid elbowed me as he passed. “Take care ‘til I get back, okay?”

“
I’ll be okay.” I jerked my head toward Blade. “He follows me when he’s not supposed to.”

Quaid smiled at his three comrades. “Don’t break the record without me, guys. I’ll be back once I’ve delivered the king.”

“
We’ll keep it on hold ‘til then,” Falcon said, giving that cool nod of his.

“
Great. Catch ya’s.”

“
Later.” Blade waved once, and we turned away as David, Quaid and Eric piled into the car.

“
What record?” I asked Falcon.

“
Darts.”

“
Oh. You play darts?”

“
Just one of the many ways we fill in time when we’re not stalking you.”

I held still for a moment, watching Falcon’s face carefully. And there it was: the tiniest hint of a smile. “Did you just make a joke?”

He started walking inside as the car pulled away down the drive.

“
Seriously?” I probed. “
You
have a bone of humour in your body?”

He held the door open for me, and I ducked in under his arm, following Emily. “I’m quite a funny guy when I’m not around you.”

“
I bring out the worst in you, huh?” I said.

His timid smile made me stop walking for a second. “No, but my job brings out the serious side of me.”

I nodded. “Well, I don’t know the funny side of you, Falcon, but I know I feel safer with your serious side than I do with any other knight on the Core.”

“
I know.” He bristled with pride. “Why do you think I’m in charge of the Guard now?”

“
Yeah.” Blade slapped Falcon on the shoulder. “This guy should win an award for the size of the steel rod he can cram up his arse.”

Emily and Blade laughed their way down the corridor and out of sight, and I turned to offer Falcon a sympathetic pout.

“
I’m not here to earn friends,” he said.

“
But they love you anyway.”

“
Yeah. When I’m not walking around with that steel rod wedged where the sun don’t shine.”

“
So, only when you’re off duty then.”

“
Yeah,” he said. “Or off doody.”

“
Ha!” I covered my mouth. “That was a pretty good one.”

“
Like I said.” He closed the front door. “I’m not all business.”

Chapter Seven

“
So, we��ve addressed your tantrums—” Blade pointed to his thumb, “—your naivety and, today, I want to talk some more about respect.”

“
Respect?” I slid my bottom back on the tabletop and let my legs dangle. “Who am I not respecting?”

“
It’s not
your
respect for everyone else I have a problem with, Ara. It’s theirs for you.”

“
Oh.” I looked down at my knees, tucking my hands under them.

“
The general population residing within these walls seems to hold you in reasonably high regard. I’ve checked, talked with them about you,” he said, pacing the floors again like he was lecturing at a university. “It seems to be only your peers, you know, anyone who knew you before you were queen, that haven’t taken a step back yet to notice this transformation you’ve made.”

“
Like who?”

“
Mike?” Emily said, and my eyes moved upward with Blade’s to the girl leaning her arms over the railing on the second floor balcony.

“
That’s one,” Blade said, turning back to me. “Morgaine’s not too bad. King David could use a lesson in the do’s and don’ts of spousal control.”

I laughed. So did Emily.

“
He won’t be a problem now, Blade,” I said, shifting over, patting the spot next to me for Em to join. “He apologised for that, and it really . . . It’s not who he is. He’s just been having a hard time.”

Blade bowed his head. “Okay. That’s fine. But the thing is, Ara, it’s not the other people we need to change. It’s you.”

“
We need to change me because they disrespect me?” I said flatly.

“
Yes,” Emily added, scooping my hand up in hers. “Because you teach people how to treat you, Ara.”

Blade’s eyes went wider for a second, a warm smile narrowing them after. “That’s right, Emily, and you could take a leaf out of your own book, couldn’t you?”

Emily nodded, turning to me. “Ara, Mike babies everyone if they let him.”

“
Yeah, and you allow way too much of it, Your Majesty,” Blade said. “As a human being, you deserve the respect and confidence of your friends and family but, as a queen, you must command it.”

“
Command it?” I said.

“
Yes. It happens one situation at a time,” he explained. “You stand tall and clearly warn the culprit to rephrase their statement, this time with a little respect. Do that once or twice, Majesty, and people will catch on that you believe you deserve better than to be spoken to like you’re a seventeen-year-old spoiled brat.”

“
Is that what people think of me?”

“
Not so much anymore. But there’s just a few who haven’t woken up to smell the coffee. And you’ve been so busy being sad over David not being here, followed by news of his impending death, that you haven’t really noticed just how bad your people treat you.”

I brushed my thumb down Emily’s, focusing only on that so I wouldn’t cry.

“
I think she has, Blade,” Emily said. “She’s not as tough as she looks.”

Blade’s face appeared under my lowered gaze, his black eyes peering up at me softly. “My Queen, you don’t even realise how much your people actually love you. Those who don’t are in the minority.”

“
It doesn’t feel that way.”

“
I know. But, hey, get this—” He grinned at Emily. “Ems and I took a stroll through Lamia Village the other day to see how it was thriving now, and when we got to the great water fountain in Town Square, there was this group of little human girls sitting on the steps.”

“
They were making garlands of blue paper roses to hang around their necks, Ara,” Emily said.

“
And I overheard one of the girls call herself Princess Amara,” Blade finished.

My heart melted. “Really?”

“
Yeah. Honest to God.” Blade tapped his heart. “You and David aren’t just the king and queen, struggling to rule and be in love. You’re figures in history; stories parents tell their children.”

“
That’s pretty cool.”

“
Yeah.” Blade laughed, standing up again. “So don’t feel so alone, okay, Ara? You’re not. Your people love you, and respect you. But you need to realise that you’re the queen, not a girl fresh out of high school with no relevance or training.”

“
And, Ara,” Emily added. “If you think about it, you know more about the laws, systems, and history than almost any of us.”

My mind wandered to this morning’s lesson with Morgaine on Lilithian and Vampire politics and history—a lesson I, for once, stayed awake for, realising now, more than ever, how important it was that I knew all that stuff. Very soon, there’d be no king to save me from myself. I needed to—
had
to—understand how to do this on my own or, when David was gone, everything would fall apart. “You’re right, Em,” I said, feeling the realisation flood my system like water rising. “I probably know more than anyone here, aside from Arthur and Morgaine. And no one, not Margret, Walt, not even Mike, has the right to speak to me like I’m a child.”

“
Right,” Em said, her smile radiating as she looked at Blade. “So, what are you gonna do about it?”

“
Um.” I didn’t know. Not really. “I guess, now that I’ve addressed it as an issue, I’ll just have to put myself to the test next time a situation arises.”

Emily looked at Blade. He shrugged, nodding. He seemed happy enough with that.

“
I’ll stand back on this one, Majesty. Let you find your own feet,” he said. “But if you need any advice, or encouragement, look to me for a quick nod.”

I gave one in return. “Thanks, Blade.”

“
Any time.” He reached back to the table nearby and grabbed a notepad and pen. “Now, I want you taking notes for this part, because you’re going to learn all the loopholes in the laws you can and cannot be overruled on, and those you can be punished for breaking.”