Princess For All (House of Garner #9)

1

A few days after I shot my monstrous brother, I stood watching his and my mother’s body burn so Keres and Erebus couldn’t do anything or use them. Aether was clear that She was worried about that, but also She wanted it for my closure and sanity.

And I felt nothing.

Cold.

Maybe some relief.

But really just… Tired? I was tired of having to handle so much and so much crazy. And there was more.

I thanked the noble who could control fire who helped us so it was basically like cremating the bodies and turned to head back to the castle. I was glad when Kristof picked me up and whisked me back.

We went right to the meeting room where all the visiting nobles who were there for their princesses that I had deals with were waiting.

“Last night, Aether made it clear that I need to make a move that some of you have guessed is coming, but to keep it close to my chest because some of your covens have people who would run off and warn people because we all know we hear too much,” I told them firmly. “I need each of your princesses warned that I apologize for not telling them more.

“That trust is not broken, and while I understand what I’m about to do is an inconvenience, it is directly from Aether. She…” I sighed and scrubbed my hands over my face. “She showed me that your princesses were accepting and proud of Her faith and it worked out. I don’t like being a mouse in this maze so much, but I didn’t grow up with these beliefs.”

I froze, feeling colder but also like my blood was rushing in my ears.

I had grown up with these beliefs. I knew that now.

Kristof leaned over and kissed my hair as he rubbed my back. “We all know what you meant. You’re adjusting, my love.”

I let out a slow breath and nodded, swallowing loudly before focusing back on the meeting. “More than Aether trusting your princesses, She was clear that it has to be now, and if I don’t do it this way, it’s too much to bear and could break this coven. So I hope you quickly express my feelings and message to your princesses.”

“I’m glad I thought to record it,” Ceawlin admitted, holding up the phone.

“Yeah, actually, that’s great. If you can copy that onto other phones and let that be delivered. Quickly and quietly ,” I said firmly. “Also, we will be bringing more than headaches and have plans for more. So I hope they truly have been working on clearing corrupted as they have said.”

“It has been our princess’s first priority besides feeding our people,” one of the nobles promised, several echoing it. “And the last message I received from her asked if she could receive recordings from these meetings. She had some insight last time but wanted more context and thought she could have been of use.”

“Yes, we will figure out something going forward and have messengers sent with recordings or you can take them and check in with your princesses. I think that more than fine,” I accepted.

They headed off to relay the messages or to wait for copies of what I said while I went to handle what was next on my agenda… Which was Boston. The five clans who wanted to join the coven came prepared with some plans and ideas.

Except they didn’t know where we were with so much, so most everything they said went out the window.

However, they were open to what was going on and where we really were.

So they had new plans. One of which was setting up a several-block outpost in the heart of Boston filled with luxury apartments that would be awesome long-term. They wanted to fortify it like Albuquerque and expand out from there.

With the help of the military humans from Fort Knox even.

We definitely needed it. Getting everything out from St. Louis was tedious. We needed another port, and Boston’s airport was a good one to start utilizing as well. We could have our military ships start converging there—lots. Boston had the potential for lots and to help our allies in Europe.

The plan was that the largest clan would be in charge of this—their leader even having been in the military and a resume that impressed the humans—while the other clans took charge of protecting humans. For now. They would handle the Ohio University project and the other four we now had planned.

“Look, I’m not about to tell you your business on the last leg of what you’ve been doing,” Joel Hart said, clearly the strongest of the five clan leaders, also in charge of the largest. He was a bear shifter, and while he had a few older kids, apparently bears did not mate often.

They seemed to be more of my mindset that forever was too long to be together with one person.

“What you’ve done is amazing and that you’ve held it together this long is a fucking miracle,” he continued. “But from an outside perspective, you’re at a tipping point. I honestly wouldn’t take on the risk of us.” He held up his hand to hold off the shifters who turned to him with a range of pissed looks. “However, I know we’re the right move for you.

“More than that, we’ve been checking things out as we’ve been taking these tours on how things run. I’d been snooping around before even that to see what’s what.” He snickered when a few people were shocked to hear that or seemed affronted, but then did a double take when my husbands weren’t. “You knew people were spying.”

“Not specifically or we would have handled it but yeah, we’re not stupid,” Jaxon drawled. “There are too many moving pieces and too much going on to have it all handled perfectly. More than that, there are vamps and shifters who can cloak from us. We can’t monitor it all.”

“Fair enough and no one can,” Joel accepted, before focusing on me. “Bringing in this last coven was the right move. They are motivated . They hated their circumstances and want everything you have. Not in a bad way though. They want security. They want a future and they’re willing to work for it. Hard and for a while.

“I’ve heard several say that five or ten years of really hard work is worth the security of a future. And much better than what they endured.” He waited until I nodded. “It’s kicked the ass of the other two covens who are still guests. You now accepted full-time members and others realized that this wasn’t just talk and they could be left behind.”

“Agreed,” several of us said.

“Clearly, you have a plan of what to do about it though,” I hedged.

“Yes, blend them,” he said firmly. “Let the lazier ones see how the motivated ones are behaving and make it clear they will probably get the full package of your coven soon because of it. Showing some the door kicked people in the pants to behave better, but you didn’t kick out anyone on the lazier side, so some see that as the level they have to work up to for perks.”

“It’s smart,” Kristof muttered. “We were thinking the same that if people don’t make the next round of invites, they will be shown the door.”

“With all due respect—and I mean that because I do respect all you’ve done—you need the manpower too much for people to buy that right now,” Joel countered. “A better threat would be shittier assignments like sifting gas and using their vamp abilities more.”

“It would be better to have them in groups on the same assignments and see how much faster the new coven gets things done,” I muttered. “Filling up dumpsters to clean out dorms and whatnot.”

That was the plan we went with. I partially understood it and people were getting tired of working day in and day out… But we all were.

We were all fucking tired .

Too bad.

People were dying.

People were starving.

We had a God working against us to end the world.

So… Too bad. Move your asses.

We laid out specifics for the next hour to get us through at least a week’s worth of work. Then I made my call, which wasn’t what they had wanted.

“I’ll give your clans a month trial to make sure you take this as seriously as you’re saying and won’t use the fact that we need the manpower against us,” I told them. I shrugged when the shifters seemed shocked that I basically pulled an UNO reverse on them after pointing out our weakness. “I’m prudent. You should want that in your leader.”

“My clan won’t make you regret giving us this chance,” Joel promised, taking it in stride and recovering first.

Good.

“I know you’re not okay, but I just need to hear where your head is, my wife,” Kristof worried as we took a moment before what came next.

“I still haven’t seen Kaitlin’s ghost. Now I haven’t seen my mother or brother’s,” I muttered. “That’s where my head is. I don’t like it and it worries me.”

“Me too,” he agreed. “Then you need to keep focusing on your health and growing stronger. You are stronger than Keres and will keep being so.”

We could all hope. Tian was able to confirm that Keres was in the Florida coven—either as a guest or had taken it over. He and a few others tracked her blood trail. The shot I’d taken had worked and now we knew.

If she was smart, she would move or guess that was my goal.

But I didn’t think so. While she’d proven to be smart, that had been a good move on my part. Most wouldn’t have thought that the goal and I’d simply missed my shot.

Smart people in my camp had thought that.

Plus, now we had her blood to track her again and again if we needed to.

I swallowed a sigh as Lloyd walked in and started with his normal bullshit like we were all old friends and he thought I would let him touch me. Kristof snorted and moved his hand to the man’s chest and made it clear not to be so stupid.

“I’ve let this situation go on too long—mostly because I was trying to figure out what your angle is,” I said when Lloyd finally quit, realizing I wasn’t going to engage. Hell, I’d barely been paying attention to his drivel. “But honestly, I don’t think you have much of one besides you want to be near the power or make people think you have power.

“I think you’re fucked in the head and you just get off on people believing your bullshit. I think that’s what you’re about and it’s really…” I rubbed my neck. “Boring.” I snorted when Lloyd’s eyes flashed shock. “You’re boring, Lloyd.” I gestured to him. “This shtick is tired and boring. It’s the apocalypse, man. You couldn’t like step up your evil game?”

A few of the nobles of my coven snickered or coughed to cover up their reactions. But a few chuckles slipped out and then one broke… Several more fell from there.

And it was the worst thing for someone like Lloyd who thrived on attention and people viewing him positively.

“So while more and more people are seeing you for who you really are as they get space and time from everything Safie-toxic, it’s not happening fast enough,” I said honestly. “And you really don’t do a fucking thing. It annoys me. You annoy me. Letting it go on any more like you’ve won something annoys me.”

“I vote that he has an accident,” Kristof grumbled.

“Still an option,” I chuckled darkly. “But no, for now, you’re going to have a special assignment, Lloyd. One where you can’t do any damage and will definitely die if you pull your normal bullshit.”

Matilda had the perfect timing walking in right then with two of her nobles… And a big smirk on her lips. We’d discussed this plan, and she was all for having some fun while probably breaking the sociopath.

“You’re going to be my liaison to my mother-in-law,” I announced sweetly. “She’s going to be traveling around to check in on all of my allies, see how the deals are going firsthand, and talk with them on matters that I can’t since I have to be here. And you’re going to be at her side the entire time. What an honor I’m giving you, right?”

“You so much as step a toe out of line or have a thought of your own, I will end you, git,” Matilda warned.

And we honestly both hoped that he did and we had an excuse. At another court with witnesses that he misbehaved.

If that didn’t happen… We had a real plan while he worried about that.

Mostly we were going to be making it clear throughout my coven that I sent Lloyd off because he was too aggressive in his attentions. Others had seen it and whispers had started, especially after my knights had made it clear he was the reason that who was allowed at the castle was restricted. We were going to lean into that and see if we couldn’t change minds.

Because too many still believed he was a good person and someone they should listen to. Seriously, sometimes people were too dumb for their own good.

“It wasn’t nice knowing you, Lloyd,” I chuckled. “One of my few regrets was not killing you the night I did Safie and you threatened me. I should have listened to you then and who you were.”

“Wait, Inez, this isn’t the smart play to—” he tried to argue.

I flicked my wrist and slashed his face with my power. “You are seriously fucking insane to use my first name like we’re friends. I despise you and think you’re shit on everyone’s shoes, not just mine.” I glanced at Vitor. “Get him out of my sight.”

“Gladly, My Princess.”

“He needs to be dropped off a cliff,” Matilda grumbled before coming closer to me. She kissed my hair and cupped my cheek. “You’re going to be okay, love. I know it. You’re a strong one and making brave, smart moves. You keep doing what you are, and all of us will handle the rest and help.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I whispered, squeezing her hand after I grabbed it.

She seemed touched by that and was a bit flustered, which was actually cute and maybe what she needed after all she’d been through as well.

I moved on to an early lunch meeting with food that had been brought in from all the different outposts and setups so there was variety. Lunch wasn’t going to be served at the castle anymore unless something was going on, so now the staff had more of a break.

But what I didn’t expect was extras to my meeting.

I blinked at a shifter and then Joi, the eldest of the Sisters of the Earth. She gave me a look to have patience and I swallowed a sigh, graciously inviting all of them to join us.

Which shocked the two women who were the ones I wanted the meeting with. They were the retired Sisters of the Earth who we’d asked to jump back into the game. I did ask the shifter to give us a bit and then he could join us as a guest. Everyone accepted that, and he stepped outside with Petre who was one of my guards.

I gave a sad smile to Eddie when he arrived with Branko.

Eddie blinked back tears, nodding that he was pretty sure why he was there.

“The barrier is up, my love,” Kristof assured me once everyone was there and we were seated.

“Aether made it clear to me last night that I need to take out Princesses Charlene, Ramona, and—”

“My mother,” Eddie whispered, his voice cracking slightly.

“Yes, I’m sorry,” I said gently, turning to him and hugging him when he lowered his head. “I’m sorry. It’s not even what she did with my mother and brother or that she planned to reactivate my conditioning. She’s planning to use that. She was telling people not to join the alliance because she would be adopting me. If this failed, she’s going to use her power to push I was broken.

“It’s not over, and she’s going to join with Keres to try and invoke the brainwashing. Tian said they can’t, but Aether doesn’t want them trying to break me and have this lead to Her brother winning. It’s—there’s more and—she’s put a hit on you.” I nodded when others gasped. “She wants to make an example of your betrayal and that she can get at someone close to me.”

He chuckled darkly. “That’s absolutely how she acts. I know people think I’m a wounded boy when I talk about being afraid of her. It’s not her power as a princess but how far she is willing to go over the line. She doesn’t have a line and that’s the terrifying part. She would absolutely want you brainwashed instead of being disgusted like even the bad princesses would be.”

“I’m still sorry,” I said gently.

“Me too.”

“I’ve seen Joi at the coven holding it together and now this makes sense,” Mozell said.

“You would ask one of us to lead a coven, Princess?” one of the newcomers asked, her tone equal parts shocked and disapproving.

“No, I would never ask that much of someone and especially not Joi as that would be her worst nightmare,” I answered honestly.

“Thank you for understanding that, Princess,” she drawled.

“As I’ve repeatedly said , Inez is fine when it’s just us,” I drawled right back. “You’re like millions of years old and I’m a baby. Enough.”

“And because I’m millions of years old, I feel it important to always set the right example and respect the champion of our Goddess,” she countered firmly. “It is not respect for your position as many know I do not give it. You are worth respecting.”

“Fine, but then you need some sort of respectful title too,” I sighed, amusing them all. I let out a slow breath. “Aether made it clear that if I bring in another coven, we will implode. If I don’t handle this now, things will fall apart and we will lose. Several other options had less than stellar outcomes as well. However, there is one option, and I agree it is the best option.”

“Okay, so this is a Dr. Strange moment,” Eddie grumbled, apologizing when it was clear that I didn’t understand the reference.

“The covens will be broken up and temporarily distributed to our allies,” I explained, nodding when everyone there couldn’t hide their shock.

Yeah, that wasn’t how things normally went and would ruffle some feathers.

A lot of them even.