Chapter 14 #2
“Oh,” Katana said, setting down her glass. “I was going to ask, Orlandia, do I still resemble a trollop or am I more presentable?”
Hel laughed. “Do I even want to know?”
“No,” Thane said. “We need to discuss what the council’s next move will be. Will they send another assassin before they bring their armies? We need to prepare for that.”
Orlandia pressed her bright red lips together and dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin. “You actually look quite lovely, Katana.”
“Well, thank you,” Katana said. “I was going to compliment you on your dress. Red is your color.”
Thane blinked at Katana in surprise. Either she was just that nice or she understood that his mother would like compliments. Could it be possible that his mother and Katana would get along?
“Well, look at that,” Orlandia crooned. “Someone with manners.” Then she sneered at Valeen. “Katana is lovelier than my son’s last conquest. Thinner too. I always told the staff Layala needed a few less treats.”
Thane choked on his bite of food and fumbled his fork; it clattered loudly onto his dinner plate. Did she truly just say that?
Katana flushed and whispered to Valeen how beautiful she was. Although Valeen didn’t seem bothered by the rude comment as she sipped her drink then said, “Orlandia, I really don’t want to do this with you tonight.”
“And I don’t want you at our dinner table. It’s disrespectful. This whole affair is. Why, with you breaking my poor son’s heart and flaunting your new relationship in front of him, it’s disgusting. You are disgusting.”
“You’re on dangerous grounds, Orlandia.” Hel flicked his lit civar at her and it bounced off her chest and onto her plate.
“You’re awfully fucking mouthy for someone that is lucky to be alive.
You mate bonded your son to my wife . If his heart is broken, you are to blame.
That was never part of the deal. If you say one more godsdamn word of insult to her, I’ll stop your heart with a snap of my fingers. Is that understood?”
Leif and Fennan both were half laughing behind their glasses of wine. While Piper’s eyes darted back and forth between Hel and Orlandia.
Orlandia shifted in her seat and nervously pawed at the curl dangling on the side of her face.
“I had no idea she was your wife. She was a baby. You do understand that wouldn’t have made sense to me or my late husband.
All Tenebris said was that we were to expect a child born with a lily mark, to keep her safe, and then take her to the Void when she was of a proper age. ”
“You’re alive because you’re his mother.” Hel pointed at Thane. “That’s it.”
She stupidly scowled at Hel. The lack of fear of him was going to get her killed. Did she think because Hel was his cousin that it would stop him? She knew he was the Black Mage. Thane closed his eyes and blew out a slow breath. Maker above. “Mother, enough. I would like to enjoy my dinner.”
“Fine but I’m only protecting my son.”
“I know,” Thane said gently, and in some ways, he did appreciate it. In her eyes, her son’s former fiancée was living in their house with a new love. If he had a child in this situation he would probably react the same way.
A male servant came through holding a large bouquet of pink lilies and white roses covered in a sheer cream cloth. “Delivery for the queen.”
Orlandia grinned and tossed her napkin onto her plate and adjusted her crown as she got up.
Her heels tapped loudly on the way toward the door.
“I wonder who they could be from? I have many admirers.” She took the vase.
The servant lifted the cloth and immediately stepped back into the hall.
Now that the flowers weren’t covering his face, Thane realized he didn’t recognize him. And he knew every servant in his house.
Thane slowly stood, worry gnawing at his gut. “Who are they from?”
She lifted the card with a huge grin. “‘For the queen of nothing, love Pricilla’. Hmmm I don’t know a Pricilla. And that’s rather rude. My husband may be dead, but I still hold the title of Queen Mother.”
Hel immediately jumped up. Silverware clattered and glasses tipped. Valeen shouted, “Throw the flowers away!”
Thane ran toward her, but she took a deep inhale of the blooms. As if in slow motion, the vase fell from her grasp and shattered on the floor.
Then her eyes rolled back, and she was falling.
Thane caught her before she hit the ground.
“Mother, look at me.” Her lips were already turning a deep blue, her skin fading to an awful shade of grayish white. Thane’s heart crashed hard. “Mom!”
“Help me,” she croaked and clutched at his shirt.
“Hel!” Thane shouted. He didn’t have the power to stop this, but Hel did.
“I-I love you.” Her head fell to the side, and she breathed out slowly.
The flowers swiftly disintegrated into black muck.
Hel dropped to a knee beside them, and with a quick flick of his hand the mess vanished.
He pressed his fingers to the side of her neck and shook his head.
“Poison,” he muttered and turned her face side to side.
Blood slowly dripped out of her nose, eyes, and from her ears.
“Do something, Hel!” Thane shouted. “Save her! I don’t care if you hate her. This is my mother!”
He touched her neck again then sighed. “I’m sorry. She’s already gone.”
“Bring her back!” Thane pulled her limp body against his chest. Why did she already feel cold?
He began to tremble as memories of her flashed in his mind.
Her clapping when he first picked up a sword and swung it.
Playing hide and seek with him as a child.
There were many times she intervened when Tenebris beat him.
She took a blow or two herself by stepping in between them.
“I can’t,” Hel said, softly. “You know I can’t bring people back from death.”
Thane gently laid her on the floor, her brown curls spilled out from the pins holding them in place and her crown clattered to the ground. He turned to Hel and shoved a finger into his chest. “If you did this…”
His brows pulled down and he looked truly offended. “Why would you blame me?” He snapped back.
“You threatened to kill her a moment ago and then someone just happens to bring poisonous flowers? This has you written all over it!” He shoved him hard in the chest and Hel fell back.
With a low growl, he stood and glared down at him.
“I didn’t do this. You wanted to know the council’s next move, well now you do.
I’m sorry your mother got caught in the crossfire.
” He vanished in a puff of gray smoke. Thane slammed his fist into the ground, cracking the white tile, and let out a roar.
It was a week later that Thane pressed his palm against the cold gray stone of Orlandia Morningflower’s tomb.
Her likeness was already being carved into the door.
The quiet tap, tap tap , mingled with the sounds of birds chirping.
The stone carver paused only a moment to watch him then went back to his work.
She would have wanted a large celebration for her life and to be honored by their people.
Despite not wanting to have any parties he would give her that as a gift.
He’d have Talon and the staff plan it for the following weekend.
Right now, it seemed the council wanted to play games and not bring a full-scale war.
A quiet rustle caught his ear and Hel appeared beside him, wearing an all-black suit, hair combed back in a way he only wore for ceremonial purposes. He tucked his hands behind himself and carefully inspected Thane. “I am sorry, Thane. I mean that.”
He kept his hand on the stone, like if he did so long enough it would bring her back. “I killed my own father and now my mother is also dead because of me.”
“You can’t blame yourself for Pricilla’s wickedness.”
“My past is destroying the present,” he grumbled.
“I know exactly what you mean.” He watched a blue sparrow fly by and cleared his throat. “It’s time to retaliate. They took one of ours. We’ll take one of theirs.”
Thane dropped his hand from his mother’s tomb and faced his cousin. There was no more waiting for the council to make a move. They needed reminding who the god of war was. “Whatever it is, I’m in.”