Chapter 12
SHARA
Ididn’t really think this through.
Even with my face pressed into Sekh’s T-shirt, I could feel Leonie’s eyes on me. Not unpleasant. Not upsetting. Just…
:I’m sorry, my queen,: she quickly said in her bond, averting her gaze. :Forgive me.:
:There’s nothing to forgive,: I told her gently. :You have every right to be a little…: I hesitated, trying to find the right word without offending her.
:Needy? Desperate? Scared? I don’t want to let you out of my sight.:
Somehow I’d pictured rescuing her from the pit and then immediately heading off to do the same thing for Basilia—without once accounting for the aftercare that came with rescue after a long period of torture and captivity.
I couldn’t just leave Leonie here alone without any Blood or anyone to help her re-establish her house after invaders had touched her things, slept in her bed, possibly even worn her clothes.
Let alone siphoned her energy and blood. For decades, if not longer.
This was her home, but also the place of her captivity. She may never feel safe here again. She certainly shouldn’t be left alone with no one to help her.
“Do you have a consiliarius?”
“The Dauphine killed Onésime,” Leonie replied. “I don’t know if she replaced him.”
My eyes flared. “Damn. I never thought of who Jeanne’s human servants might be. They could cause as many issues for us as her former Blood.”
Though I had no doubt my most excellent consiliari had already been trying to contact any of the Dauphine’s remaining people, if it was possible to track them down.
Overhead, Thierry chirped from one of the low sweeping branches.
:When I first arrived, I found it very strange that there wasn’t anyone running the house, even in the middle of the night.
Though I was well used to House Isador’s excellent staff in the city.
Perhaps things were done differently in your house, Leonie. :
She flashed a smile up at him. “Before the Dauphine came, we would have made you most welcome, no matter the hour. I didn’t have many Blood, but I had several dedicated humans who’d been working for Delafosse for generations.
I’m hopeful some may have escaped but I saw Onésime and Adéla?de murdered by the Dauphine’s Blood.
I hope and pray their daughter survived.
Though I must assume the rest of my staff met a similar fate. ”
“Do you remember how she first arrived? What she said?”
Her lovely face hardened, her eyes flashing. “I remember everything, my queen.”
I checked on Vore and Merlin’s locations as lightly as possible.
I didn’t need visions of the gorefest. I just wanted to estimate how much longer they might need.
Another hour at most. As Sekh said, they were making quick work of the thralls.
The only part slowing them down was moving through the city to each location without drawing attention to themselves.
We had time to go inside and visit for a while. Perhaps have a cup of tea. Though Winston—
“I’ve got this.” Daire flashed his dimples as he passed. “Winston showed anyone who was interested how to make a proper cuppa.”
“I don’t have any idea how old the tea might be,” Leonie called after him, wringing her hands. “Let alone if we have any cream or sugar.”
I pulled a shimmering wave of power over my body, cleansing the mud from my clothes and skin. Though I really wanted a nice long soak in a tub as soon as we got home.
Tucking my arm into Sekh’s and my other through hers, I drew her close as we walked toward her house. “Whatever’s available will be perfect.”
Flying overhead in a slow spiral, Nevarre highlighted a small building on the corner just down the street. :There’s a store nearby. I can easily grab a few things, my queen.:
:As your raven?:
He chuckled in our bond, though his raven cawed several times too in an eerie bird-like cackle. :I’m always prepared to shift. Tlacel has my bag with my kilt and Isador phone.:
:Excellent. Thank you, my Blood. Some fresh milk and a few things to put Leonie at ease will be most appreciated, but I expect she’ll probably prefer to go back home with us.:
:I’ll shift as soon as you go inside.:
Leonie made a small noise, though as soon as I glanced at her, she gave me another embarrassed look. “I’m so sorry, Your Majesty. I’m trying not to eavesdrop on your Blood bonds. But if I’m given a choice, I would prefer to go wherever you go.”
“Of course you have a choice. I’m not going to abandon you without any resources.” Gwen walked alongside us, so I asked her, “Are my Blood bonds so invasive for you?”
“Not at all,” Gwen replied. “Though again, I never needed to feed from you so deeply, my queen. Plus I have Blood bonds of my own. It’s possible once Leonie calls more Blood, you may find the intensity of your sibling bond lessening.”
When I first took the sibling queens in New York City, the constant chatter from so many voices and thoughts in my own head was overwhelming. I’d been able to turn them down and mute them with Nevarre’s Shadow. Though I’d first accidentally shut down all my bonds. Even Rik’s.
He lightly touched my back. :A most unpleasant experience I don’t care to feel again unless absolutely necessary.:
I focused very intently on only his bond, dropping my mental voice to a bare whisper for his bond alone. :Which is why I haven’t tried muting her bond yet. Plus she needs comfort, safety, and companionship right now. It’s the least I can do for her.:
Leonie led us into her house, turning to the left into a sitting room with high ceilings, large windows, and beautifully detailed crown molding and trim.
She jerked to a halt, her arm clutching mine.
“The furniture. It’s different.” Her mouth flattened into a grim slant.
“I’d better find Mama’s favorite settee in the attic, or I’m going to ask you to resurrect that bitch just so I can kill her myself. ”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Unfortunately, I lost my gift of resurrection, but I understand the sentiment.”
“Goddess, what ugly, uncomfortable chairs. I’m embarrassed to ask you to sit down, my queen.”
“I might still have mud on me anyway, so I’d hate to sit on your mother’s favorite furniture.
” I released her arm and sat on the gold and pink velvet sofa with a high, heavily carved wooden back.
Two matching chairs flanked the couch, all with extravagant arched legs and gilded edges.
“I love the color, though the style isn’t to my personal taste. ”
“I believe this is a Louis XV Rococo style,” Guillaume said.
“No surprise the Dauphine would love this design,” I replied. “I just hope your original furniture is still here.”
Sekh hovered beside me though of course he didn’t sit down.
Rik moved to stand behind me, his hands immediately settling on my shoulders.
Leonie hesitated and then sat in the flanking chair rather than taking the open spot beside me.
Though I couldn’t help but notice she clutched the long skirt of her dress in both hands, her knuckles white.
Gwen took the chair opposite her, with Lancelot standing behind her.
I reached out for Sekh’s hand and gently tugged him closer, so he stood against my right knee, his left hand casually in my lap. I slipped my right hand up around his biceps and sank my nails into his skin.
My eyelids fluttered at the immediate surge of hot, intense blood pouring into me, as infinite as the universe spinning around us.
High above the world, his giant stone sphinx stood sentinel, scanning time and space for my enemies’ faces.
I tried not to distract him too much, but I felt the spike of his hunger.
His lust, as hot as his blood. He could feed me nearly endlessly without needing to feed himself—though I’d taxed him hard healing Thierry after I got the Dauphine’s leeches out.
He still yearned for touch and taste. Especially after thousands of years.
All of my Blood ached for time with me, but as the oldest, he’d endured silence and solitude the longest.
I never wanted to use him as an infinite feast for my hunger—without making sure his own needs were met too.
:I always need, Shara, my queen, but that is only a reflection of how deeply you’ve touched my heart. You grip me in your glorious bloody white jaws for all time.:
Shuddering delicately at such delicious imagery, I focused on Leonie. “If it’s not too difficult to talk about, please tell us how the Dauphine approached you.”
“Let me establish some background first. My mother, Aisha, conceived me with a House Valois Blood during a trip to Paris, which Rosalind celebrated by immediately forcing my mother to become her sibling and stay in her House. Early in the Eighteenth Century, Mama finally gained permission to leave Paris, and we settled here in New Orleans. Though for years, Rosalind sent an envoy to be sure Mama remembered where she came from and to whom she owed allegiance.”
Leonie smiled fondly, shaking her head. “She never forgave having to entertain a stuffy old queen snooping around her new nest. We lived a very simple life as far as the Triune was concerned. We were careful never to be too strong or too vocal or too independent. But the Old-World European queens always looked down their prim and proper noses at what they deemed ‘indigenous’ goddesses. They never fully grasped what magic we carried, and our magic flourished here despite the constant turmoil on American soil against our people.”
I could already see where this was going. “She claimed to be a House Valois envoy.”
Leonie nodded. “Just like in the old days. It was even the same old queen with an equally old knight at her side, her only Blood.”
Guillaume immediately perked with interest. “Do you remember the knight’s name?”
“Barrau, I believe.”
“Ah, yes, likely Barrau de Sescas. I’ve heard of him. He wasn’t renowned for his skills but served the King of England and held roles in Gascony, a duchy in the south of France.”