Olives #2
“The pay is exceptional,” he said, and I knew that was an honest answer. “For me. The rest of the staff are not paid well. Another reason they left quickly.”
“And why are you paid well and the others aren’t, do you think?” I inquired.
“I bypassed Queen Tatra and requested a raise from King Arnaud,” he answered.
“That’s how a lot got done around here,” Barret mumbled.
Again, interesting.
“Though, hells were paid when we sidestepped her,” Camaryn put in. “However, sometimes we had no choice.”
Also interesting, but sadly not surprising.
“I’m afraid we’ll need to go over things more closely earlier than I thought,” I said. “The king can’t underpay his staff. That’s unacceptable.”
And they shared yet another glance.
“Are you all right with me speaking to him about this?” I asked.
“I’m glad someone’ll do it,” Barret replied.
“Okay, then let’s do it right,” I declared.
“I’d like you both to write a report about what you think is working, and what is not.
I’ll also need a list of staff, their history here, their roles, your thoughts on their performance, their pay, and the remuneration scales of beings in the Edge who have the same or similar roles.
Barret,” I directed my next to her, “I can confirm this with the king, but I think it’s safe to say, he wants you to run this house like you feel it needs to be run.
Organize things as you see fit.” I turned to Camaryn.
“Is there anything you’d like me to discuss with His Majesty? ”
“Staff pay is the priority,” he replied.
“I agree. However, if there’s something else, we’ll address it. Now, what do you think? Can you be ready to go over things, say, Monday afternoon? Or do you need more time?”
“We can make Monday afternoon work, Ms. Truelock,” Barret said.
“Hear me,” I replied, and the husky anger in my tone grabbed both their attention. “We do not make things work. I’m aware you have duties to attend and anything I ask on top of that is overextending you. As such, I’ll note that I appreciate you meeting with me on a Saturday.”
Yet another glance passed between them, indicating Tatra expected them to be on duty at all times.
I filed that away too, because if that was necessary, their pay should reflect it.
But, unless Tanyn was say…hosting diplomats or throwing some important dinner party, I couldn’t imagine it was necessary.
“But this needs to get done,” I continued. “However, not with either of you stressed and twisting yourself into knots to get me what I ask for. Now, is Monday too soon?”
“It would be nice to have another day,” Barret said quietly.
“How about this?” I suggested. “You get to work on it and tell me Monday afternoon when you think you’ll be ready, and we can plan a meeting for that time.”
“That would be lovely,” she whispered.
And dear gods.
Were those crimson tears rimming her eyes?
I didn’t have time to deep breathe my anger away, and I saw the red seeping in, so I spoke to hold it back.
“Now, let’s enjoy the rest of our coffee and pastries while you tell me a little about yourselves. Then we can all get on with our days.”
I learned Barret was married to the head groundskeeper, they had three children, two in the Blood Scythe, one worked as an attaché for the Edge in the Center (clearly, civil service in one form or another was a thing for her family), and they welcomed their first grandchild around the Summer Solstice.
I also learned Camaryn was newly married and his wife worked as a nurse at Blackheart, a local hospital, but was on call for the castle’s medi-unit (I’d seen her, her name was Dyrdyn).
They left to get back to their Saturdays.
I sat where I was in order to seethe.
What took me out of my seething was a text comm from Zyra with a picture of a sofa I’d selected and a note of You didn’t say which room for this.
So I pulled myself together and left the queen’s study so I could find Zyra and do something fun.
Like spending Tanyn’s money.
Time…
And my temper…
Did not mix.
Especially when I had no one around to let it all hang out so I could get over it.
And obviously, I couldn’t rant at a recovering Zyra and her hovering husband.
So when I got a text comm from Tanyn that said he, Nayden and Uly were in the antechamber of the dining room having drinks before dinner, and he’d like me to meet them there, I did not hesitate to storm from the queen’s study, where I was flipping through wallpaper samples, to the antechamber.
Uly was not in uniform.
In fact, they were all in jeans and sweaters.
Both he and Nayden, along with Tanyn, were kicked back in armchairs, sipping from squat etched-glass tumblers, when I arrived.
The only male who got up was Hurley, and he greeted me, as I did him.
And I’d had too long to let the knowledge I’d learned that morning fester in my head.
Therefore, I planted my hands on my hips and announced to Tanyn, “Tatra abused the staff. And underpaid them. With your permission, I’ll be rectifying the latter. Outside of treating them like breathing beings with thoughts and feelings from here on, I can’t do much about the former.”
Tanyn stared up at me, and I saw the red seeping into his eyes.
“She abused them?” he asked quietly.
“I didn’t request details. But I sat down with your steward and head housekeeper, and the reason you don’t see the same being twice unless some time has lapsed in between is because, as Camaryn described it, they had to heal their wounds before being sent back into battle.”
“You seem to need a drink,” Nayden commented.
“Damn straight,” I replied.
“Martini. Vodka. Olives,” Tanyn ordered for me.
As Nayden headed to the drinks cabinet, I threw myself in a chair, crossed my arms and legs and announced, “I know the line is long, but when we get our hands on that bitch, I call a spot so I can slap her silly.”
Uly made a noise, I turned to him and tardily realized I was not making all that great of a second impression.
“Sorry. I’m not usually this much of a drama queen.”
“Yes she is,” Tanyn refuted.
I glared at him. “Hardly.”
“You took twenty minutes just to select a pair of boots to not go hiking in.”
“It wasn’t twenty minutes,” I retorted.
“It felt like it,” he muttered.
“Regardless, is that drama?” I asked.
“Yes,” all three males said at the same time.
I was seeing another drawback of being removed from my gals. I was clearly going to be ganged up on.
Nayden handed me my drink; I thanked him and took a fortifying sip.
“Bringing the matter back to hand, yes, you have my permission to do whatever the fuck you want to rectify the matter,” Tanyn said.
“Good. I’ve already asked them to give me a thorough report, and I’ve given Barret permission to run things as she would without fear of abuse.
I thought I’d ask Laura if she could get me a line to whoever does this kind of thing at the Celestial Palace to make sure it’s all above board, because I have no idea what a footbeing makes.
And hopefully, in a few days, we can set at least the workings of the castle to rights. ”
“You don’t have to share your plans, baby. I’ll agree with whatever you think is best,” Tanyn said sweetly.
“It’s your castle, honey,” I replied. “And decisions I make reflect on you.”
“All right then, I’ll reword. Go with your plan. It’s a good one.”
I smiled at him then took another sip of my cocktail.
When I was swallowing it, I saw Uly grinning into his whisky.
Which, oddly, made Nayden say, “Fuck you,” to him.
Uly lifted his head, assumed an innocent expression that was so fake, even I, who didn’t know him, knew it was fake.
He pointed to himself and said, “Me?”
“What the fuck?” Tanyn asked into this.
“Mouth shut,” Nayden warned Uly.
“Fuck that,” Uly retorted, and I could swear he was about to explode from holding back laughter.
What the hells?
“What are you two on about?” Tanyn demanded.
“It’s official, I know you better,” Uly bragged.
“Oh, fuck off,” Nayden bit.
“As you know, none of this is an answer to my bloody question,” Tanyn pointed out.
“Apparently, you and Catla had a thing,” Uly began.
Oh boy.
“And Nayden witnessed this thing,” Uly went on.