33. Tristan at Breakfast
Chapter thirty-three
Tristan at Breakfast
When I enter the breakfast room, she’s already there. The sight of her nearly stops me in the doorway.
She stands at the sideboard, pouring coffee with the determined focus of a woman engaged in battle. Her hair is twisted carelessly at the back of her head, loose strands escaping around her face. She wears the same sweater from yesterday. There are shadows beneath her eyes.
She looks exhausted. But also furious and alive and beautiful in a way that feels almost cruel. Her blood scent fills the room. Murphy lies under the table, already positioned between our chairs.
Mrs. MacLeod places a basket of apple scones down and says nothing as she leaves. A tactical retreat.
Piper looks up and for one heartbeat, neither of us speaks. Then she lifts her mug.
"I’m here for coffee."
"So I was told."
"And breakfast. And because hiding in the library seemed dramatic after hour twelve."
"I would never accuse you of drama."
"Smart."
I take the chair across from her. She reaches for a scone.
"I should tell you, my solicitor called this morning," Piper says quietly. "The legal snags are ironed out. The sale is legal ... I apparently own Glenhaven Castle … I saw Duncan was here. I assume he told you."
“Yes, he did.”
"So," she says, with forced brightness sharp enough to cut glass. "Are we pretending this is normal, or are we having the worst breakfast in recorded history?"
"That depends."
"On?"
"Whether you would prefer the truth before or after the apple scones."
Her hand stills. The humor drains from her face.
"There’s more?"
I set House MacGregor's letter on the table between us, next to the invitations from Sebastian Ashcroft and House MacGowan.
"Vampire more, or castle paperwork more?"
"Both."
She closes her eyes.
"Of course. Why would Satan stop at one buffet?"
Despite myself, I smile. I love the way her mind works. She reaches for the new invitation but stops before touching it.
"Is it dangerous?"
"Potentially."
"To me?"
The room narrows around her question. I will not lie. "Aye."
Her face goes very still. Focused. The way she looks at rotted beams and bad wiring. A woman assessing damage.
"What is House MacGregor?" she asks.
Not who. What. Clever lass.
"One of the nine vampire Houses."
Her lips part. Then she nods slowly, as if forcing herself not to react too much.
"Right. Vampire Houses. Naturally. I was worried we might run out of Gothic nouns."
"It’s a family, of sorts. A coven. A political and financial faction."
"Like aristocrats?"
"Some."
"Like corporations?"
"More often."
"Like organized crime?"
"At times."
She leans back. "Excellent."
She picks up the letter at last. Her eyes move over the page. When she finishes, she sets it down carefully.
"He wants to meet me. Like the first invitations from Sebastian Ashcroft and House MacGowan. Because I own Glenhaven Castle. And because Glenhaven matters because of something you haven't told me yet."
I hold her gaze. "Yes."
Pain flashes through her expression.
"Then tell me now," she says.
No plea. No cries or screams. No softness. Just an order.
"Centuries ago, the vampire Houses of Scotland formed an agreement called the Accord. I wrote it."
"Go on."
"The Accord has three purposes. Vampires remain hidden from general human society in any dangerous way including no open killing.
Disputes between Houses are settled through law rather than open violence.
And when the nine ruling Houses cannot reach a decision, one neutral vote breaks the deadlock. "
"The Ninth Seat," she says. “You. Glenhaven. I saw the phrase in Duncan's notes."
Of course she did. Piper Monroe would find a political crisis in a laundry receipt.
"Yes," I say. "The Ninth Seat."
"And what does that have to do with me?"
I take one careful breath.
"The owner of Glenhaven Castle holds the vote."
She stares at me. Rain taps the window. Murphy sighs under the table. Piper looks down at the letter. Then back at me.
"The owner of Glenhaven Castle has the ninth vote? In a Vampire Accord? I am not vampire.”
Her face goes pale. For one wild second, I think she may laugh. She does not. She whispers, "I accidentally bought a vampire vote on the internet …”
"Essentially."
She presses both hands over her face.
"Piper—"
"Wait. Let me have this moment.
I fall silent. She finally lowers her hands.
"So all this legal chaos over me buying a castle that apparently wasn't supposed to be for sale..." I frown. "The mistake. That's these Houses, isn't it? Someone is pulling strings."
“Yes. Duncan is still working to figure out who was behind it.”
"House Ashcroft, MacGowan and MacGregor know of the sale, clearly. It’s in the invitations.”
"Yes."
"Do all the Houses know?"
"Not all. Not yet. But they will."
She stands so quickly her chair scrapes back. Murphy scrambles up.
I rise as well.
She paces to the window. Her coffee remains on the table, forgotten.
"I bought a castle that I thought was vacant," she says. "I bought stone and roofs and mold and bad plumbing and possibly emotionally unstable wallpaper. I did not buy a position in vampire parliament. I did not buy an occupied vampire residence."
"No."
"Stop sounding calm. I think you were played, too, Tristan."
"I was. And I’m trying not to alarm you."
"Too late."
She turns back to me.
"Why didn't you tell me this part earlier?"
“I didn’t know if you would become owner. It seemed too much.”
Her eyes flash.
"It is too much. But now I need to know."
“I agree.”
The anger in her face wavers when I agree. Piper exhales hard and looks toward the ceiling as if asking Glenhaven for patience.
The castle, wisely, remains silent.
"What happens if I ignore them?"
"They will not ignore you."
"What happens if I sell? Sell back to you. Why don't I just transfer ownership back to you?" Piper asks.
"Because the damage has already been done.
A transfer was made. The Accord has language about any transfer and the implications.
You own the castle," I say quietly. "The Accord was built on the belief that Glenhaven could never be bought or sold.
Once that belief proved false, every law surrounding the Ninth Seat becomes open to challenge.
Returning the castle to me would not close the question. "
“What? It’s that complicated? Can you explain further?’
“The moment it was sold, the Houses began questioning whether the Accord still stands as it always has, and my position as Keeper. Selling it back tomorrow would not erase that question." I hold her gaze.
"If Glenhaven can be bought once, every ambitious House will spend the next century trying to buy it again. And it puts the Accord into chaos."
I sigh.
"So Ashcroft would attempt to buy. Probably in the same shady way he arranged this. And if he does, then the Ninth Seat belongs to him."
"And that would be bad?"
"Very."
"Because?"
"Because Sebastian Ashcroft does not want balance. He wants control. For nefarious reasons. Humans would be at risk, too."
"And you stopped him before?"
"Many times."
"But now you're not the owner."
"No, you are."
She huffs a noise, once.
"This is insane. I’m not even a vampire. I don’t understand your world. Do I have to vote on something?"
"Not yet."
"But eventually?"
"Almost certainly. The convocation is coming soon, in about seven weeks."
She presses her fingers to her temples.
"I need a whiteboard. I process things visually. And caffeine. More caffeine. And possibly a lawyer."
"You have Duncan."
"I meant one who specializes in undead constitutional law."
"Duncan does. Piper, he is vampire, too."
She stops.
"Of course he is."
Then, unexpectedly, she sits heavily. Not gracefully. As if her body has decided that standing is an extravagance no longer supported by current events.
"Okay," she says.
"Okay?" I ask.
"No. Not okay. Nothing is okay. But I’m not leaving this table yet."
She looks at me. The space between us tightens. Not with fear this time.
"I’m still angry," she says. “And you should be, too.”
I am angry, but I don’t show it. I need her calm.
"I’m still scared, Tristan. I’m not agreeing to be part of whatever this is."
"Understood, but you may not have a choice." My chest aches.
"Thank you for the truth."
She reaches for the invitations on the table. She picks up the Ashcroft letter and taps it once with her finger.
"Now, tell me about this Sebastian Ashcroft."