Olives
“You better…” I panted, “eventually…give me…the farging top.”
It was the next morning.
Tanyn was fucking me.
“Some other time,” he grunted.
That grunt?
Hot.
And…
Yes, totally fucking me.
“Tan—”
He pulled out, rolled off, whirled me to my stomach, got on his knees between my legs, hauled me up at the hips, and drove back in.
That maneuver was so smooth and effective, I shut up.
He fucked me hard and took me there.
Him continuing to fuck me hard took him there.
After some gentle gliding, he pulled out again, turned me to my back and settled on me.
“I’m seeing I have to fuck you quiet so you won’t bitch while I’m fucking you,” he groused.
Gods, he was so adorable.
“You’re not the only one who likes to give as good as you get,” I returned.
“We’re going to have a lifetime of this, Catla.”
It was seeming more and more every day this would be the case.
So…
Excellent point.
I closed my mouth.
He sighed, kissed it, and when he lifted his head, he asked, “Are you going to get up now? Or do you want to doze?”
I wanted to know if Tanyn learned anything at Gehenn yesterday.
I wanted to get Zyra and Mangold settled in their room.
I wanted to meet Barret and Camaryn to put their minds at ease that I wasn’t going to do a hatchet job on the staff at Berg Castle.
I wanted a report on the citadel to learn what the attack did to the progress of the renovations (no, it wasn’t all about it being ready for Mom and Dad when Dead Winter came, but yes, that was on my mind—not to mention, continuing to focus on the furnishings was a good thing to occupy Zyra’s time when she was forced to be away from home rather than taking the trip she wanted to take to Nocturn).
So, no, I didn’t want to doze.
“I’m getting up,” I told him.
And then I didn’t get up.
My male pulled me out of bed with him.
He also pulled me into the shower pod with him.
So I didn’t quibble.
I was hells on wheels ticking things off my to-do list that morning.
Manny and Zyra were settled in their room, the clothes I ordered for them had arrived, and they were currently outside with Hurley, Zyra getting some exercise and working newly healed bone and muscle.
I’d requested a report from Jorda on the citadel, sharing this wasn’t priority, just when she had time to provide it.
She told me she knew they were still investigating and currently repairing or replacing some of the anti-aircraft stations that had been damaged during the attack.
News: she also shared Tanyn had ordered another build on the isle. This being a base where a flight of Red Wing could be stationed in case of future attacks.
I hated that, in the current circumstances, this was a good idea, but it was a good idea.
Last, she assured me she’d share the damage report and what was happening on the renovations when she knew.
I’d still sent some new saved items for Zyra to approve when she got back indoors.
And now I was doing what was up next.
There were coffee and pastries set out on the table in the seating area in front of the burning fire.
And a member of staff had just announced the arrival of Barret and Camaryn.
I rose from my desk to greet them.
Barret had some silver threading through her black hair.
Her eyes were violet. Her frame was slender.
I’d gauge her at a few decades older than Mom, though demons had slightly elevated lifespans (it used to be a lot more elevated, until improved human medical and health practices increased their lifecycles).
Camaryn was surprisingly young. Maybe a few years older than Tanyn. He had a sturdy, robust frame, those cheeks that always seemed chafed from cold, light-brown hair and hazel eyes.
They were openly guarded.
Therefore, I smiled and said, “Come in. Sit down. I know you’re both probably busy, but I thought we could take a bit of time, have coffee and get to know one another better.”
They glanced at the coffee, then to each other, and neither hid their shock.
Though, they did sit down.
I sat with them and began to pour. “How do you take it?”
“Cream, no sugar,” Barret said tightly, her discomfiture obvious.
“One sugar,” Camaryn said, his tone much the same.
I accomplished this, handed them their coffees, made my own and grabbed an almond croissant before I sat back.
As per protocol (should I actually be queen), they waited until I took food before they took their own. And they waited until I bit into mine before they did the same with their own. Therefore, I didn’t waste time taking that bite.
And I began.
“King Tanyn has explained to me he’s sent word I’m to be treated as a being in a certain position while I’m here. Correct?”
They both nodded.
“That was a lovely thing for him to do,” I continued then gave them another smile. “Jumping ahead a bit, but lovely.”
Neither said anything.
But watching them, I saw, in fact, I’d been wrong.
They weren’t giving off the vibe that they were wary of me.
They were openly terrified of me.
“Did Tanyn hire either of you?” I asked curiously.
“I’ve been employed at the castle for thirty-two years,” Barret said stiffly.
“I’ve been here ten,” Camaryn added.
And now their fear was explained.
“Okay then, I sense Tanyn is not fired up to dive deep into the running of the castle. Instead, I think he wants you just to do your jobs. And I can share I do too.”
Barret blinked in shock.
Camaryn’s lips parted.
“With only one change,” I added.
Both instantly went back to being suspicious.
“I am not queen. I am not royalty or aristocracy of any kind. That might come about, but for now, I’d appreciate it if staff didn’t curtsy to me.
” Another smile, this warmer, because of the subject matter.
“If Tanyn and I get to that point, well…then things will be different. But for now, what I’d like is to meet each member of staff.
I’d like to learn their names so I can address them appropriately.
And I do believe both of you understand who’s who in all who come to the castle.
Therefore, I can trust you to instruct the staff fittingly as to how they’re treated.
For instance, when my friends come, outside of Laura, it’d make them uncomfortable to be formally announced, for they’re like me.
Not aristocrats or royalty. This is the king’s castle, I know.
It’s also Tanyn’s home, and I hope we can work together to make his guests comfortable here. ”
Neither of them had a reply, and it was clear to see they didn’t because I’d shocked the hells out of them.
“I’ll also need to rely on you,” I continued. “For you’ll know who’s who, and in many cases, I won’t. Though I suppose I don’t have to request that. The relying-on-you part.”
“No, of course,” Barret pushed out.
“Excellent,” I said and took a sip of coffee before finishing, “Then I think this will work very well.”
“You want to meet the staff?” Camaryn asked.
“It doesn’t have to happen today, obviously, since it’s the weekend. When you can fit it in. Though, when I see them from now on, I’ll be chatting with them so we can get to know one another.”
They shared another glance.
“If that’s okay with you,” I carried on.
They both looked at me and openly gawked.
“I mean, strictly speaking, if I’m queen, I’ll be the boss. But I’m not strict. You two have been doing your jobs for some time. I can only assume you do them well. We’ll only have an issue if you don’t. But from what I’ve seen so far, you don’t do them well. You do them very well.”
Color stained Barret’s cheeks, so much so, it gave me the impression she’d never been complimented on her work.
Not in thirty-two years.
It wouldn’t do at this juncture for me to get angry, so I tamped it down.
“I believe…we were under the impression…” Camaryn stammered. He cleared his throat and tried again. “It was our understanding you considered the castle overstaffed.”
Since he faced it head on—and good on him that he did—I had to make a decision.
So I did.
“We all know I’ve never had the run of a castle,” I said.
They didn’t confirm they knew, but they knew.
“As such, this is part of what I’ll be relying on you to do.
I would hope, if we’re overstaffed, you’d report that to me.
And if you need my assistance in sorting it out, I’ll make myself available to you.
That said, although I mentioned it to King Tanyn, he had absolutely no issue with the staffing of the castle. ”
Then again, he’d never had the running of one either.
I didn’t voice that part.
“I believe…I think…” Now it was Barret who was stammering, but she didn’t continue.
I just regarded her over the rim of my coffee cup and smiled to urge her to go on.
“The…your, um…predecessor could have very…strained patience and could be quite…abrasive with staff so we…” She looked helplessly at Camaryn.
He caught her look, turned to me, and I noted he’d shaken off his shock and was now taking my measure.
He then stated, “Queen Tatra was abusive to the staff. Because of this, it was like sending beings into battle. Those who were injured hung back, and those who were fresh went in. Barret would prefer to organize duties in a much different way, rather than everyone being on call to take turns to face what might befall them. However, we used to go through servants like water. We’d hire.
They’d quit. A never-ending cycle that was a waste of Barret’s and my time.
So we did what we could to alleviate that. ”
“We still lost staff at an alarming rate,” Barret added.
I was doing that breathe in ten seconds, hold ten seconds, breathe out ten seconds thing while they spoke so I didn’t lose my mind when I did.
“And why didn’t you two leave?”
“Someone had to keep the place running until the real king could take his throne,” Barret replied.
Good answer.
And an interesting one, because if she’d been there that long, most of her tenure was under King Riland, who was born to wear the crown.
I filed that away as I studied her closely and hoped her answer was also an honest one, but obviously I didn’t know her well enough to make that call.
“And you?” I asked Camaryn.