Chapter 47
For a day when the troops march to possible death, it’s starting off startlingly hum-drum.
Shit, shower and shave.
Then Dono and I head up to see Cosmo.
I’d like to be stopping on the third floor and knocking down Sparkle’s door—she shut us out last night—but I have to respect her wishes. Maybe Lu was there for a visit or something.
But my doggy senses were picking up sadness rather than sexiness. No bueno. But, she is the queen, so as her courtier, I will follow the law.
Her law, that is, and no other.
Dono beats on the penthouse door. “Hey, lover boy, open up!”
Nothing.
“Paging Cosmo Singleton-Smith, is there a Cosmo Singleton-Smith in there?” He then starts singing, ‘Here comes the bride’.
Oof. Not sure how that’s going to land.
The penthouse door swings open and before either of us can say another word, a fist thrusts out, connecting with Donovan’s jaw.
Thwack.
Ah. So, I guess that’s how it landed.
I step over Donovan and enter. Cosmo’s eyes are bloodshot, and he’s dressed in sweats. Expensive designer sweats, but still. As I get close, something tickles my hound-senses. A scent that doesn't belong. In slow motion, I point a finger. “Sparkles.”
He says nothing.
Donovan comes in moaning and groaning but I ignore him and pace closer to Cos until our faces are only a couple of inches apart.
“Sparkles,” I say again.
I can fucking smell her. Sense her. On Cosmo Douchehole Drakeward.
Slow your roll, Maximus, slow your roll. If the princess wants to swap saliva with the dragon that’s her business.
Right?
Except, he’s such a fucking douche. Yeah, I like him as a bro-buddy, but it’s not like I’d let him date my little sister if I had one.
“What. Happened?”
“That was twenty-four hours ago.” He collapses onto the couch and holds his head in his hands like a man on the edge of insanity. Maybe he is.
“What was twenty-four hours ago?” Dono asks, pulling an ice pack out of the freezing and gingerly pressing it to his jaw.
“He made out with Theo.”
“Wah?” Donovan’s expression goes through a range of emotions and settles on confused. “Was she drunk?”
“Nice,” Cosmo grumbles.
“No, seriously. She had to be, right?” Dono pleads.
Now that I’ve had a beat to consider, I’m not pissed. I understand it. Cosmo, even though he’s a total fuckbonnet, is one of us.
Team-Sparkles 4eva.
“Please, at least tell me you made her come?” I say, snatching the stupid gold coffee filter thingy out of his hand.
“It wasn’t like that,” he grumbles, grabbing a sponge and mopping up the minuscule drop of liquid on the counter. “We talked. She was really overwhelmed and worried, then the Lumina just…did something. Forced her to kiss me, I guess. It’s not like she’d want to do that without being compelled to.”
“True,” Dono says, rooting through the fridge. He comes out with a long green stalk of something. “What the fuck is this?”
“Pandan leaf. It’s to flavor my water.”
See, total fuckbonnet. Total Pandam Leaf Fuck Bonnet.
“Can we leave this?” Cosmo huffs. “Today is already enough without an interrogation into my failed love life.”
Did Cosmo Drakeward just use the L word?
“Max!”
“What?”
“Please, for the love of Gods, help me. Help.”
Did Cosmo Drakeward just use the H word?
Today is one for the record books indeed.
Actually, today will be a day that goes down in history. Fair enough. Time to stop pissing around.
I hitch myself onto the counter and get serious. “OK, so we got the invite list you sent, and the floor plan. Did you learn anything else last night?”
Last night, Cos had been to a cozy dinner at Singleton-Smith manor.
The look on his face makes me wince. “The amount of security is going to be intense, but luckily no one looked too carefully at all the names I added to the guest list, and the distraction of fire-spinners and acrobats will work to our advantage.”
Neither Dono, nor I make a comment on the entertainment, though I can tell Donovan is dying to.
There’s a knock. “Expecting visitors?” After a quick sniff, I grin. “I’ll get it.”
My heart beats double time when I pull open the door. Theo is there with Lexi, Willow and Naomi. “Morning, Princess.” I pull her into a brief hug, then release her. She feels tiny in my arms, and her silver eyes are shadowed.
“This had to be quick,” Lex says, looking exhausted too.
Willow and Naomi cuddle up on the couch together. Watson has finally been brought into the fold. I guess we need as many bodies as we can get.
“I wish Lu could be here,” Theo sighs. Yeah, I want Bully too, but the stupid guards are amassed on the ground floor for some kind of meeting, so we needed to assemble up here.
“Alright, let’s get to it,” Alexis says. He spreads a map of the Singleton-Smith manor across the island.
“Donovan, Max—you will watch the library doors. If so much as a maid tries to enter while I’m inside, you get rid of them, quietly. Duncan will be our outside eyes, monitoring the exterior of the mansion through the hacked cameras.”
“Sorry I couldn’t get to the inside ones,” I sigh. That fucking encryption was next level.
“Yes, inside we are blind, so Willow and Naomi have to be our eyes. Constantly moving, looking for problems. All communication goes through Theo, telepathically.”
“Still not used to that,” Watson mutters.
Alexis taps the conservatory on the map.
“Stage two is getting Janine and Theo together. This will happen after the binding ceremony. The ballroom will be filled with guests and entertainers. Drinks flowing, loud music etc. Cosmo will approach Janine and tell her something is up with Theo. He’ll suggest she take a look and lead her to the conservatory off to the side.
” Feniks looks at Cosmo. “And you’re sure the party goers will not be in there? ”
“Yes. Jordan’s mother is very protective of her orchid collection. Max has to pick the lock.”
Not a problem.
“Theo and I,” Lex continues, “will be in the conservatory when Cosmo brings Janine in. Donovan, Max, you will position yourselves close by, ready to react if necessary.”
“And then I do the thing.” Theo closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I can do it.”
“And if things go wrong,” I say. “Donovan gets her out. You and I will clear a path for that to happen.”
“And we’ll have the diversions ready if necessary,” Naomi says.
“Correct.”
“While I pretend to be the happy fiance, and let the rest of you do the work.” Cosmo sighs. “I hate it.”
“You need plausible deniability. If things go off the rails, having you still in the Conclave is crucial.”
“Yeah, well after binding with Jordan, I won’t have much option.”
We all have to play our part, but poor Cos really got the bum end of the deal.
Lexi straightens up. “That’s time. I’ll see you all at six.”