Shara

Coming home to my nest after being away was damned near a religious experience. I’d enjoyed Mayte’s nest and it had felt secure.

But my nest…

Layers of tension and alertness that I hadn’t even been aware of, fell away from my shoulders. My trees whispered a glad greeting, the gentle rustling of their leaves a soothing balm to my nerves.

Surprise. For you. Welcome home.

The whispers drew my gaze to the heart tree, now surrounded by large boulders mixed in with the thorny bushes that ringed the rose tree. I took a step toward the new landscape to explore, but Winston opened the door and called to me.

“Your Majesty, I was going to call you, but then Gina texted of your imminent arrival. A package arrived for you.”

I wasn’t sure why he seemed so anxious, if his voice was quivering with nerves or excitement. Until I realized it was New Year’s Day. No postal service would be delivering packages today. “Who’s it from?”

“Rome,” he replied, his eyes wide. “Marne Ceresa herself.”

Of fucking course. I’d barely even been home a minute, and all the plots came tumbling back to ensnare me again. With a scowl, I stomped back toward the house. Whatever surprise my trees had in store for me must wait.

Winston met me at the driveway and led me down to the guard’s station at the gate that blocked the front public entrance to the property.

Frank McCoy, my head security guard and one of my human servants I carried a blood bond with, gave me a worried nod of welcome. “Sorry, Your Majesty. I didn’t know if I should say anything when you first arrived or not. I thought you might be asleep.”

I did have the annoying habit of sleeping on Rik while traveling. Even the first time I’d seen my home, I hadn’t been able to wake up long enough to look around.

“A sharp black Mercedes drove up about fifteen minutes ago. The rear window rolled down and an older man held the box out and said, ‘A special delivery for Her Majesty, Shara Isador.’ I didn’t know what else to do, so I took it, but I didn’t think you’d want it carried into your nest until you took a look at it.”

Nodding, I studied the box. It looked like an old-fashioned hat box, beautifully decorated with white and black damask paper and a baby-pink bow. “Did you get a good look at the man?”

“I’d know him if I saw him again. White hair, goatee and mustache, neat and trimmed, black suit that looked like a million bucks. He wore black leather gloves, too. That gave me pause. If he had to wear gloves to touch the package, I definitely didn’t want to take it up to the house until you saw it.”

“Gina, do you know who that might have been?”

Eyes wide, she stared at the package like my massive cobra was about to crawl out of it and strike us all down.

“Gina?”

She gave herself a shake. “Sorry, yes, that was probably Byrnes. He’s Marne Ceresa’s American consiliarius.”

“American, as in she has more than one?”

“Yes, she has seven consiliari in total. Few outside the Triune have ever spoken to her directly, but deal with one of her consiliari instead.”

“Any guesses what she might have sent me?”

Gina grimaced and shook her head. “None whatsoever. She’s not known for sending bombs or threats or anything like that. She plays the game with brutal precision. This is a deliberate move on her part. Any gift from her will have layers of meaning and intention behind it.”

“Hopefully something won’t try to kill me as soon as I take the lid off.”

“That’s not her style. If she decides to kill you, it’ll be a grand spectacle to show the world how brilliant and clever she is.”

I picked up the card lying on top of the box. In beautiful calligraphy, my name was written in the center of the card, with Marne Ceresa, Rome, Italy in the upper left-hand corner. The stationery itself was thick, gorgeously expensive, and smelled of sweet lavender. The envelope was closed with an old-fashioned black wax seal, stamped with what looked like an ancient Roman coin and a curly wand. Something was written in Latin around the edge of the coin, but I couldn’t read it.

I cracked the wax seal and pulled out the small square of heavy card stock. A single sentence swirled in the same elegant script. I look forward to making your acquaintance.

I met Rik’s gaze and he gave me a silent nod of assurance. My Blood were ready for anything. They circled me, braced for attack in any direction.

Taking a deep breath, I removed the lid and handed it to Gina. I pushed back several layers of tissue paper and found a decorative mirror. It was roughly the size of a nice, large dinner plate, though its gilded frame was ornately carved in whorls and leaves. I carefully reached in and picked it up, surprised at how heavy it was.

“A mirror,” Gina breathed out. “Of course. I’ve heard rumors that she secretly communicates with her consiliari face-to-face despite their distance from her seat in Rome, but I wasn’t sure how.”

That almost made me drop the fucking thing. “She can see me through the mirror?”

“I think it has to be activated first, though I admit, I don’t know if she controls the activation, or if you do.”

Tlacel didn’t turn his head away from guarding to look at me, but said, “I know someone who can help with mirror magic. Tepeyollotl. One of his names means Smoking Mirror. Our people used mirrors for divination and communication with the otherworld.”

I touched Mayte’s bond, and she immediately filled my senses so strongly that I could smell the sweet spicy scent of her flowers.

:My queen?:

:Would Tepeyollotl be willing to discuss mirror magic with me?:

I’d barely sent that thought and Gina’s phone rang. “Yes? Of course.”

Smiling, she held the phone out to me. I handed the mirror back to Frank and accepted the phone. “Hello?”

“Sorry, I didn’t have your number, and I’m carrying Bianca’s phone until I hire a new consiliarius,” Mayte replied. “Tepeyollotl will be here shortly. I sent the call for him to attend me at once. Are you well? Did you have a quiet trip home?”

I didn’t want to insult her, but after Bianca’s betrayal, I wasn’t taking any chances. “Are you where you can talk securely?”

“Yes.” I heard a door shut. “I’m in the library, alone.”

“I’ll be right back,” I said to Frank and Gina, giving the mirror a wary look. I stepped outside into the sunlight and lowered my voice, in case Marne could eavesdrop through her gift. “I had a package waiting on me from Marne Ceresa. It’s an antique mirror, and the note only says she looks forward to meeting me. I want to know what I’m getting into before I try to use it.”

“Had it been there long?”

“Frank said about fifteen minutes.”

Mayte sighed. “She probably had someone watching for you to land, so she’d know exactly when to send the package.”

“She wants me to know she has eyes on me.”

“Exactly.”

I sighed. “I don’t know that I’m cut out for these kinds of cloak-and-dagger bullshit games. I’m sorry to say I’d almost prefer Ra’s blatant attacks. At least I know how to defend myself. I’m not used to thinking a dozen plays ahead.”

“It takes experience, but Gina gave me the impression she was used to Triune politics.”

“She is, or at least she was, but she’s been out of the game ever since my mother abandoned the nest over twenty years ago. I trust her implicitly, but I need a better grasp of how to play the game myself.”

“I’m hopeless myself, I’m afraid. House Zaniyah has deliberately stayed out of the game for generations. What about your Blood? Were any of them raised in a Triune house?”

“I don’t think so, but I’ll ask.”

:I learned a great deal in House Devana before I fostered with House Skye,: Daire piped up. :I’m still young, but Triune politics are one of my gifts.:

It made me smile to think that Daire was considered “young” for an Aima. :How old are you exactly?:

:Sixty nine.:

I snorted, shaking my head. I was a mere babe then.

“Here’s Tepeyollotl.” To him, she said, “She needs to know how to work mirror magic.”

“My queen.” His voice boomed through the phone with the power of a hurricane. “Mirror magic is a powerful tool not recommended for the uninitiated.”

“I don’t have a choice. I received a mirror as a gift from Marne Ceresa, and I’m sure she wants me to contact her using it.”

“I see. Is it activated? If you can see a normal reflection, then it’s not. If it’s smoky or clouded, then she activated it, and the portal is open.”

“Wait, portal? Like the cenote? It isn’t smoky, so I guess it’s not activated right now.”

“When activated, a mirror creates a connection to another place. If the mirror was big enough, and the magic strong enough, a person or thing can pass through.”

Holy shit. Thankfully, she hadn’t sent me a full-length mirror. I’d be tempted to break the glass and prepare for the seven years of bad luck to be safe. The last thing I’d want is to wake up with Marne Ceresa crawling out of a mirror. “It’s only about the size of a plate. Is it safe to take the mirror into my nest, then? I don’t want her having access to the inside of my home.”

“Since it’s small, the risk should be minimal. A queen like her would know your justified fear of such a possibility. There are also precautions you can take to be sure it doesn’t activate without your wish.”

“Yes, please.”

“Cover the mirror with a cloth. If it activates, she will not be able to see anything, though depending on her magic, she may be able to hear. I’ve also seen them put into a basket and covered with salt or coffee.”

“Coffee? Like beans, or liquid?”

“Beans, preferably dried, roasted, and ground. They absorb negative energy better that way. Both salt and coffee have a purifying effect and can be used to cleanse a mirror if you suspect another’s magic is interfering or contaminating your connection. It shouldn’t have any effect on the original coding, other than to make it stronger and clearer. Water has a magnifying effect. If you dropped the mirror in a pool of water, say the grotto, and activated it, the entire pool could become the mirror. According to legend, that’s how humans were able to open cenote portals themselves.”

“Fuck that shit,” Guillaume muttered.

Yeah, no kidding. “How do I activate it?”

“Blood.”

I blew out a sigh. “Of course.”

“Just a drop on the surface of the mirror is enough. The magic is set by your intention, and hers, of course. I’m guessing she coded the mirror she gave you to one in her nest, so they can act as receivers or senders. Her magic sets and defines the connection between the two mirrors. When you drop blood on the mirror to activate it, it’ll notify her that you wish to make the connection. I would assume she can alert you the same way, and the mirror will chime or otherwise draw your attention to it when she wishes to speak to you.”

“If she doesn’t want to speak to me, then I can’t activate it on her side?”

“Generally, no, but anything is possible with enough blood and power behind it.”

I shivered at the thought. I didn’t want to find out how much blood would be required to overpower one of Marne’s own mirror spells.

“The single most important thing to remember: when you wish to close the connection, you must wipe the blood away. If you forget, the connection will remain viable, and she may be able to manipulate the mirror at will.”

Rik sent an immediate order through our bonds. :I charge anyone present with our queen when she’s using the mirror to check and verify the blood is wiped away in case she forgets.:

:Understood, alpha.: They each replied.

“Do you have any other questions, my queen?” Tepeyollotl asked.

“If I decide I want to break the connection so she can’t contact me through the mirror at all, how do I do that?”

“Break the mirror into pieces and bury or destroy the shards. Beware, there may be a great deal of energy released when you destroy the connection. This is where the saying comes from that implies bad luck results from breaking a mirror. Care must be taken to be sure a magically-charged mirror is disposed of correctly.”

“Can she change her appearance in the mirror? Like show me something that isn’t true?”

“Of course, if she has enough power to do so. She may choose to conceal or mask her appearance, but so can you.”

Again, if I had the power, or, if I offered enough blood to raise that amount of power. “Thank you, Tepeyollotl. You’ve been extremely informative.”

“It’s my pleasure to serve my queen’s queen.”

I hung up and stepped back inside the guard shack. :Thank you, Mayte.:

:He was able to help?:

:He was of great assistance.:

I felt her smile in the bond and then she slipped away. I handed the phone back to Gina and reluctantly took the heavy mirror back from Frank. The surface was slightly bubbled with impurities from age, but I could see myself clearly. Without blood… it looked like an old mirror you could find in any antique shop.

Carefully, I laid the mirror back in the box. “Well, I guess we need to pick a place to store it. Do one of you want to take charge of it?”

Tlacel took the box from Frank. “I will be honored to mind the mirror for you, my queen.”

“If I may make a suggestion?” Winston waited for me to nod before continuing. “I’m guessing you’ll want to keep it close—but not too close. Off your master bedroom, there’s a small room that would be perfect for a private study. It’s a bit dark and gloomy, since there aren’t any windows, but perhaps that would be best for such a potentially dangerous item.”

True. I hadn’t thought to ask Tepeyollotl if the mirror should stay out of the sun, but I would guess light reflecting off the surface could be painful, especially if I was trying to use its magic.

That made me think of something else. Eyes narrowed, I thought back to how Ra had opened a window into my bedroom in Kansas City. How he always used bright flashes of light to stun us during an attack. “Do you think Ra is using a form of mirror magic?”

“It’s very possible,” Rik answered as we made our way back to the house. “When you shattered the portal in Kansas City, the explosion was tremendous. I’m guessing that would be very much like what Tepeyollotl described when breaking a magical mirror.”

“But there wasn’t a mirror on my side that he could use, not like this.”

“Maybe he’s powerful enough he doesn’t need one,” Guillaume replied.

Great, just fucking great.

Winston hurried ahead of us to swing the impressive front door open for us. “Let me show you the newly renovated rooms, Your Majesty. I hope you’ll be most pleased.”

“I’m sure I will.” Inside, plastic stretched across the large doorway that led to the dining room and kitchen.

“We’ve started work on the kitchen, which should be ready in a few more days.” Winston led us upstairs, speaking over his shoulder. “The contractor says five, but I’m guessing it’ll be more like ten. Did you want to pick out the appliances, Your Majesty?”

“Honestly, no, I’d have no idea what to pick. I trust your judgment implicitly.”

His cheeks colored, eyes sparkling with pleasure. “Of course, thank you, Your Majesty. We left the grand fireplace untouched, other than some minor sprucing and cleaning. It’s perfectly functional. The fireplace in the sunken living room still needs some masonry work. Depending on the weather, we may need to wait another few weeks or longer to ensure they have easy access to the roof.”

“Of course, not a problem.”

At the top of the stairs, he paused and gestured up at the gorgeous stained-glass windows. “The artisan examined the windows and declared them mostly sound, though she recommends that a few sections be re-leaded. In the spring, we’ll have them very carefully cleaned, both inside and out.”

He turned to the landing. Like Mayte’s house, one door led to the master suite, and other rooms and hallways led off to the right. He swept open the French doors to the master suite. “Your library, Your Majesty. It was mostly cosmetic in here. Some paint, deep cleaning, and new draperies. We found some true treasures hidden away on the shelves, including some beautiful first editions.”

I wanted to twirl like Belle when the Beast showed her his impressive library. Mine wasn’t quite as grand, but the twelve-foot floor-to-ceiling shelves were filled with books. Another fireplace and stone wall made the room warm and cozy, with plenty of comfortable leather chairs and sofas for reading and lounging. “Incredible, Winston. I can’t wait to…” I caught myself and sighed. So far, I’d done nothing but run from one fire to another, including urgent trips to Venezuela and Mexico.

Rik gave me a heavy-lidded look, his sensual mouth curving enough to reveal just a hint of fang. “You need some down time, Shara. Rest and relaxation and lots of reading.”

Daire stepped closer and flashed his adorable dimples. “You should let us take turns reading to you.”

“I get to read to her first.” Mehen butted in, literally pushing Daire aside to get to one of the shelves. “Fucking hell. A first edition Les Trois Mousquetaires! That’s The Three Musketeers to you cretins. Let me read this one to you first, my queen.”

“Sure, but if you read it in French, I won’t understand it.”

“I’ll teach you. I’ll read and translate it as we go. By the time we finish, you’ll be an expert in French.”

“Or we’ll all die of boredom,” Daire muttered.

Mehen let out a very draconic hiss of displeasure, and they continued the banter as we walked to the private staircase in the back of the library. I braced for sadness to flood over me at Daire’s casual words, afraid the joy of seeing my manor house coming together would be tainted by the fear about who might die, and when.

But in my nest, surrounded by my loved ones, I couldn’t be sad. Not when they teased and laughed and tried so hard to please me down to the most insignificant details.

“There are a few things still outstanding, so it’s not perfect, yet, Your Majesty. But I thought you would rather be here since you’ll have more space than the guest house.” Winston pushed open another set of French doors and stepped back, waiting for me to go inside my new master bedroom.

Oh. My. Fucking. Massive. Bed. Alert.

The largest bed I’d ever seen sat in the middle of the room, loaded with so many pillows that it looked like a puffy cloud. We’d have to try it to be sure, but it certainly looked like it would be large enough for all of us.

Finally. I’d be able to sleep with all my Blood near.

One whole wall was lined with large windows that looked out over the river far below. Rugged Arkansas mountains rolled into the distance, carpeted in a thick forest. I could only imagine how gorgeous all of the trees would be this spring when the leaves started to come in.

“This isn’t the final bed,” Winston said, wringing his hands. “It’s being shipped from the East Coast and won’t be here for another week. This is the best I could do. I ordered two California kings and pushed them together.”

I threw my arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. “It’s absolutely fabulous. I love it! Thank you, Winston.”

I turned back around and wanted to jump up and down and clap my hands like Xochitl exclaiming over her unicorns. The ceilings soared incredibly high, two full stories to be exact. The raw rafters gave it a rustic, old world look that I adored. Another gigantic fireplace lined the exposed-stone wall. White sheer curtains hung at the windows and cascaded down onto the thick planks of the original hardwood floor. In the summer, I could open the windows and let the breeze and fresh air flood the room.

“I can’t believe it. Honestly. It’s exactly what I pictured in my head.”

Winston dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief. “I’m so pleased, Your Majesty. So very pleased. Come this way, and I’ll see if the new bathroom meets your specifications.” He led me to a set of two doors. “We took the liberty of reclaiming space from one of the guest rooms to make a walk-in closet.”

He opened the left-hand door and flipped the light on. I made a choked sound of surprise and amusement. This “closet” was bigger than my entire tower bedroom in Kansas City. Built-in shelves and racks lined the walls, with a cushioned ottoman in the center of the room where I could sit and try various shoes on.

“There’s no way I’m going to ever have enough clothes to fill this much space.”

Daire snorted. “Wanna bet? I could fill this in an afternoon.”

There was another door tucked in the corner of the closet. “This is the small room I was talking about.” Winston opened the door and turned on that light for me to peek inside. “The contractor was going to tear it out and make the master bath even bigger, but one of the walls butts up to the chimney from the dining room fireplace.”

It was dark without any windows, but I was well used to that. I’d chosen my old bedroom deliberately because it didn’t have any windows—which meant fewer ways for the monsters to break in. If only I’d known the greatest monster already lived inside of me.

He’d set up a desk, several lamps, and an inviting chaise lounge draped with a soft, fluffy shawl. Perfect for cuddling on a rainy day, reading a book, or… talking with a fearsome queen.

Tlacel set the box on the desk. “Should I cover it as well, my queen?”

“No, I think the box will be fine for now. Thank you.”

We stepped back out and Winston showed me the showstopper bathroom. More windows framed a bathtub large enough that easily six of us could use it at once. Fresh, white marble floors were accented with lapis, emerald, and ruby mosaics. He opened a cabinet beside the tub to show me an array of bath salts, candles, and fluffy, thick towels.

“Gorgeous. I mean it, Winston, this looks like an expensive spa. I love it.”

“I’m so pleased, Your Majesty. If there’s anything you need, anything at all, please let me know and I’ll have the contractor make adjustments.” He took my hand and inclined his head. “I’m at your service, Your Majesty. I’ll leave you to rest from your trip. I’m sure you’re exhausted. When you’re ready to eat, have one of your Blood come down to the kitchen. I have a space readied, so I can heat up food at a moment’s notice.”

“What about the clothes we took on the trip?”

Gina patted my shoulder and followed Winston to the door. “Not to worry, we have a crew assembled to take care of laundry needs. The car has already been unloaded, and we’ll bring your things up later.”

“You’ll find some robes, pajamas, and loungewear in the closet,” Winston called back over his shoulder. “Plus a few other things that Gina had delivered from your Kansas City house. We’ll get your closet filled in no time.”

As I walked back into the bedroom, Rik pulled the twins aside. “Do you two want to have guard duty together, or split up?”

“Together,” they both said without hesitation.

He nodded and then looked at the rest of my Blood. “Everyone on guard duty except for Ezra, Daire, and Guillaume. Check the grounds thoroughly, and then hit the shower and food as you want. Stick close.”

He didn’t have to tell them why. They all felt my hunger. I’d fed from Rik on the plane, but only enough to get home. I hated to destroy the gorgeous, brand-new bedding with a bunch of blood stains. I hoped Winston had hired a fucking stainmaster to get all the blood out of my laundry.

They all filed out, still joking and talking among themselves. I couldn’t help but smile. Mehen was still rhapsodizing about finding the Dumas set in the library.

Once it quieted, I sat on the edge of the bed and turned my attention to Daire. “Should I use the mirror now? Or wait a bit? I don’t want to insult her—but I also don’t want to appear too eager to do her bidding.”

Daire plopped down beside me on the bed and rolled around like a cat marking its territory. “She knows you’ve been traveling, and I’d hazard a guess that she even knows that you have a sib, and maybe even that you had some problems with Ra. You’re a new queen, with a new nest, so you’re going to need some time to prepare for a visit, even via mirror magic. I say take your time. Completely ignoring her would be rude, but if we wait until tomorrow, I think that’s perfectly acceptable.”

“I agree, my queen,” Guillaume added. “If you had a prior relationship with her, then she might expect a quicker response. Or she could have specified her expectation in the note. She left it open for a reason, and Marne Ceresa has a reason for everything she does.”

Some of the tension eased in my shoulders and I took a deep breath. “Okay, good. I’ll worry about her tomorrow then.” I looked at Rik. “Do we need to ward these windows or set up any extra protections? I know it’s inside the nest, but all this glass still makes me leery.”

“The glass won’t be a problem.” His voice deepened to a low rumble that strummed deep inside me. “Though if you will rest better, we’ll salt the window sills.”

“No, that’s fine. As long as you’re not worried.”

“Not in the slightest. This nest is solid and secure. You selected well, my queen.”

I looked at my magnificent Blood one by one. Showing them my appreciation for their incredible physiques, I didn’t hide my rising desire. “Yes, I did select very well indeed.”

Rik tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. “Are you thinking the same thing I am?”

It was a rhetorical question, but sometimes it was nice to actually say things out loud rather than use the bond all the time. It was definitely more of a turn-on. “If you’re thinking that I should feed on Daire while Ezra shows me his hook, then yeah, we’re on the same page.”

Ezra growled roughly. “About fucking time.”