Bring the Heat

“Aggie, we can’t blame them for everything. Just most things.”

Arms around each other’s waists, the twins returned to the throne room, where Kachka Shestakova now stood, a dead and extremely large boar with one arrow through its head hanging around her neck.

“It was right outside,” she explained. “Where are kitchens? Or should I butcher it here in this giant room?”

Aggie cleared her throat and pointed. “Down that hall and to the left.”

Kachka Shestakova walked away, a hearty trail of boar’s blood following her.

“Well, brother, I have only one thing to say about that barbarian woman.”

“Which is?”

“She is magnificent.”

Gaius’s wide grin returned. “Isn’t she? And the best part—”

“—she will irritate poor Aunt Lætitia to within an inch of her life.”

“She will,” Gaius promised. “And Kachka will enjoy every minute of it.”