My queen was many things. Gorgeous, powerful, sensual, a walking, breathing goddess incarnate.

But she was not a morning person.

Rik held her coffee cup beneath her nose but she still gave him a bleary look of exhaustion. “Whose stupid idea was it to be up so early for a meeting?”

He grinned at her and lifted the cup to her mouth. “Yours.”

Gina unzipped the traveling wardrobe that contained our queen’s clothing. “What image do you want to portray this morning?”

“That I’m not death warmed over.”

“Something business like? Or sultry? Innocent and sweet, or formidable?”

Shara groaned. “I don’t really care about fashion much. You pick. I’ll wear it.”

“Hmmm.” Gina surveyed the dresses of various lengths inside. “I take it you found something interesting last night, and you intend to put her feet to the fire.”

“You could say that.”

“So something formidable and powerful, but not terrifyingly so.”

She touched one of the dresses and wings fluttered in my mind. Not my raven’s, but my goddess’s.

Gina had already moved several dresses down, still looking for the right outfit. I stepped closer and pulled the one Morrigan had liked. At first glance, it was a somber dark green with long sleeves and a high waist that didn’t really scream Shara’s style, though it was pretty enough. Almost business like with a modest length that would hit below her knees and a full layered skirt that managed to look filmy without looking fragile or risque.

“This?”

I nodded. “Morrigan likes this one very much.”

“Then I’ll wear it,” Shara replied.

“High heels or something more comfortable?” Gina asked.

“Comfortable but formidable.”

Gina snorted. “Now that’s a tall order. Let’s see what we brought from Dallas. There were a few pairs that caught my eye and I’m sure we packed them, though they might still be in the jet.”

Shara knocked back half the cup of coffee, even though it was hot. “It’s not worth sending Angela up here for shoes. Whatever we have is fine.”

Gloriously naked and uncaring that we looked at her, she stood, her body like a Grecian statue. How could we not worship her with our eyes and our bodies and our mouths every chance she gave us? She was fucking gorgeous. A goddess in living breathing flesh. I brought the dress to her, expecting Rik to take over. Or Daire. He made himself useful like that quite often. But she turned around and held her arms up, waiting for me to drop the dress over her head.

I swallowed hard. Dressing my queen was such an intimate thing. Something a human man might do for his wife, a small way to take care of her. Intimate, because I would know what she wore beneath that dress. Or rather, what she didn’t. “Do you want a bra?”

Just saying it made my cheeks burn and Daire snickered beneath his breath.

She flashed a smile over her shoulder. “No. It’s too hot, and if I have to wear a fucking dress, I’m going to at least be comfortable.”

I slipped the gown over her head and helped her with the hook at the base of her neck. From the front, the dress was very conservative, but the back… It made me gulp, afraid she would be offended. Her entire back was bare, dipping deliciously low into a point that directed my gaze straight to the shadowed crevice at the top of her buttocks.

Rik narrowed a hard look on me. “We’ve already got the twins to deal with, and you select a racy dress like this?”

“It’s racy?” Shara peeked at the back in the mirror and her eyes widened. “Wow. Yeah. I can see why Morrigan liked it. It’s fine, Rik.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want those two idiots bothering you needlessly and all that skin…” His voice thickened, his eyes heating as he trailed a smoky look down her spine.

The dress was cut low enough that it was obvious that our queen wore nothing beneath it. No bra. No panties. Just sweet skin begging for a soft caress.

“We didn’t bring any green shoes along, but either of these black shoes will work.” Gina set two pairs of shoes out. One pair of simple flats with a bit of sparkle on the toes, and the other heels. “You said comfortable, so these heels aren’t too high. They shouldn’t be too much of a chore to walk in.”

Shara slipped her foot into one of each shoe and looked at herself in the mirror. “Yeah, the heels. I think I’ll be fine in them.”

“Jewelry.” Gina set a heavy case on the bed and opened it, both sides sweeping out to reveal a fortune in stones and gold neatly compartmentalized inside. “I’m thinking something unexpected and understated, like the front of the dress.”

Shara looked at me, her eyes glowing with soft emotion that made my throat ache. “Let Nevarre pick. What does Morrigan want with this dress?”

I held my hand out over the rings and necklaces and earrings, waiting until something made the fluttering noise inside my head again. I lifted out a heavy silver chain with an intricate twisted black wire tree medallion. Morrigan’s Grove. Of course. I slipped the chain around her neck and latched it for her. The tree hung perfectly in the center of her chest. Exactly where the large spiked thorn had punctured her.

Rik handed her the cup and she sat back down on the side of the mattress, both hands wrapped around the cup. "Now it's your turn."

"How dressy do you want us today?" Rik asked as we each headed to our bags.

The only suit jacket I'd brought was the fancy tailed one. I didn't care to wear it again, but I'd do what my queen asked of me.

Mehen opened up the wardrobe. "If you want us to dress in formal wear, we should ask Zaniyah if we can get a few things pressed."

"No formal wear. But I do want you all to look mean and formidable. Something in black. I don't care if it's jeans, but black head to toe." The she looked at me and smiled. "Except you, Nevarre."

"I have pants..."

She shook her head. "You know I love that kilt."

Daire gave me a dark look and tossed his hair back over his shoulder. He'd been pouting about my kilt ever since she called me the night she sealed the nest.

"You don't have the knees for it," I said to him.

He snorted and pulled some black jeans out of his bag. "I don't think it's your knees she's looking at."

I pulled on a plain black T-shirt with the kilt, thick socks, and my heaviest combat boots. The rest of Blood pulled on black jeans and similar shirts. Rik put on a pair of black cargo pants, but Mehen put on leather pants and a silky black shirt unbuttoned midway down. Daire laughed at him.

Until Shara slipped her hand inside Mehen's shirt and stroked the gleam of scales in his skin.

Someone tapped lightly at the door and Guillaume called, "It's a young woman to help with your makeup, my queen."

"Okay, let her in."

The young woman hesitated at the bedroom door, as if shocked to be allowed so deep into the queen's quarters. Her eyes widened as she looked around the room at all of us standing around our queen, still in protect mode even though we were dressing. Then she saw the blood splattered all over the sheets and a pink blush stole across her cheeks.

A minor sib, I decided. She knew what queen's blood meant. Especially on the bed.

"Your Majesty, I'd be honored to help you with hair and makeup, if you'd like."

"Of course, thank you."

Rik pulled a wooden chair out from the small desk in the corner for Shara to sit down in, and the woman set to work.

"A light touch, please. It's too hot for much make up. And something simple with my hair."

"Though it should be up," Gina added. "The back of the dress won't carry the same impact if it's half hidden by your hair."

Sitting there, Shara fidgeted a little as the woman brushed her hair. My queen wasn't used to having people take care of her. She smoothed the skirt and her eyes suddenly lit up. "Pockets! A dress with pockets!"

I shared a confused look with Daire, not sure what the big deal was. He went to a tattered, faded bag that no one had touched yet, and pulled out a small pocket knife that he slipped into his pants. :I'll carry your knife for you until she's gone: he whispered to her.

Her eyes welled up with tears. :Thank you.:

:Why is she sad?: I asked Daire softly, trying not to let her hear my words.

:She's not sad. She's touched that we still carry her bag for her and that I remembered she likes to have her knife on her. Even if she's wearing a dress.:

I looked at the faded bag, horrified that it was my queen's. It looked like something that'd been tossed in a corral with a flock of sheep for the winter. I'd known she wasn't raised in a nest, but I hadn't realized the extent to which she'd been deprived of a queen's lifestyle.

:With no idea of what she is, she survived alone, on the run, with no legacy or protection, for five years.:

Now it was my turn for my eyes to well up with tears. Two years ago, I'd lost my Brigid. I, too, had been alone and on the run in a way. Though I knew what I was, and had enough power to not starve or fear for my life, it'd still been a miserable existence.

That my queen had suffered so...

:Intolerable.: Rik growled softly in our bond.

And all the other Blood nodded with agreement.

We paused outside a bright sunny room while the young woman who'd done my hair stepped inside and spoke to her queen. "They're here, Your Majesty."

Mayte set a cup of tea down and stood, smiling, though I thought she looked tired. Probably as tired as I looked. I'd slept less in my life many times, but now that I was queen, I was tired all the time. I didn't know if it was the blood loss, or the battles, or everything combined.

:It's exhausting just carrying the amount of power that you have,: Rik said in our bond. :You don't realize the toll such immense power takes on you, even if you're not immediately using it. Plus, you've been under constant attack in one way or the other since you came into your power.:

I sighed. Yeah. Constant attacks definitely took their toll. I tipped my chin up a bit and put on a hopefully polite, but coolly reserved, face.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Mayte said, offering her hand. "I hope everything was to your satisfaction last night."

Her cheeks colored slightly, her eyes bright despite the shadows beneath them. She knew exactly how satisfied I'd been last night. "Thank you, yes, and good morning to you too, Your Majesty." I slipped my hand into hers, and again, felt a heat grow against my palm, like we clasped a warm, flat stone between our palms. "Do you feel that?"

"Yes," she whispered. "I felt it before too, but I thought it was the geas."

Braced for the heat to flare and blaze up my arm, I finally took a deep breath when nothing else happened. "I guess it's a queen touches queen thing."

She guided me to sit beside her so that we both looked out a large bay window, and Gina took a seat to my left. Mountains rose in the distance and horses grazed in the fields. Roses climbed around the windows, yellow, not black-red like the ones in my grove, but I still mentally flinched at the sight. I cast a quick look at her arms, bared by the short-sleeved pink dress she wore, but I didn't see any scars. Had the thorns pierced her like they'd done to me? Or did she just like flowers? I didn't feel like I knew her well enough to ask.

"I've never felt that before," Mayte admitted as she sat down. "Though I can't say that I've touched many queens before, either."

Her hair was pulled to the side and plaited loosely in a fat, thick braid. The pink dress was soft and flowy and frilly, extremely feminine, and not something I could pull off. On her, though, it looked beautiful, highlighting the dusky brown tones in her lovely complexion.

Her alpha had his back to the wall, standing a foot from her chair, his hands casually jammed in his pockets. But he watched carefully as my Blood positioned themselves nearby. Rik on my left, though he stood, too. Guillaume and Mehen stood in the doorway, and the rest of my Blood took up defensive positions down the hall, guarding the other entrances. I didn't see any of her other Blood, or her brothers, thank goddess. Though Rik's bond shimmered with eagerness. He'd love a good fight, a reason to shift into his rock troll and thump some heads.

"Have you met many queens?" I asked as she poured some ice water for me.

"When I was a child, Grandmama had many informal dinners and parties here, though she was careful never to draw the Triune's notice. Keisha Skye even came here once when she was barely more than a fledgling. Many queens we used to know even a hundred years ago are long gone now. Would you like more coffee? And please, help yourself. I wasn't sure what foods you liked. I'm not much of a breakfast eater myself."

"Yes, please." She lifted a carafe and Daire suddenly slipped up beside me to take it from her. He poured fresh cups of coffee for me and Gina, and added cream to my cup while Rik filled a plate for me. Despite it being an informal breakfast, Mayte had selected white china with a frilly silvered edge and soft pink rose border. My water glass was heavy, making me think it was real crystal. The linen table cloth was also a dusky rose pink.

Note to self. Mayte's favorite color was pink.

:What is your favorite color?: Rik asked with a rumble.

:I like all colors.:

He made a soft sound as he set my plate before me. Mostly fruit, with some kind of tart. I broke off a small piece to taste. Crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and lightly sweet like a bowl of oatmeal cooked into a cake. Delicious.

"So where are your other Blood today?" I asked Mayte, nibbling another piece of the cake.

She laughed softly. "They're occupied with keeping my brothers out of your hair until we can meet this morning. I have to admit, they put up quite a fuss last night."

I widened my eyes and quirked my lips. "It's taking four Blood to keep your brothers in line?"

"No, not four..." She hesitated and flicked a quick glance up at my face. "They've waited a long time for a queen. They don't mean to be rude."

"I find it very rude." I sank my teeth into a huge ripe strawberry, watching her reaction.

"Oh." Mayte wrung her hands in her lap, dropping her gaze to her plate. "I'm terribly sorry."

"For which part?" I kept my voice light as I finished the strawberry. "That your brothers want me only because they've had to wait so very long? Or that you didn't respect me enough to warn me before I tried crossing into your nest at your invitation? Or that you have a fifth Blood you neglected to mention?"

"I already apologized about the geas." Her head jerked up, her voice sharpening. "And I don't--"

"Don't compound the insult by lying to me."

She sucked in a deep breath, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. "So one of your Blood was sniffing around my nest last night."

She managed to sound insulted, despite being caught in a lie. "After the way I was welcomed into a vicious trap, do you honestly think I would sit quietly in my room and not send my Blood out to see if you were hiding anything else?"

Defiant, she stared at me a moment, but then her shoulders slumped. "He said he felt something, but when he investigated, all he found was a faint wolf print at the outside door."

I didn't say anything, choosing instead to continue eating. Sometimes silence was the best way to demand an explanation.

"I've made a mess of this," she finally said with a rueful smile. "All my grand and careful plans thrown to the wayside."

"I haven't done this queen thing very long." I set my napkin aside and took a sip of water before continuing. "But it's common sense that if you're wanting to make someone your ally, it's not going to go well if she's mislead from the very first step."

"I know. I'm sorry. I have a very good excuse, I promise you. The only reason I haven't been completely forthcoming is because of what's at stake. I need your help very much. In fact, after meeting you, I can easily say that no one else will be able to help me like you can. I need your help, Shara. I formally ask for Isador's protection and will offer throat at your convenience."

I hesitated, tipping my head to the side as I studied her. She met my gaze, her eyes resigned, yes, but also fiercely determined. "What's at stake?" I asked softly. "Who are you protecting?"

"Come. I'll show you."