“It is in my immortal life, my dear,” Cyrus says, flashing her a daring smile and taking a tiny little bow.
“We’ve done our best since,” Charles offers with a smile of his own.
This all seems so fake, all for show. And it’s making me want to crawl out of my own skin.
“I am sorry to hear about your poor mother,” I say, ending the joking and banter.
“Oh, don’t be,” Charles says with a little flick of his wrist. “It was Chelsea that killed her. Our mother was nothing more than a womb and an educator. She served her purpose.”
Well, that’s horrifying. “Ah,” I say instead, as if it doesn’t truly unsettle me. I would give anything to have even just one more day with my own mother, and these two threw theirs away as if she was nothing.
“It only took us three days to determine Chelsea here was not Sevan,” Cyrus says. His smile grows thin lipped.
“I was far too murderous to possibly be Sevan,” she laughs.
“I see,” I say, raising an eyebrow and chuckling falsely along with them. “And here we are, more than two weeks post-Resurrection, and Cyrus and I are still figuring things out.” I cling to Cyrus’ side, wrapping my hands around his bicep and looking up into his eyes lovingly.
The reaction his body has to my game is instant. The look in his eyes grows hungry. His body twitches with desire. He leans into me closer.
“Oo,” Chelsea coos. “This certainly looks like it has great potential.”
“It certainly looks that way,” I say, letting a smile take over my face as I look back at her. “Doesn’t it?”
“Some chardonnay for any of you?”
A platter suddenly appears between our small group, loaded with thin fluted glasses filled with sparkling liquid. I look up to see Rath. He’s staring at me with something sharp like disapproval in his eyes.
“Thank you!” Chelsea coos in delight as she takes a glass. She downs it in one gulp before taking another, just as Charles does, as well.
“Your majesty?” Rath asks, his tone dropping lower. Cyrus takes a glass, studying Rath as he does. I decline the drink.
“Thank you.” Cyrus takes one sip, eying Rath as he dismisses himself. “Chelsea, Charles, if you will give Alivia and me a few moments? We will join you again shortly.”
“Of course,” Charles says, dipping his head and dragging his sister away.
What a spastic pair.
“They seem…interesting,” I say as I watch them make their way back into the crowd.
“They’re both idiots,” Cyrus says as his eyes also follow them. “But there is no one yet in their line to replace them. And Charles won’t be producing any offspring anytime soon to pass the royal blood down to, if you know what I mean.”
And I do. It’s obvious Charles prefers the company of males. Even now, his hand is on Samuel’s arm, and he laughs hysterically. Samuel looks ready to bolt.
“Come with me,” Cyrus says. He gently takes my hand in his, and we slowly work our way through the crowd, across the ballroom. He opens the door to the veranda and we step outside into the dark and cold.
“Have you experienced anything else?” Cyrus asks as he sets his glass on a snow covered side table. “In the past, once Sevan began to remember things, it started coming back more and more quickly.”
I bring my hands up, lacing my fingers behind Cyrus’ neck. I bring our faces close together. His breath warms my chest. “Be patient with me, my King,” I say quietly. “Remembering multiple lifetimes will take time.”
“Of course,” he says. His hands come up to caress my back, pulling me closer. His lips hover so close. I’m sure he’s going to kiss me.
But he only presses his lips to my cheek, before stepping away, grabbing on of my hands, and standing on the edge of the veranda. He looks out into the darkness. Over the empty pool. Over the tiny graveyard. Over the river. “It’s quite a full house you have right now.”
“It is indeed,” I agree, breathless. My heart hammers in wicked anticipation, and is suddenly let down because he didn’t take my bait. And I’m realizing just how sick I’ve become. “I admit it makes me afraid for Rath. Should someone mistake him for one of the feeders.”
“Oh, I very much doubt that will happen.” He says it without looking at me. The breath billows out of him in a huge white cloud. “He’s such a unique being. I’ve never met another like him.”
My heart skips a beat and I turn to face Cyrus, pulling him to face me. “What do you mean?” I ask, my voice bordering on desperate. “Do you know what Rath is?”