“A few times a week. Sometimes less. Sometimes more.” His eyes narrowed a bit on the others now. “Depending on how the world turns.”
Ah. “Maybe it’s a good thing I’m going to be Queen.” Keep the damn peace as much as I could.
His head cocked, and he instantly stared off to the side.
Immediately following this…I felt a vibration…on the tether connecting us. “What is that?” I shivered at the odd sensation. Stalled. My eyes flew wide, and I damn near started hyperventilating. “It’s not happening now, is it?” My voice was piercing. “No, no, no, no. I haven’t even had time,” my hands were shooting out the blanket, fluttering about, “to process any of this! It cannot be happening-”
“Shh. Calm down,” Leric murmured in my mind. “It’s just my mom. She’s talking to me.”
“Oh.” I cleared my throat, my cheeks flushing a bit as most everyone in the room stared at my overtly faint-hearted reaction to something unseen, or felt, by them. “Right.” I nodded once. “Tell her I said hi. And the next time I’m at the Temple we have a date for French silk pie.”
Leric’s lips trembled a bit, even as he stared off at nothing, then he breathed a puff of air, stars twinkling, then instantly disappearing, his gaze coming back to me. “She’ll hold you to that.”
My stomach growled. “I hope so. That’s the best damn pie I ever had.”
King Collins appeared a bit wide-eyed, but he cleared his throat again.
I blinked…and couldn’t think of a damn thing to ask after that. “I think that’s all I’ve got for now, but the others,” a waved hand at the room, “may have questions, if you’re able to answer.”
As one…every single person started speaking over each other.
They shut up, all at once, glaring at one another silently.
Bless Leric, his lips didn’t even tremble, just continued sitting easily on the ground, watching me.
I cleared my throat pointedly. “How about we go in turns. King Collins?” My King took a deep breath in, expression banking on fascinated…and I interrupted, stating clearly, “One question at a time, then we’ll swing it to the next person.”
His eyes narrowed the barest bit. He paused in apparent thought, probably, coming up with his most desired question. Bounced his leg a bit, then blurted on a rush, “Does the Chosen mean she can choose to allow certain Mysticals of other factions into the Temple?”
My lips couldn’t help but tremble in amusement, even as Leric only answered solemnly in code, “That would be a bad assumption, King Collins.” His head cocked, eyes flicking to me, and I saw a bit of mischievousness in them before they turned to my King. “But…the One and the Chosen have the right of entry for any Lajak to the Temple in concerns of protection for themselves.”
Even I stared. “Really?”
His lips curved a bit cruelly. “Again, in regards to protection for themselves.” White brows lifted simply. “After all, our protection is monumental to all.”
Ohhh. “God, I could have so much fun with this.”
“My turn,” Queen Ruckler interjected, uncharacteristically bouncing a bit on her seat. “So, to clarify,” hands fluttered, “if Ms. Jules felt the need for a guard,” brows puckered, “a Lajak, I believe you said…she could pick…say,” a quick finger point to herself, “me, and then, I could go to the Temple?”
I placed a quick fist in front of my mouth, trying not to laugh my ass off, watching the normally staid Queen Bitch avidly giving begging and pleading eyes to Leric.
Leric answered her evenly somehow. “Yes, after she gave you,” his head teetered, “a breath of air, which I believe a few in this room already have.” Ah, my protection. “But, there are restrictions. She can only have eight Lajaks. They have to enter with her or die instantly at the entrance. They will be bound to never communicate of what they encounter because our secrecy is not bound inside the Temple, our sanctuary for free living and speech. It is a lifetime obligation, only taken away by the One or the Chosen, if they feel the Lajak is unfit. The rest of our guard, as you know, are named Guardians, therefore, spirit Elementals.”
Damn…there was practically a shuddering in the air of barely contained challenge as they eyed one another.
I lifted a little finger. “You do realize…you would be under my direct command at the Temple? No King or Queen or Elder to my Prodigy hierarchy. I would be your sole responsibility to keep alive?” A point at my chest. “Me, the boss.” Finger flicked to them. “You, the guards.”
And…boom.
Roles reversed.
Leric grinned, chuckling quietly in my mind. “Yes, my Chosen, I do believe you could have fun with this.” Brows lifted knowledgably. “But, remember, once you’re back here it all changes to their favor.”
“Hush,” I mumbled through our connection. “Let me have a little fun with this before reality crashes it.”
“Shit,” Queen Ruckler muttered, apparently not caring about me being the boss, nibbling on her nails. “There are really only seven positions up for the taking, not eight.”
Elder Jacobs instantly pointed a finger to Leric. “He said there were eight. How the hell are you coming up with seven?” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t think you automatically get a place as a Lajak, do you?” His finger jammed in my direction, still glaring at her. “She doesn’t even like you.”
“Hey now,” I mumbled quickly. “I never said that. I actually admire the bitch she is.” My eyes flared wide in shock, realizing what I had just said, gaze darting to her. “That was meant respectfully, of course.” I flicked a finger between the two of us as she glared a bit. “I actually think we have a lot in common.”
She snorted, then went back to nibbling on her nail. “How will you decide?”
“Without outside interference,” I stated honestly and with steel behind my tone. “But, you were right. There are only seven positions available.”
Yellow eyebrows snapped together, and Elder Jacobs asked, “Why seven?”
Elder Merrick grunted, resituating himself on the couch, and I firmly tried to keep my gaze off him as he ran a hand through his curls, the movement jerky, his tone growly irritated. “Have you not been paying any damn attention?” Another grunt. “Sin…Sin takes the first spot.”
My lips curved a bit. Of course, he did. It was always Sin.
“Speaking of Sin…” King Zeller murmured, his head cocking oddly.
Silver eyes pierced mine, grabbing my attention, speaking in my mind. “If he’s allowed access to the Temple…”
Ah…the reason I had forsaken the Temple in the first place. I pushed through our connection. “This is my home, Leric.”
His lips lifted a bit sadly. “I had to try.”
“I know.”
Another irked growl from Elder Merrick. “Most consider it rude for two mates to use their mate gift while in the middle of a conversation with others.” His wolf huffed quietly, and then he growled, “It’s considered poor etiquette, especially, done as obviously as you two are.”