78: Things that go Bump in the Night

Quincy St. Martin

Shiny golden hair in a perfect updo, exposing those high cheekbones and narrow jaw. Cold green eyes appraising me from across the room.

She looks more like Caspian’s older sister than his mother. Queen Sophia is beautiful. There’s no doubt about that. I can see where Caspian got his looks.

I got a warmer response from King Alexandros than from his wife when I was introduced to them a few minutes ago.

King Alexandros is tall and handsome with dark hair and golden-brown eyes.

I can see Caspian in the chiseled jaw, the imposing height, the wide breadth of his shoulders, and the upward curve of his lips when he smiles.

Right now there is a slight dispute over the seating arrangements at the dinner table.

Apparently, Caspian is to be seated next to his father and Lady Celeste is to sit next to him.

I’m supposed to sit at the very end of the table right next to a gentleman, royalty, Caspian’s second cousin twice removed or something like that, whose name I don’t remember.

True to his nature, Prince Caspian does what Prince Caspian wants. He never lets go of my hand.

He takes the seat next to me where the other man was supposed to sit.

The man, whose name I can’t remember for the life of me, shuffles his feet. He looks left and right for another available seat and, finally, hesitantly, sits next to the king.

Poor man, he hunkers down as if he’s trying to make himself invisible. His face looks green as if he’s going to be sick at any moment. Well, I’m glad I’m not sitting next to him.

Caspian gives my hand a squeeze, and I sit up straight, tipping my chin up. Queen Sophia is trying to show me my place by putting me at this end of the table.

I will not bend to anybody. My Nana didn’t raise a coward. I look everyone in the eye. Proud and defiant.

The queen’s lips thin as she burns us with her stare. Everyone at the table seems uneasy except for my lycan family. Even Lady Celeste is oddly quiet. I catch Constantine smirking, while Lazarus seems oddly proud. Darius is as unmoved as usual, but I know, without a doubt, that he has my back.

Genesis, as a princess, since she’s married to Prince Constantine, is sitting close to the queen.

She’s trying hard to look serious, though she furtively flashed me a tiny smile earlier like a mental high-five. A soft little smile plays on Serena’s lips.

Penny, for the first time, seems timid, but there’s a wicked gleam in her eyes. She confided in me just yesterday that Queen Sophia intimidates her. Penny feels her dominance as a queen. Strong and overwhelming.

Me? I don’t feel anything.

When Queen Sophia raises a delicate eyebrow our way, I wonder if she’s using her power of dominance on me. Well, she needn’t bother. I’m so insensitive, as blind as a bat to anyone’s energy. Nobody’s power is dominating me in any way. Not even King Alexandros’s.

It’s a silent struggle of power, right at this grand royal dining table. At least I’m aware of that.

The room is beautiful beyond anything I’ve ever seen in my life. The whole palace is. Richness and wealth everywhere I look.

I’ve no doubt the food is delicious, prepared by the best chef the world can offer. But they could’ve served us a cardboard box for all I can tell.

The conversation around the room is subdued. The level of hostility is so high that everything I put into my mouth tastes like dust. I’m glad both my cousins are not at this table. I bet they’re having a better time in the guests’ quarters.

I don’t remember how many courses came and went. I might not feel anything, but still, I feel depleted toward the end. I feel so tired. I feel like I’ve fought so many battles just sitting at this table.

If not for Caspian giving me strength with his presence and his hand on my thigh or tangled fingers underneath the table, I’d have deflated by the third or fourth course. Caspian told me before that his parents tend to be lax with the protocol during informal dinners, but we still have to be on time and shouldn’t leave the table before the king and the queen.

It seems to take forever for them to finish dinner.

I feel like jumping up and dancing on the table when King Alexandros stands up. He nods to Caspian and a few others at the table.

“I will see you gentlemen in my office soon,” he says.

Queen Sophia, who’s standing beside him, announces, “You will stay in the Gordovina Room in the west wing where the guests reside. The guards will escort you there.”

My head snaps up when I realize that Queen Sophia was addressing that statement to me.

“No, she will stay with me,” growls Caspian. “And she will not be taken anywhere like a criminal.”

The queen narrows her eyes before she starts to spew words in Russian through gritted teeth.

I have no clue what she’s saying, but I catch Lady Celeste’s name being mentioned and her fingers jab my direction once or twice. With each word, the heat in my chest increases.

“Enough, Mother!” yells my mate, getting to his feet.

“I will not be disrespected like this!” she hisses back. “You will do as I say!”

“I will not. I will not have my mate be disrespected in any way,” Caspian returns.

His body is leaning forward like he’s ready for a fight, and his hands are bracing the table. My chest is blazing red-hot from his fury. His eyes are turning black.

He’s losing his control fast. This dinner is going from bad to worse.

Constantine tips his head while fixing his stare on me. I stand up and immediately cup Caspian’s face in my hands, bringing it down to me.

“Come with me,” I tell him as I look into his cold black eyes.

I don’t expect him to do as I ask him so easily, but when I grab his hands in mine and tug him out the door, he comes with me without a word.

I cup his face with my hands once again as soon as we’re out in the hallway and the doors are closed behind us. His glittering black eyes are like an empty black abyss, staring back at me. Fierce and intense.

Serena warned me that Caspian and Queen Sophia can’t be in the same room for too long. Caspian has a deep resentment toward his mother. Indeed, he’s different in his mother’s presence. He’s not his playful, annoying self when she’s around. I didn’t realize how easily he could lose his control with her.

I stroke his beautiful face, and he closes his eyes. I kiss his cheeks, his eyelids, his forehead, and back to his cheek. When his eyelids flutter open again, inhumanly vivid green eyes gaze back at me.

“Quincy,” he breathes, nuzzling the tip of his nose along my cheek.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m here,” I tell him. We stay like that for a bit longer. “Listen, let me stay in that room, wherever that is. We can do this. I don’t mind.”

“But I mind. I want you where I can see you. I want you where I can keep you safe.”

“I’ll be safe. There are guards everywhere,” I reason.

“No,” he says.

“We pick our battles. It’s okay if we give this one up but win the one that counts,” I tell him.

“Besides, some easy, quiet time by myself without your annoying self would do me good.” I give him a teasing grin.

He sighs and presses his forehead to mine. A tiny smile touches his lips briefly.

“Just for tonight. You’ll be there just for tonight. I have a meeting anyway. I’ll be in my father’s office with our men probably all night. Tomorrow morning, I’m coming for you. Tomorrow night and the nights after that, you’re sleeping in my bed. You belong next to me.”

I nod.

“I’m going to have my own guard at your door. My very best and most trusted. I don’t trust anyone here.”