Page 74 of Dewpoint
Still, we both agreedeverythinggot new codes, top to bottom, and we were putting in more keypad access besides onthe libraries. Over and over people were making it clear that they couldn’t be trusted and there was too much of value at the castle.
Which was also why I’d made sure Michele asked everyone about stealing and more. The staff? The cliché ofmaidshaving sticky fingers?
Not a one. All clean and understanding when we asked but sad it was needed. More than fair.
Yeah, dirty guards getting it at the request of elders or one very,verygreed Alpha Mate who really just hated my mother for no apparent reason. That was going to be a fun phone call, especially when her son was in my mating pool.
Awesome. Always so much fun.
My father’s siblings took the lead and made it clear that in doing an audit, which I’d wisely ordered, they’d found items missing and were dragging back the advisors and aides of my parents who ran for the door after they died. They were entrusted with a lot and no one was above suspicion of bad behavior anymore after the way the elders had acted.
And their proof was releasing the footage of the destroyed rooms the elders had resided in. Along with the detailed list for repairs and restoration.
That was another media crazy I’d basically sat down with wine and snacks to watch.
Fraser also talked to Benson about how to handle ideas and suggestions going forward. He couldn’t just shut everyone down or brush them off. Make a slot available one day a week to listen to them and concerns and it was things to be discussed later.
To his credit, Benson agreed and took the chastising like he should have. Explaining everything had been in survival mode or just—it hadn’t been the time for anything besides keeping me alive and doing the best we could.
And again… Fair.
In a painful—but useful turn—more and more of Kole’s affairs were stepping forward to go on the record that he was trash. Lies that we led separate lives and it was all political with understandings while telling his “friends” that I was completely in love with him and would do whatever he wanted when he ruled behind the throne basically.
Vex had tried to talk to me, probably to see what could be done to curb it all, but my only response was he should rethink having an Alpha Heir that was so blatantly stupid with his lies. Abusive narcissists always unraveled and not to bring Kole in my sight until further notice or I would not control my dragon.
That was after thefifteenthwoman went on the record.
Fifteen.
Yeah, my dragons wanted him broken in the ground.
The public really did react well to my moves working on our alliances with Bodach and Protesia who shared our borders. Sure, they gave more credit to the kings for their humble gestures of having representatives at my parents’ funeral when there had been only tension.
But… At least I was smart and not a foolish girl for accepting and moving forward, right?
Gag me. It was hard to watch when it was all my doing. Still, as even June reminded me, it was changing the shift in how people felt and talked about me.
So the lowest, bottom-hanging fruit of compliments ever.
Cool.
Aunt Maple’s popularitysoaredafter her press conference with Belinda and people found out that she was behind the ancient’s presence. They told the story that I asked for seasoned,trustedcounsel as a young ruler should but only had snakes around her.
But everyone wrote Maple off as the flaky youngest sister of Rhys and only a pretty face. So the fact she was at the center ofexecuting something so perfect others didn’t even think of really made them see her in a new light.
Shewas upset because the point she’d wanted to make was that I hadn’t been frivolous and learning underwater basket weaving on my summer breaks, but instead training with ancients… Even if really only with Belinda. I wasn’t though. Good vibes and press for the royal family right now were good forall of us.
Especially a female one.
Others agreed and that helped her settle with the topic.
The “problem” was that two of my cousins saw the change in opinions and wanted to not be seen as just pretty female royals anymore either. They brought up studying abroad as I had and supporting me that way, plus just pushing the women of Thovudin forward.
Great. Really.
Except one wasn’t bright. Luckily, she even admitted that. She knew she wasn’t studious. The idea could still work if we were careful. It did give me hope for my family though, so that was nice.
Butttttttpeople were not letting go of my “assets” and just—all the fucking petty. It was pissing me off beyond belief and my eye wouldn’t stop twitching, so when the Alphas pushed for a meeting to discuss what the high priest did and to get on the same page to the media about the contest, I had one demand… I wanted who took the picture.
