Page 105 of One Shattered Crown
His slight growl tells me he doesn’t like that.
“The future is years away,” I note.
“Maybe,” he says. “But we’re at peace right now. Or at least I thought we were.”
I scrub a hand through my hair. “You’re going to have to be clearer than that, and don’t speak Russian.” I add a Gaelic insult on the end, just to have some fun.
“I don’t speak Gaelic,” Alexei snaps.
He’s been cranky since somebody tried to blow up his homestead.
“What’s going on, Alexei?” I ask, keeping my temper.
“I’ve got you and one of your men on video close to my place when the rocket was launched.”
I rock back. “Bullshit. That can be faked.”
“Doesn’t look fake,” he returns. “Was it you?”
Is he messing with me? “You know it wasn’t.”
“I don’t know that.”
I don’t have time for this. “Fair enough. What do you want from me?”
“You come show me how this is fake and I’ll let it go. If not, expect a bomb coming your way, and I’m talking the entire Malice Media infrastructure.”
I wince. I really don’t want Malice Media blown up while Thorn’s on his honeymoon. “Fine. If your computergurus can’t figure it out, mine can. Meet at my corporate headquarters.”
“Oh no. Mine,” he retorts. “You come to Hologrid Hub.”
“My computer guy is the best, and he works from Malice. He knows the system. I give you my word that you’ll be safe.”
Lightning zaps close to the tree line. “Fine, but I’m bringing firepower,” Alexei says. “I’ll be there in an hour.” He clicks off.
God. Russians are cranky.
The door opens and I hear movement as Ella steps outside, wrapped in the comforter. I glance up. She’s beautiful in the morning light, her eyes the color of sapphires, her hair wild and mussed around her shoulders. She looks more pixie than ever, and I’m hit by the raw need to protect her, to keep her safe.
She hesitates, then walks over and flops into my lap. I catch her and hold her close.
“Good morning.” I kiss her, going deep.
She kisses me back, sinking into my chest. “All right, now you need to talk,” she murmurs, sleepy.
I’m not much of a talker. Even so, her voice smooths over my skin like a balm.
“Tell me about your mom,” she says.
I automatically lapse into Gaelic, then catch myself. “Sorry. She was beautiful, kind, smart, and fun.” I tighten my arms around Ella. “You would’ve liked her. She treated Thorn like he was hers too, and he loved her as much as I did. She created the best games for us all to play.”
I pause, trying to remember the good parts of mychildhood. Our father didn’t like us much—he was pretty much a bastard—but my mother, his second wife, made life enjoyable. “She brought brightness. Her voice was sweet and soothing. It could heal. Different from yours, but still kind.”
Ella caresses down my neck. “I’ve been thinking about how my voice eases you. If you look at my energy as citrine, and yours as obsidian and garnet, I’m kind of light to your dark. I think it’s possible that you and I exchange energy as well, and mine is healing to you.”
That’s sweet and makes sense. “What’s mine to you?”
Pink blooms across her face. “Irritating.”
