Page 7 of Beauty

I groan. “Sorry. I was thinking about her. Yes, I thinkthat’s the queen, and she’s not what we thought she would be. And the one namedKaja mentioned Dante. Gods, did Julian really bring Dante Dellacourt here?Shouldn’t he be in a strip club on the Vampire plane?”

“I think she heard you.” Lach nods toward the women.

The slim one is watching us with narrowed eyes. “Explainthis stripping club to me. I do not like the sound of it. It sounds like aplace my husband should stay far from.”

Queen Meg smiles. “It sounds like a place Dante more thanlikely used to frequent before he got married.”

“Bloody hell. Dante Dellacourt is married?” Duffy walks up,two big mugs of goblin whiskey steaming in his hands. The gnome belches a bit.“Is it one of the crazy women from the DL we all watched? That was fun. We madeit into a drinking game. Every time that idiot would say ‘hey, baby,’ we wouldall drink. I never been so drunk in all me life.”

I’m about to apologize when the queen’s laughter ringsthrough the hall. The goblin she was accosting runs like a demon is on hisheels. Queen Meg laughs it off. “We drank every time he took off his shirt orgot into a hot tub. I got pretty drunk myself. And yes, Dante Dellacourt took aconsort. This is Kaja Dellacourt. I would tread carefully, Your Highnesses.She’s a little bitter. We passed many an interesting creature on the road here,and her husband would let her feast on nothing.” She gets down on one knee. TheSeelie queen is dressed in informal clothes, but there is no doubt she’s aqueen. There’s an air of authority to the woman. But there’s also a pleasantsmile on her face. “Hello, wee one. What’s your name? I can make a guess as towho those two are, but I was unaware there were gnomes on this plane.”

Duffy steps forward. She got down to his level. It’s anunexpected sign of respect. I’m starting to like the Seelie queen. “Me name isDuffy, Your Highness. I was a foundling. Me mum left me on the road, and theUnseelie queen, rest her soul, took pity on me. She brought me to the palace,and I was raised here.”

“A third brother.” Queen Meg nods his way. “It is good tomeet you. I was wondering, Duffy, if you might have a bit more of thatdelicious brew?”

Duffy shoves that mug in the queen’s hand quicker than Iever saw him move before. He looks back at me, apologies on his small face.“Sorry, Shim. I meant that for you, but she’s prettier.”

Queen Meg winks at the gnome and then takes a shockinglylong drink of the goblin brew. “Thank god. We’ve been on the run. I haven’tbeen able to find any. Don’t worry, I’ll trade for it. Anyone here ever heardof cupcakes?”

The doors to the king’s room open, and a silence fallsacross the hall. King Fergus enters, followed by our cousin, Julian Lodge, aroyal vampire named Taggart who serves as Julian’s bodyguard, the Seelie kings,my father’s chief advisor, a vampire I don’t recognize, and the infamous DanteDellacourt.

None of them look happy, and it gives me a damn good idea ofwhat my place is. I was left outside of the meeting. I was left with the women.

Queen Meg gives me a wisp of a smile. “If it helps at all,we were a bit earlier than we expected. I don’t think your father intended toleave you out.”

But my father is overly protective. My father still thinkswe’re children, not thirty years old. I understand why. My father is stillwaiting for us to fade, to die because we refuse to take a bondmate. KingFergus of the Unseelie doesn’t believe it’s possible that his sons bonded witha woman on another plane. No one believes we bonded with Bronwyn Finn as shelay dying.

They certainly don’t believe that Lach and I were the onesto bring her back to life, giving a piece of our soul and half of Lach’s facein return.

“Father isn’t interested in our counsel.” I’m well aware ofthe bitter flavor to my words.

Lach stares at me. “Well, it doesn’t help when half of usgoes down to the beach and no one can find us.”

I knew I didn’t help things, but I wasn’t able to resist. Iwoke this morning and I felt sunshine on my face. I smiled because it’s a cloudyday here. But Bron can feel the sun, and I can feel her delight in it. I wassuffused with her unique energy as she ran through the fields.

I never get words, only images and feelings. But if Iconcentrate, if I go deep into myself and catch hold of the invisible threadthat is always there in my brain, I can see through her eyes. It’s how I knowmy sister is still alive.

My father doesn’t believe that either.

“I’ll tell you about the men you don’t recognize if you’llgive me the lowdown on your party,” the queen offers.

Kaja joins her queen, their closeness obvious. “I would liketo know their names as well.”

Lach reaches down and grabs the mug from Duffy’s hand,taking a drink before handing it back. Again, if the queen is shocked that mybrother would share with a gnome, she doesn’t show it. What did she calledDuffy? A third brother. The queen, it appears, might make an interesting ally.Lach catches my eye and gives me an almost imperceptible nod. He’s fine withsharing information.

“The man on my father’s right is named Maon. He’s been Da’sadvisor since long before we were born. He’s been arguing that we should go towar with Torin the Pretender since we got the news of the coup.”

“Torin the Pretender?” Lach chuckles gruffly. “More likeTorin the Fucking Asshole.”

Meg turns to Lach. “I rather like you.”

Lach shrugs. “Give it some time. I can probably change yourmind.”

“Well, at least I know which one is which. It’s nice to meetyou, Prince Lachlan.” She turns my way. “Prince Shim. Julian explained to ushow the two of you split. I was told you’re the sweet one, and he’s the bigball of insecurity.”

Lach’s jaw drops. “What?”

Kaja laughs. “He did not use such words, Meg. He spoke ofPrince Shim’s gentle soul and Prince Lach’s gruffness.”