After Willow’s departure, I didn’t have much time to waste. I’d spent five days away from Blackwater trying to find a way for her to get home. I wasn’t supposed to be away for so long, but because I was, a lot of things have fallen behind.
Fortunately, Della handled everything around my home, as she always does, but the tavern is another story. Shipments have fallen behind because I wasn’t able to sign off on them, a group of people tried robbing one of the ruby warehouses, and Simpson has made the urgency about both very clear with all the contact he’s made to my transmitter. He expected me back days ago, but I didn’t foresee all the bumps in the road with the Rippies and Rami.
“It’s about damn time you showed up!” he shouts when I enter the tavern. It’s daylight, so not many people are in right now. Just the usual drunks slumped in the corners, sleeping in their own vomit. Paulina is taking down chairs and wiping down the tables.
“Get those people out of here, will you?” I demand.
“On it, but I need you to sign these first.” Simpson places a clean glass down and walks around the counter with a stack of papers. “It’s for the next shipment of gold and blue tonic, and essence elixir from Vanora. You know their queen won’t ship until it’s signed by you.”
I take the papers from him. “How is the warehouse holding up?”
“Remaining steady. A couple of fuckers tried stealing some of the rubies when they found out you’d left Blackwater, but we handled most of them.”
“Who were they?”
“Not sure. We didn’t ask for names, just beat the asses of the fuckers we caught and took the rubies back. One of them got away, but we’re finding out who he is.”
“Well, when you do, give me his name. I’ll deal with him myself. Paulina, send some tea to my office, please.”
“Yes, sir,” she calls.
I turn away, marching down the hallway that leads to my office. I unlock the door and step in, making my way to the desk. I sign the papers for Vanora first. The essence elixir is priority here. Without it, many people wouldn’t be alive. They don’t like waiting to purchase their jugs either. If they do, they go mad and start fights, commit arson, and other ridiculous crimes.
My office door creaks open, and Paulina trots in with a silver tray. She places it on my desk, then pours tea for me into a black teacup. With a smile, she goes, closing the door behind her.
I sip my tea, light a bloom, and begin signing the rest of the papers.
I spent as much effort as I possibly could blocking out Willow’s thoughts. It was hard, especially when I heard her talking to Killian. I couldn’t bear hearing her thoughts when she finally left. I forced myself to stop tuning in, but I could feel her pain, her worry…her heartache. Even now, it continues to gnaw at me. I can’t understand why she cares so much about me. I’ve given her nothing to care for. I jeopardized her safety more than once in less than a week. She should be glad I’m not a permanence in her life.
A knock raps on the door. “What?” I call.
Maeve opens the door and trots inside, dressed head to toe in a red suit. Her hair is in pin curls, and a black hat is on her head, crammed with red feathers.
“She’s gone?” my aunt asks, walking deeper into the office.
“Yes.”
“Hmm.” She moves closer, sitting in the chair opposite of the desk. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.” I avoid her eyes, reading over another sheet of paper.
“You’ve never been a man of many words. Yet you wear your emotions all over your face.”
I finally lower my pen, giving her my attention, and she looks me in the eyes while crossing her legs.
“Are you here to annoy me about this like Juniper has?”
“As much as I’d love to do that, no, I’m not.” She pauses, concern on her face. “I heard about Rami.”
I lean back in my chair. “What of it?”
“There will be consequences, Caspian. People are already talking.”
“I’m well aware.”
“You knew not to kill Rami. You agreed with The Council that to keep as much peace as possible in Vakeeli, the monarchs are to be untouched.”
I pick the pen back up and hold it tight, going back to signing. “He drugged her.”
“I understand, but—”
I slam the pen down. “He was going to rape her, Maeve. If I hadn’t shot him, he’d have done it, or something much worse. And even if I did stop him by beating his fucking face in, he’d have found a way to get back at me for stopping him, probably through someone from my clan. He wanted a war but he took it too far this time.”
Maeve stares at me a moment, then turns her head, looking away. She digs into the leather handbag on her lap and pulls out a bloom. After she finds her lighter and sparks the tip, she pulls from it, then releases a chain of smoke.
“Did you tell The Council these details?”
“I did. And that his people kidnapped Juniper and Killian. They know I had motive—that I reacted out of defense.”
“And what did they say?”
“That I still have to pay a price for it.”
Her eyes widen, worried. “Did they say how?”
“Not yet.”
“For the love of Vakeeli, Caz.” She pulls from her bloom again, shaking her head. “You know what they do. They either kill you or they use your fears against—the thing that makes you feel weakest.”
“I have no fears.”
Maeve eyes me. “We all have fears.” Another pull from the bloom. ‘Well,” she sighs, uncrossing her legs and standing. “Despite the barbarity of it, I’m glad you did it. You saved her life, plus I’ve always hated Rami.” Maeve trots to the door but stops to look back at me. “Do you love her?”
I frown, my heart catching speed from her words. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“She was just a woman who needed to be returned home. She was my responsibility, and I handled it.”
“Yes, but you knew going into it that killing Rami could tarnish you, end your life even. I’m assuming she was worth that risk.” When I don’t say anything, Maeve smirks and leaves the office, and I shake my head, popping open the gray canister on my desktop and plucking out another bloom. I light the end and lean back in my chair, taking a long, hard pull.
“This family will be the death of me.”
