Mal smiled with full charm. So good at the game.
“I’ll give you time to choose correctly,” he replied. “I have plenty of time to ensure things are. . .unveiled.” He looked back down at Maxius. “Practice what I showed you earlier in the meantime.”
In the meantime, as if he knew she’d relent. Or that he’d eventually force her. She didn’t know which she hated more. Maxius nodded.
Mal stood and grabbed his traveling cloak. “See to the complaints from Vaukore, Abraxas. Give them whatever they need.”
Vaukore. Magic pressed against her mind, distant and foggy from her time there. Gaps. There were too many gaps.
“Whatever they need?” asked Abraxas with a laugh. “Larliesl will claim the entire dueling hall needs remodeling.”
“Then see it done,” said Mal, heading out of the room. “Vaukore is our Realm to oversee. Mine to rule. Yours to manage.”
He didn’t wait for Abraxas to reply again as he left them, though it appeared Abraxas, as he picked up Lyrux and settled him against his side, had nothing more to say to his Prince.
Maxius signed,Breakfast?
Maeve nodded, and he slid past her out of the room. Maeve ran her hands over her face and said, “Shut up, Brax,” from behind her palms. She turned on her heel and followed Maxius to the kitchen. Abraxas wasn’t far behind her.
“I prepared some fruit,” said Zimsy, turning away from the stove as they entered the kitchen. “It’s already on the table.” She nodded her head towards the breakfast room.
“I’ll make some pancakes,” said Maeve.
Maxius shook his head with large eyes as Zimsy said, “No,” with a laugh. Maxius smiled up at Zimsy and signed,She burned them the past three times.
“I know,” said Zimsy grimly.
“I can see and hear you both,” said Maeve, reaching for a teacup on a brass hook but finding it hard to argue as she had, in fact, burned the pancakes the past three times.
She pulled open the drawer of tea bags and found it empty. Warmth slammed into her side as Maxius wrapped his arms around her. She looked down at him with a soft smile.
He was so clearly Mal’s child that the thought choked her.
Acceptance slid through her like a shockwave.
How, how, how?
She kept her composure and ran her fingers through his dark hair. He released his hold and signed,But you make the best tea.
She ran her thumb along his cheek. “Would you like some?” she asked, masking the fear that swarmed her. The fear of the unknown. The ever-presentwhy?
He nodded, and then Zimsy pulled his attention away. “Maxius, will you carry this tray to the table?”
Maeve watched as he helped her at once, his face scrunching slightly as Lyrux attempted to assist, but nearly toppled them both over. Abraxas followed Maeve into the pantry, hot on her heels. She pulled open the cabinet where the box of tea was stored.
“What, and I cannot possibly express this enough,” began Abraxas, “the hell was that?”
“Oh,” laughed Maeve, the sound bordering on hysteria. “I’m sorry. I thought the Hand kneweverything.”
“Oh, he does,” he assured her with a nod, his tone taunting. “He sees quite well, cousin. He just saw his Prince flirting with his cousin,” he hissed quietly.
“No, he wasn’t,” she assured him darkly. “He’s playing with me.”
Abraxas laughed and muttered. “I think for Mal, they are the same.”
“I’m glad this is so amusing to you,” she said, shaking her head.
“Oh, it absolutely is,” he assured her.
