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“No, Grandmother, you were right the first time. She’s having the kraken’s babies.” Fiona points at Cas, who is still in half form, but I don’t think the older woman paid any attention to who walked in. Now her gaze moves from me and Eric to the two men standing behind me. She wrinkles her nose when she looks at Caspian, and I feel the urge to rip her throat out. I take a step toward her, but Eric puts his hand on me in a vise-like grip.
“Settle, Lila,” he says under his breath.
I watch as she dismisses him as unimportant. “Well, that is unfortunate. I guess good taste doesn’t necessarily carry over in genes.” She then turns her gaze to Xavier, and I watch with pleasure as she visibly pales.
“Vivian, may I introduce you to two of Lila’s mates? Caspian Nemo, whose parents run the suva trade on Fluxx, and Xavier Colest, the—” William doesn’t get a chance to finish.
“Warlock crown prince,” Vivian finishes for him, swallowing loudly, and I smile at her fear.
I’m sure it is intoxicating, and I hope Xavier is sucking it down like shots at happy hour.
She manages to get her fear under control and smile brightly at him. “It’s my pleasure to meet you.”
He stays shrouded in mist and doesn’t acknowledge her. I decide he needs an extra special blow job when we are done. How dare she treat Cas like that? My kraken wants to shift and bite her fucking head off.
“And, of course, our granddaughter Lila. We were so thankful when we returned to Earth and were informed that she had been found. Lila, this is your grandmother’s sister, Vivian. She is Fiona and Phillip’s grandmother, and she is on the Skarrian council.”
She stands up and hurries over to me, all signs of disgust gone now. “Lila, I can’t tell you how happy we were to hear you’d been found.” She gathers me up in a hug, and a waft of cloying, stomach rolling perfume settles around us.
It’s all I can do to clamp my lips shut and not vomit down her back. Her hug is cold and fake and nothing like the ones I received from Mira and Murphy when I met them.
“The boys have been without any family except for my Phil and Fi for years now. I was just saying that surely it’s time they stopped grieving my sister and moved on to form another bond. It’s not right for a Skarrian to be alone.”
She pulls away and returns to her seat. I also move in the hope that I can find an escape from that cloud of perfume. I take a seat at the far end of the couch after giving William a kiss on the cheek, then I pat the couch for Cas and Xavier to join me.
“I think I’m going to go and get our luggage sorted.” Cas backs out of the room, looking a little down.
“I’m going to give him a hand,” Xavier says out loud before adding,Because if I don’t, I may just kill your grandpas’ sister-in-law, and I’m not sure that’s the most appropriate gift from a future grandson-in-law.Those words are in my head, and I have to keep a creepy grin off my face as I reply.
Oh, I don’t know, I have a feeling it’s something that would be cherished.
Call for me if you have need, and I will be here within moments.His reply echoes as his body dissolves without a goodbye.
“Hmph. That was rude. Gone without even a goodbye,” Vivian sneers. “That’s not very good for interplanetary relations. I will have to inform the council.”
“Yes, you go ahead and do that, Vivian. I’m sure the fact that you feel insulted will encourage them to break ties with Westalin.” Eric’s voice is thick with sarcasm, but it seems to fly straight over her head, her sense of self-importance too big for her to notice.
“Now, as I was saying, my dear sister has been gone for a long time, so it really is time for you to move on.” She brushes her hand against William’s leg affectionately, and I suddenly comprehend what’s going on.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Vivian, I wasn’t introduced to your bond mates. Are they not here?” I’m too angry to be subtle.
“Our grandpas were killed in a shuttle accident a few years ago,” Phillip says automatically from his place on the sectional. “It’s still very painful for Grandma to talk about.”
Vivian’s face morphs into one of sadness, but I can tell it’s forced.
“Did they ever find out who sabotaged their warp engine?” William asks, and Vivian shakes her head.
“No, but that is the life of a council member, fraught with danger.”
“Ah, yes, because you took Liliana’s spot on the council when she disappeared so suddenly.”
“Well, I was just doing you three a favor. How were you ever going to run the circus and be on Skarr’s council?” Vivian points out
“The same way that Liliana had for years—by returning for any relevant meetings.” William’s voice is hard, but Vivian is so involved with her scheming she doesn’t hear the warning in it.
“Well, wouldn’t us bonding be a perfect solution? You can retain the council seat through me, and I would be able to join my only living relatives by traveling occasionally with the circus. Of course I would live on Skarr most of the time so that I was an effective council member.” She looks warmly at Fiona and Phillip, who exchange a doubtful glance.
Hmm, obviously not all is happy, happy, joy, joy in that family.
