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Yes, yes, I absolutely did. I would always accept that kind of offer, especially when I saw how much she wanted it in her eyes.
So, I gave it to her twice.
9
Things had been going well the past several days and we were getting more and more handled. We kept getting reports of Keres’s plans getting foiled and people seeing her blur off which made me nervous. It couldn’t be an accident that she was suddenly being seen after weeks of no one catching a glimpse of her at all.
Yes, we had more people guarding, but groups were seeing her and we couldn’t hide ourselves.
So… That was clearly something she was playing at.
Sundar appeared just as I was thinking about heading to bed, having really pushed my power that day to get a lot done.
I swore. No way it was good news.
He nodded. “Fort Knox is under attack. Corrupted are hitting them in droves. We believe it’s Keres.”
“That’s what she was up to,” I grumbled. “She was being seen focused on one thing but really plotting another bigger something. Bitch.”
“You called it,” Sundar agreed. “You were right to have us keep tabs on the settlements. I apologize for doubting you, My Princess.” He flinched.
Cerdic and my guards all slowly looked at him like he’d grown another head.
But I had a very different response than all of them. “How many years did you refer to the princess of your coven that way, Sundar? You were bound to slip and you aren’t the only one who has. I’m not offended or assuming your intentions will change. It’s just a slip.”
He cleared his throat and dipped his head. “Thank you for understanding.” He glanced away and rubbed his neck. “Yes, I supposed others would make that mistake as well.”
“What do you want us to do about the attack, Inez?” Cerdic cut in, trying to move us past the blunder and Sundar’s clear upset.
“We go into lockdown all over,” I ordered. “Just as a precaution in case this is a diversion. Send anyone available to help. Do not get shot because they are undoubtedly using the big weapons. For immediate relief, slice through the ones they can. I can worry about the ghosts tomorrow, but I’ve been keeping up working on that and resting. I can handle it.”
“Well, I came back at the right fucking time,” James said from the doorway, his eyes full of worry. “Did I really just hear from the guard station that Fort Knox is being hit?”
“Yes, and I want to also get jets in the air out of St. Louis and put down my blood away from their settlement so the jets don’t risk any humans,” I added.
“From what we’re hearing, they won’t win the fight tonight,” Sundar told me firmly.
“So we help tonight and out ourselves tomorrow?” Cerdic asked.
“Let’s get through tonight, and I think that’s up to our Secretary of Defense,” I said easily, giving James a look that I trusted him with the decision.
Something he really, really liked.
He came over and knelt before me, taking my hand and kissing it. “I missed you, My Princess.”
“Good, you should have. You’ve been gone a while,” I said before moving my other hand to his shoulder. “Handle the jets with whomever to get my blood down. I want you back right after to report. I want to see the situation myself.”
“I would advise against that, Princess,” Joi said from the doorway.
“It’s the last thing she’d expect given how safely we’ve been playing it,” I argued.
“Yes, but everyone knows how much you want to keep as many humans alive as possible,” she threw right back.
“Agreed, so normally I would push to send you and maybe not defend the castle as much. Remember, no one ever gives me enough credit.” I smirked at her. “You, Mozell, and Kaci protect this castle and my tree.”
“Please, allow one of us to come with,” she begged.
“I’m just going to draw them away until they can get my blood down and see with my own eyes what Keres is really capable of. I’m not jumping in the fight,” I told her firmly. “I want to work on my power under pressure.”
