Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(13)
Elder Merrick, sitting two people down from me, quietly cleared his throat.
I glanced in his direction, but he was only taking a sip of his drink.
Definitely a gorgeous oddball that one.
“I actually spoke with her before that on the phone.” There. Damn good not-lying.
Leric choked on his drink, his eyes widening marginally on his empty plate. His dad thumped him hard on his back, earning a glare from his son in return.
But Mrs Damon nodded affably to King Collins, ignoring their actions. “Yes, we did speak on the phone.” Her lips twitched and she winked at King Collins. “She thought I was prank calling.”
The entire table went mute, utterly still.
She waved an arrogant wrist. “While I may have learned a few new phrases to add to my vocabulary, it was nothing compared to her publicly aired conversation with the President of the United States.”
Uh-oh.
She was not only a frightening woman, but she also did her damn homework.
Cheeks flushing, I glanced at King Collins, properly humbled. “I did apologize.”
King Collins ran a hand over his face, giving me a glance under his lashes—conveying that we would be talking later. “Mrs Damon, I’m truly sorry for anything disrespectful she may have said—”
Another flick of her wrist, cutting him off instantly. His mouth snapped shut like a schoolboy’s. “She did apologize, as she just told you, so another apology is unnecessary. I was informed by my son that with the timing of the call and my own influence on the conversation, her assumption of the situation could have been accurate and therefore her actions justified.” Her lips pinched, a quick finger flicking back and forth between her and King Collins. “Do you understand me, young man?”
I stared. I couldn’t help it.
Especially when King Collins quickly nodded, mumbling, “Yes, ma’am.”
A curt nod. “Good.” She gave her order to the waitress while the table was more than quiet, no one wanting to anger this woman by saying something wrong. While handing over her menu, she leaned back casually on her chair. Her attention jumped to Leric. “I stopped by your room after dinner. You weren’t there.”
Leric’s eyebrows rose. “I was still hungry, so I left for a little more to eat.”
Her short fingernails clicked on the table, like a warning for all to run. “I came by an hour later, and you still weren’t there.”
Leric sipped at his water, stating simply, “I was eating the food.”
Fingernails clicking faster. “I then stopped by two hours after that and there was still no answer at your door.”
“I was sleeping.”
“I called your room.”
“I would have answered had I realized that.”
“Well, I guess that’s understandable,” she purred. Her attention swung around the table, everyone—all the scary-as-hell, ruthless individuals—instantly dropping their heads or glancing away. Her gaze landed on me. I followed everyone else’s lead, studying my water glass, spinning it idly, but she still stated, “Ms Jules, you were absent most of yesterday. Were you participating in different activities than everyone else?”
I cleared my throat, still spinning my water glass and eyeing the condensation on the white tablecloth. “No, I spent most of the day resting in my room.”
Her fingernails started clicking again. “Were you not feeling well?”
My jaw clenched, and I automatically started rubbing my feet on Tristan’s side, focusing on his softness. “Something like that.” I peered up to her and let a small part of me, the part that was a truly cold-hearted bitch, shine out. “I would rather not speak of this anymore, if you don’t mind?”
A delicate brow arched as brown eyes scanned my face. “Yes, well, I would like to get to know you better, Ms Jules, so I would very much appreciate you keeping yourself hearty and hale while we’re here so there are no more lapses in your presence.”
My own brows lifted a smidgen at the politely given order. “Mrs Damon, I will endeavor to meet your modest invitation for further acquaintance while we graciously enjoy the activities decided by the Rulers that are gifted to me and the other three Prodigies before we take over the crowns.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you respectfully put an overbearing ‘Leric’s mom’ in her place while also reminding her who the hell you are and that you don’t take orders from anyone. I sure as hell wasn’t going to be pushed around for the entirety of my vacation.
There was brutal silence as she and I stared each other in the eyes.
Slowly, her lips started to curve just at their tips before the smile disappeared. She stated softly, “It’s about time someone here grew some balls.” No one at the table gasped, but the expressions they threw her way were enough. She flicked a finger around the table but her eyes were still on mine as she spoke to everyone else. “You all should be ashamed of yourselves, letting me push you around as I did yesterday. You’re the leaders of the Mystical race.” An arrogant wrist-flick as she finally took her eyes from mine to glance at the group, her eyebrows snapping together. “Act like it in the future, for God’s sake.”
There was a beat of silence, then just about everybody erupted with a chastened, “Yes, ma’am”.
King Collins leaned down, and I tilted my head to hide his mouth as he placed his lips at my ear, whispering, “As a thank you, and also for the hell you’re going to receive while she’s here, I’ll be raising the limit on your credit card.”