Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(59)
“Oh.” I blinked at him. “I guess that was a no-brainer.” I turned my attention back to the screen and blew the stars into it, calling to King Collins. The screen abruptly showed all I had asked for. Sitting in one of the Shifter living rooms, everyone was there. I grinned. “I did it.”
“Can I touch it?” asked Elder Farrar instantly, standing and coming toward the screen. “This is really ingenious.”
My eyes widened and a tiny squeak emitted from my pinched lips—I was more than a bit freaked for him if he did, but unable to say so.
Intelligently, he stalled. “Actually, I don’t think I need to touch it after all.”
“Or you could, and we could all get a good laugh out of whatever made her face scrunch up like that,” Elder Jacobs murmured, chuckling unobtrusively. But his hilarity halted and he glanced at me. “Hey…I…um…” For the first time, I watched him stutter. “Is there…uh…I would very much like…”
It was Elder Farrar’s turn to laugh, vaguely pointing a finger at him. His humored gaze held mine. “He wants a dose of the protection you gave us.” Golden eyebrows rose. “He heard from someone how amazing it was.” He leaned forward, mock whispering, “Don’t do it, Caro.”
I laughed outright at the cross expression Elder Jacobs gave Elder Farrar.
But I quickly cut off my laugh when Queen Cooper asked, “What are they talking about?”
My lips pinched.
I swear there was the longest pause in which faces quickly blanked, no one looking toward her or King Collins. Which meant I could make the pretty good guess that they all knew they were together-together somehow.
“Caro?” Queen Cooper growled after eyeing everyone. “What do I need to know?”
“I can’t say anything, as you know,” I stated with calm words, covering for my King, who was all kinds of flustered and barely able to keep his face void of emotion. “But I can say a few of them acted a bit drunk or high for a small while.”
More like an hour, but whatever.
“Oh.” Queen Cooper flicked her golden locks over her right shoulder. “That’s not so bad.” She glanced at everyone like they were crazy. “I’m not exactly innocent, people, I can be told things like this.”
Elder Farrar quickly jumped in, creating a distraction. “Caro…” He grinned extra slowly. “Did you like the questions I wrote for you?”
My jaw dropped. “You did that on purpose?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I thought you could use a laugh.” He held up a finger. “But I do endorse quite a few of those questions.”
My brows lifted and I spoke dry words. “Yes, we all need to know where he got his nipples pierced.”
A few of their eyes popped wide and they started chuckling.
Elder Farrar held up his finger, stating, “If you found that out, we would know who he trusts with sensitive body parts.” He nodded as if he were a genius and the group of Rulers around him were idiots. “Good information to have.”
I waved my hands and explained, “We are being listened in on, by the way.”
“We know,” they all pretty much said at once, still chuckling.
My brows puckered. “I did call for a specific reason.”
King Collins smiled. “We know that, too. You want to ask if the One can come here.”
I blinked, my gaze darting to Elder Farrar, my eyebrows rising a bit heatedly.
“Now, now.” Elder Farrar chuckled at my expression. “Don’t give me that look. I told you this morning I can’t alter time. If I knew the One would be coming to the Manor, it is neither here nor there.” He waved a hand at their group. “They figured it out on their own once King Collins told everyone you wanted to talk with us.”
I rested back on the chair, staring at them pointedly. “And the verdict would be? Since you’ve all had time to discuss it?”
Elder Zeller asked, “We actually want to know why you would allow it.”
The answer to that was simple. “I believe they want to kill the bastard as much as we want to.” A shoulder shrug. “Plus, it’s the stipulation from the One. It’s what he wants in exchange for a name they have of the individual responsible for this.” I cleared my throat harshly. “Thanks to the questions I did ask, which were my own.”
“Nicely done,” Queen Ruckler murmured, nodding her head at me in one of her rare approvals. “But we’d also like to ask the One a question before we make our decision.”
“Understandable.” I peered around the screen and crooked my finger at the One, then moved my chair back a smidgen to give him room. I bent and picked up Isolde when she yapped at me from the ground. I held her close to my chest and petted her head as the One moved around the side of the table. He leaned over and placed his hands on the table in front of me, but he still gave me access to view the screen and also, I noticed, gave me plenty of space.
The One gave everyone time to analyze him before he stated simply, “I’d first like to say, I’m sorry for any hurt and anguish this * inflicted on all of you. Especially Ms Jules. Secondly, I’d like to say that if you should let me and my two Commanders into your home, we will help you find him, though I cannot promise I won’t fight for dibs to kill him. And lastly, I want to thank you for your love, kindness, and guidance that you’ve given the spirit Elemental under your care.”