Chosen One (Forever Evermore #6)(94)
Sin groaned, falling back onto the mattress I had shared with him. “Pure, you are not, love.” He threw the blanket over his head. “Evil has taken you over.”
I chuckled quietly, and stepped up onto the mattress and started bouncing on it, but spoke to the other Lajaks, even as Sin griped on a whine, his body shaking under the blanket from the motion. “You all thought it was such a good idea to take on the spirits representatives.” I shook my head, hopping a bit to the right when Sin raked a hand out the blanket trying to knock me down. “I hope you have all learned your lesson.”
It…had been a…massacre…of “Royal” proportions.
Cain grunted from behind me. He had claimed the trundle bed next to Sin’s and my double—a safe foot of space between the two—when almost all of them had staggered to bed in the early hours. “Do not include me in that assessment.” His wolf huffed. “I felt like a damn babysitter by the end of the night.” A pillow bashed the back of my head while I bounced before falling to the bed almost tripping me. “And Prodigies do not bounce on beds, wearing only a towel, in front of their betters.”
Elder Farrar grunted, snuggling under his covers. “A little towel, at that.”
“While I’ve showered,” I continued bouncing—being me, tightening said towel, even as Sin’s head popped out from the covers—being Sin, trying to see under it, but I hopped to the end of the bed, effectively still annoying him, but keeping those emerald green eyes from spying my goods. “You all still reek of liquor and smoke and shame from the embarrassing beating you took by a bunch of relatively young spirit Elementals.” I twisted in the air, twirling all the way around, enjoying myself immensely, even though my topic was sound. “While I may have come out ahead, and Elder Merrick, at least, came out even,”
A wolf’s indignant huff. “Two hundred ahead.”
“—anyway, even though it wasn’t a complete loss, what have you all learned from this experience?”
My King groaned, pulling a pillow over his head. “Stay away from the vodka here.”
Elder Samson groaned, rubbing at his eyes. “No shit.” He appeared vaguely ill while watching me jump. “That had to be homemade, damn moonshine.” He burped quietly, his face paling, waving a hand at me. “Quit that.”
I only jumped higher. “What everyone learned was…?” I waited, leaping back and forth over Sin’s covered feet.
King Zeller tumbled out of bed, practically crawling toward the window, growling, “That you aren’t sleeping in our room anymore.”
But when he shut the curtain…I only grinned, waited until he was lying back on his trundle, and sent a small pulse wave, opening them back up, and continued my speech. “Try again.” When Cain—the only sober one from last night—even lay back down, snuggling into his covers…although, he was watching me like a ambushing wolf from under his hooded lids, I explained loudly, “What everyone should have learned was you always…always…always need to be at your best here, otherwise, you will get taken.” My lips quirked. “And, every single one of you will need to enact retribution for last night’s actions on the representatives. They will expect this, and be watching vigilantly for it, so it won’t be easy. They will not respect you if you don’t accomplish it, which means, they will think you weak.” I stopped bouncing, a bit breathless. “And my Lajaks cannot be weak. So,” I waved my hands, dipping a bit, “I wish you good luck.”
I jumped from the bed, and started making my way to the bathroom. “And I want to leave within the hour to go shopping in the city, and spend all that cash I did win last night.” I had never had so much cash here at the Temple to spend. “So get your asses,” I grinned, turning at the door, and threw a pulse wave at each of them, tossing them off their beds, “up!” I slammed the door on their furious curses, chuckling quietly, and proceeded to finish getting ready.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Holy…shit…” Elder Bridges mumbled behind me later that day, staring—as I was—at the party taking place in my honor, Leric standing next to me, holding my hand like normal for any gathering we attended. But, this one was…Elder Bridges cleared his throat, asking—almost—respectfully, “Will you be participating, Ms. Jules?”
I choked.
Because…it was an orgy, but large enough to fill an entire ballroom, thumping music playing from the scantily clad—at least, they were dressed—band at the far end of the room.
Elder Bridges continued, keeping his voice steady, “I only ask, so we can formulate our plan for…protection.”
Funny man.
Sin damn near moaned behind me. “Give me the night off, love.” A pause with a hurried poke against my back. “I beg you.”
I scowled at Sin over my shoulder…because it still wasn’t easy with him, and I didn’t care if it showed—I sure as hell didn’t want to see it, and then asked Leric, “What the hell?”
He shrugged, white rolls dipping around his face when he glanced down to me. “Every city is different. This one traditionally respects its Rulers with love from the body.”
I pointed a finger instantly. “I am not going into that mess.” This didn’t really surprise me—spirits are “different”, but I wasn’t about to participate.