Page 444 of Bitten By the Fae

“Enjoy!” the figments cheered, disappearing up into the rafters above, likely to watch and wait for further desires.

Well, that…I swallowed.That was something else entirely.

Welcome to the library, Shade replied, then pulled out a chair at the center of the table. Somehow he knew I wouldn’t want to sit at the head position, but among the others to better hear them all.

He took the position on the other side of me, then Zakkai held out a chair next to me and looked pointedly at Kols.

The Elite Blood stared at him for a beat before taking the offering.

Zakkai settled in the seat beside him, stretching out his arm along the back in a show of clear protection of Kols, and placed his palm on my shoulder.

The Quandary Bloods in attendance watched the interaction with rapt attention.

Laki might be their leader, but Zakkai was their king.

And he’d just demonstrated through action that he considered Kols to be under his protection. More than that, he’d treated him as royalty by pulling out his chair like one would for a better.

Zeph sat down next to Shade, his expression giving nothing away. But I heard the wonder in his mind, his surprise over Zakkai’s actions evident. I think we were all feeling that way.

Having a link to my Quandary Blood mate allowed me to understand why he’d done it. He was demonstrating his affiliation with our circle, claiming us as his.

Which meant his people should treat us with respect.

“Be seated,” he told them.

Laki smirked but did as his son had demanded, taking the position across from us. Then the others began to find their locations as well.

I turned to lean my staff against my chair, not wanting to hold it through the meal, and rotated back around to find the entire table staring at my magical conduit. Frowning, I glanced back at it, then at them, and then back at my staff again.What?I asked my mates.What’s wrong?

It disappeared again,Zakkai explained, his focus on the others. And going by the expression on my father’s face, he knows why.

“Zen gave you the staff,” Laki said, admiration in his tone. “Which, I gather, means that you now speak for her and those under this dome. I suppose we should begin, then.”

Symbolism,I realized. That was the meaning for Zenaida giving Aflora the staff today.

Oh, I had no doubt it was also because of the cape and the source showing its favor by kissing Aflora with magic, but Zenaida had strategically chosen that moment to present the staff, knowing my father would see it for what it meant—Aflora is our queen.

Clever, Zenaida, I mused, relaying my knowledge to Aflora in a brief synopsis of the thoughts in my head.

Does that mean she agrees with my path forward?Aflora wondered.

Undoubtedly, I said. But I could have told her that without the staff. Hell, I hadn’t even known the thing existed until today, but clearly, my father had recognized it.

“You never mentioned the staff to me before,” I said to him. “Why?”

“Because it was never relevant. Zen was the Midnight Fae Queen, the staff a gift presented to her by the source over a thousand years ago. She rarely used it, and I never expected her to give it to another fae.” His focus went to Aflora. “But I’ll admit, it suits you.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “It does.”

A few others murmured positive remarks as well, the respect at the table seeming to increase with each passing second.

Finally, the other Quandary Bloods sat, their gazes reverently downcast rather than staring at Aflora head-on.

Zephyrus broke the silence by reaching for one of the carafes first, filling Shade’s mug and then his own. My lips twitched in memory of the breakfast where I’d done the same to Shade, treating him as the Omega of our circle.

His icy gaze slid to mine now, his lack of humor evident.

I made a show of distributing coffee on my side as well. First to Aflora, then to Kolstov, and eventually to myself before passing the ceramic carafe to my father.