Page 46 of Contested Crown
Elizabeth and Phelan exchanged a glance, and I wondered if I was laying it on too thick, playing the part too much. But they must not have been familiar with consorts because they accepted it without any comment.
Caroline was giving Cade a brief sketch of the property, explaining that most of the important families in House Morrison lived in the king’s house, with a few barracks reserved for new initiates.
“Initiates?” Cade’s question was bored, but his fingers twitched where his free hand hung at his side.
“House Morrison has been very generous in extending membership to any mage that wants it. However, as most of those mages have never grown up within a house structure, they need to be taught the way of things.” Caroline sounded warm, a kindergarten teacher with an unruly class. “While they are learning, we mark their house crests so that they are recognized as initiates and not full members. I mention it only so that you know in case you speak to any of them and they give you the wrong information… or aren’t appropriately respectful to your position.”
“You sent initiates after us,” I said, glancing at Elizabeth. “That’s what the white slash across their crest meant.”
“Yes. It was part of their final training. They did a good job catching you, meaning they’ll earn their full membership.” She nodded her head at me. “After all, you two were very hard to catch.”
“But not impossible,” Phelan said. “Which does make one wonder how House Bartlett has failed to catch you already. It’s almost like Sonja and Tyson have some reason to fail in catching you.”
The comment rolled around in my head, similar to thoughts I’d had over the weeks we’d managed to elude House Bartlett. It was a rock in my shoe—something about it was wrong, and it made me nervous that I didn’t understand how we had been so lucky.
“I guess they aren’t as good as you.” Shrugging, I said, “Cade and I have been very careful. How did you catch our scent?”
“Your scent! How delightful. How very wolflike.” Elizabeth smiled at me, not answering my question.
We finally reached the back of the main house. A set of stairs took us up to an enormous deck decorated with chairs and umbrellas for shade. The house was larger than I had initially thought. Instead of three floors, I counted four. As Elizabeth led us into the open double doors, I had to blink a few times to make sure I was seeing it clearly. The ballroom stretched massive, easily twice as large as the one at House Bartlett. The ceiling was decorated with gold and paint that moved as we passed under it like clouds floating on an invisible breeze.
As we walked out into a hallway, I realized that the structure was set up in a large square shape. The center was a courtyard, the shouts of children laughing and playing audible through the open windows.
“How many people live here?” I asked.
It was no secret that House Morrison was larger than House Bartlett, but if only a portion of their members lived in the main house, they outnumbered House Bartlett by closer to five or six to one. When I’d told the House Bartlett counsel that House Morrison could overrun them like ants consuming a lion, I’d been mistaken. With numbers like these, House Morrison could consume the entire lion pride.
“If you have any needs, you can pick up any of the phones and dial zero. Our servants are available twenty-four hours a day.” Caroline completely ignored my question, and when I glanced at Elizabeth, she was staring out the window, looking at the children just beyond. Phelan wasn’t any help either, a slight smile worn on his lips that showed at some point during our conversation myslow and stupidhad stopped being believable for him.
“I’m sorry, Prince Bartlett.” Howard was looking down at his cell phone. “I have some business to attend to. I leave you in my wife’s very capable hands.”
“We appreciate your generosity,” Cade said.
Howard hurried off, collecting a man in a suit who had been waiting nearby.
Caroline continued her tour. Just like at House Bartlett, most of the ground floor was common spaces. There was a gym, a large room divided by half walls that Caroline called the nursery and school, a few different rooms with televisions and couches that seemed to act as living rooms, and a mammoth room that looked like a cafeteria.
As we passed through different sections, I felt buzzing on my skin that I recognized as magic. House Bartlett was large, but this place probably could have gone on forever with the amount of magic they were pumping into the walls.
After the tour, Caroline led us up to the second floor and showed us a room with a view of the eucalyptus grove. A servant wearing a gray-and-white uniform was inside, finishing up with the bed. When she saw Caroline, she jumped, bowing low.
“Your Majesty, I’m so sorry I wasn’t done sooner…” She trailed off, twisting her hands together.
“Don’t concern yourself.” Caroline’s smile held a hint of an edge. “Is the room finished?”
“Yes. One of the men brought up their bags, and the bathroom should be ready.” The servant glanced toward the open door to the side.
“Good. You may go.” After the servant left, Caroline turned to us. “It’s not much, but until you join the house, it’s all we have available. I leave the two of you to get settled. Dinner is at six. A bell will ring, but Elizabeth will come and get you.”
Smiling at Cade, she reached out with both hands, clasping his in her own. She squeezed, the rings on her fingers gleaming bright. “Your mother and I were very close friends. I’m so glad to finally have you under our roof.”
When Cade didn’t respond, she turned to the door, collecting Elizabeth and Phelan on her way out. They shut the door behind them, leaving Cade and me alone again.
Cade turned around, taking in the room. It was about half as big as his room at House Bartlett but considerably larger than any of the hotel rooms we’d stayed in during the past few weeks. It was bright and airy, the walls a pale cream color.
“This whole house is modern,” I said.
Cade nodded. “House Morrison is younger than House Bartlett. This was built in the nineteen fifties.”