Page 73 of Queen Takes Triune

It was only when I saw a familiar face that I realized these memories were all from a surprisingly simple yet elegant cottage.

In Rome.

Marne Ceresa stood with her back to a young Kevin, maybe ten or twelve years old. She was humming softly and wore a light cotton dress that made me think of spring. Sunlight poured in through the window where she worked, illuminating her blonde hair in a halo uncomfortably similar to Ra’s golden glow.

“Don’t ever forget where you came from,”she said as she turned.

Holding a wet soapy dish in her hand.

The queen of Rome. Doing dishes. It was so unexpected that my eyes popped open. Dazed, Kevin had straightened, his pupils dilated and dark. “Whoa. I think I can smell color now.”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Gina laid a small lap desk between us on my knees and offered me a pen.

I took the pen but didn’t sign the papers yet. The old-fashioned fountain pen had a nice heft to it. “What did you ask for?”

He shrugged self-consciously. “The standard starting salary and an apartment in the tower, if that’s not too much.”

I didn’t have to ask Gina to know that she’d made some adjustments after Kevin’s requests. “House Isador doesn’t do anythingstandard.”

“Oh. Well. That’s fine. I’ll gladly accept—”

“Kevin,” I broke in, giving him a stern look that made his mouth fall open with surprise. “I’m very disappointed.”

He gulped. “You are? I’m so sorry, my queen. I shouldn’t have asked—”

I picked up the page Gina had deliberately put on top. “Only one hundred thousand dollars a year? For your services? Don’t you realize that Gina’s going to work you at least two hundred thousand dollars’ worth?”

“Uh—”

“And you asked for a studio apartment. We don’t have any studios in the tower, do we, Gwen?”

She coughed slightly, her lips twitching. “None that are currently open, my queen.”

“So naturally we gave you the apartment just beneath Gwen’s penthouse. You need to be close to her as we go forward.”

For being an especially bright young man, he could only stare at me stupidly. “But. My queen. That’s… Impossible. That apartment is… is…”

“The entire floor, I know.” I signed the page with a flourish and offered the pen to him.

He stared at me like I’d suddenly turned into the cobra queen and spit numbing venom in his eyes.

“There was one very interesting item in his request, my queen,” Gina said. “I don’t know that you saw it.”

“Well, it’s too late now. I’ve already signed it.” He still stared at me, stunned, so I had to tease him. Just a little. “Unless you want me to tear this page up before the contract can be completed…”

He snatched the pen from my fingers and quickly signed the page, like he really thought I’d change my mind.

Gina gathered the papers. “I’ll fax these to the Triune office now.”

“In Rome?” I asked.

“The main Triune office is actually in New York City, though they also have offices in London and Amsterdam.”

“Wait, what? The whole time we were in New York City, the Triune was actually there?”

“Neither Triune queen isphysicallythere and it’s not a nest, but yes. These offices are manned by a team of trusted people from each Triune’s house and handle all Triune business for the queens.” Arching a brow at me, she grinned. “I’m sure that you can guess who’s in the New York City office.”

“Byrnes.”