Page 5 of Randall (The Tenth Step #3)

Randall

“You don’t have to say anything.” I held up my hand, then laughed. It wasn’t like Kat was going to actually talk to me. Other than tripping my wards, I could hear him pounding up the stairs long before he arrived.

“Randall!” Valter leaned over, bracing on his knees, breathless from his run. “They’re so close.” He walked in a tight circle, shaking out his hands. “I’m so nervous. They’re going to like me, right?”

I covered my mouth to hide my smile. Ever since his mates began their travels seven days ago, his anxiety had grown by leaps and bounds.

I’d done my best to calm him, and Kat had kept close, offering her body to be petted and loved on.

It was hard to tell if she liked it or not, but cats could be queens in their own right, so I assumed if she’d minded, she would have made herself scarce.

“Don’t laugh at me. This is serious.” The Fae-blessed starburst in Valter’s eyes sparkled, belying his earnest tone.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but you’re worrying for nothing. You’ve conversed with them over several moons. I’m certain you have them wrapped around your little finger by now.”

“Hmm.” Valter plopped onto my windowsill. Kat leapt into his lap, stretching her neck, begging for scratches. He flashed me a bright grin. “You’re right.” He focused on Kat for a minute before peeking at me, biting the edge of his lower lip. “Um…”

I waited, watching him take a deep breath and straighten his shoulders.

He’d grown in confidence over the last two fortnights, surprising both his mother and me.

Commander Nasi had even commented on Valter’s poise during his fencing lessons.

Valter had always been an excellent student; he’d just had horrid teachers, ones more intent on putting a foot through the palace doors or attempting to get the princesses to notice them.

Once allowed to study with the true scholars, Valter turned from a sulky teen into a cordial young adult.

It all started the day his siblings tied him up and cut his hair. That day, Fate opened the mental link between Valter and Duke, and then a day later, to Baron. He looked regal now, straight-backed, dominant, unwavering, except in private moments such as this one.

My left middle finger itched as another person triggered my wards. I extended my senses, retreating once I had my answer. “Tolliver approaches.”

Valter rolled his eyes. I politely held my tongue but wasn’t able to suppress my smile.

When I’d been his age, I’d been such a nightmare to my parents and clan that they had shipped me off here, to the castle.

They’d only seemed to remember where I was when they needed something from Their Majesties.

They couldn’t be denied, but—fuck it—they had feet and wagons.

I read their letters, sent succinct replies, and promptly forgot about them until their next missive arrived.

I pushed away thoughts of my family when Tolliver entered.

We had a strange love/hate relationship.

We both loved Valter like a son, but we hated how the other protected him.

Tolliver was all weapons and brute force, while I preferred the more nuanced art of magick.

Sadly, Tolliver won in that respect. Valter’s skill with blade and bow far exceeded his skill with weaving spells.

However, with Valter’s approaching mates, he proved a more ardent student, wanting to learn at least minor magicks, even though I knew he was capable of so much more.

When Jarrah arrived, I hoped I could convince the Fae to teach Valter. After all, it was his blood running through Valter’s veins.

“There you are,” Tolliver blew out. “How many times have I told you to let me accompany you? You can’t just keep running off.”

“I don’t need you to protect me, Tolly. Besides, I was following Kat, and you know she’d keep me safe, as well as Randall.”

Tolliver peered at Kat, who looked entirely too content, lying with her eyes closed on Valter’s lap. “She’s a cat. I’m pretty sure my knives are sharper than her claws.”

Kat hissed, her eyes pinching open with a glare for the bodyguard.

“Tolly! Don’t be mean. It’s okay, Kat.” He stroked her fur until she settled. “I think you’re the fiercest one in this room.”

Knuckling my mouth was the only reason I didn’t snort humorously at how right he was.

In time, all would be revealed. Tolliver quirked an eyebrow at me, but I shook my head, unable and unwilling to answer.

Knowing She was trapped wouldn’t make a difference until we figured out how to break the curse.

“That may be, Your Highness, but with more and more nobles arriving daily, it would be best for all involved if I stuck close to you. It’s Her Majesty’s will, and it should be yours.

Besides, if anything should happen to you before they arrive…

I’m not sure I’d survive an encounter with a pissed-off vampire. ”

“Thank the gods,” I cheered. “He finally told you.”

“Underhandedly.” Tolliver harrumphed. “Tolly, I need two more rooms prepared,” he mocked two octaves above his own.

“Ugh. Don’t be such a brat, Tolly.” Valter carefully lowered Kat to the floor, then stood and brushed off his clothes. “They didn’t even tell me they were bringing entourages until yesterday. I thought it would just be them… in my room,” he finished in a whisper.

Tolliver bent and scratched Kat behind her ears when she threaded through his legs. “No one travels alone, child. The roads are too dangerous.”

“The Fae do.”

“They have potent magic,” I clarified. “Wolves and vampires would be at a disadvantage in a fight with a powerful Fae. The dragons of Wintervale, and perhaps a mage like me, are the only ones who could win against them.”

“Are you truly that powerful, Randall?”

“Among my clan, I am one of the strongest, yet even I can be stymied by a Fae enchantment if I don’t know what to look for.

” I crossed to my spelled mirror and caressed its gilded edge as I gazed at my reflection.

I could see Valter and Tolliver standing behind me, staring at my back.

“Until you told me who your mates were, I only knew that somehow you’d been contacted.

Your Fae blood kept me from scrying past your outermost thoughts. ”

“My Fae blood? Are you saying I’m stronger than you?”

I wanted to smack the gloat off Valter’s face. Either that or take those sweet, blushing cheeks between my hands and squeeze his face into a fish-shaped one. He needed to be brought down a peg or three. “Maybe… if you ever practiced.”

Valter wrinkled his nose. “Don’t be mean.”

I stared at Valter until the prince looked away with a huff.

I relented but didn’t retract my remark.

Valter could be powerful in his own right if he’d bothered to take the time to learn and practice.

In the meantime… “The ball is only a few days away. We have much to prepare for. His Majesty has tasked me with keeping an eye on the gates and the city, so if there’s nothing else… ”

“Hint taken. Come on, Tolly, let’s go see what Samantha’s got cooking.” Valter scooped up Kat and left. Tolliver followed, slower, nodding goodbye before he disappeared out the door.

Putting action to words, I whispered the spell to bring my mirror to life, then swept the view outward to the southwest, locating Alpha Duke and his wolves. Seeing they were fine, I turned my sight southeast to find Master Baron and his vampires.

Baron and his companion, Marius, shivered as my power passed over them.

They glanced around, settling only once I pulled my presence back to where I could carefully observe them, nestled in their dark carriage.

The three other vampires slept deeply, marking them as younglings.

Valter had mentioned Baron had “made” sons.

I found that fact humorous. Oh, to see Valter’s face when or if one of them called him “Daddy.” I chuckled darkly as I drew my power away, scanning the roads and waterways, my stomach rumbling with hunger.

Breathing deeply, I recentered myself, blinking away the haze of “sight” to discover a tray had been left for me. “Thank you, Valter,” I whispered, hearing the faint footfalls of his retreat.

Feeling his responding joy made all of this worth it.