Page 9

NINE

Little escaped Terry.

At the vineyard, I caught a glimpse of my father lurking among the trees, and because I valued those who were with me, I said nothing and pretended as though I hadn’t been given confirmation of trouble paying me a visit. Someone had warned my sister that the bane—and source—of our existences likely still lived, something I viewed as unnecessary.

However, their caution meant Terry loitered, and little escaped Terry.

Every now and then, he flexed his hand as though wishing he could manifest metal and end the problem of my parents once and for all.

But like me, he maintained silence and otherwise behaved as though nothing was amiss.

I did my best to focus my attention on Madelyn, who regarded every little thing at the vineyard with wonder. From the manicured gardens, which were filled with flowers and ponds, to the neat rows of grapes covering the hillside, she marveled at it all.

Then, because Terry was a saint and understood people far better than I ever would, he pulled out a small camera from his pocket, gave it to the woman, and invited her to take as many pictures as she wanted. With the delight of a child receiving the perfect present, she bounced from bloom to bloom, statuette to statuette, and to every little thing to catch her attention, taking pictures. When the battery died, another RPS agent, one I’d seen as part of my sister’s detail, came to Madelyn’s rescue, providing a new camera and offering his blessing for her to take pictures of everything.

While I waited, grinning at how focused she’d become on photographing everything , Terry stepped to my side and whispered, “Did you see them?”

Them? Fuck. I must have missed my mother, focusing on the nearest known threat to Madelyn and my peace of mind. “I saw him but not her.”

“She was farther back in the trees. They’re gone. We have a photograph of the car plates. From what we can tell, they were checking in on your activities. We had installed bugs last night around the perimeter of the vineyard with the owner’s blessing, and there was some conversation captured.”

“Anything I should know about?”

“They are pleased you’re keeping company with Madelyn, but her presence changes their plans.”

I could understand why Terry would bring me into the loop. Knowing they had their sights on Madelyn changed everything for me. “Was I right to not do anything?”

“You were, especially if you hadn’t spotted her. You might have gotten one but not both, and that would have been problematic. I couldn’t get both, which is why I didn’t act—and the other agents weren’t in a good position to take them out.”

Right. I wouldn’t want to be an RPS agent having to take on two New Yorkers at one time, especially not ones of my parents’ strength. “How do you want me to proceed?”

“With caution, especially as we haven’t had a chance to do much in the way of scenarios with you. I’d like permission to install trackers in all your clothing. They will be chargeable with Qi pads. I’ve already requested the charger be sent to the palace, and once you give permission, I’ll have a tailor do the alterations to your attire.”

While losing my privacy would be irritating, I saw the value of it. “Do it,” I ordered. “If they can be installed into the band of my personal garments, that would be ideal. My parents are the kind to replace suits at their whim, but something as simple as underwear goes beyond their general comfort levels. Are there any you can issue as a pill?”

“I am sure Dr. Stanton can come up with a medication you surely need that we can turn into a tracker pill,” he confirmed. “Ideally, it will be one that will cause you no harm should your parents dispose of your pills and purchase the same variety and dosage on the black market. Good thought. I’ll make use of it.”

That I could see them doing. “You’re going to get in trouble if you keep hanging out with me,” I warned.

Terry laughed at that. “I know. I already warned Olivia. I’ve always had good reputation in New York, and however much I despise them, they typically avoid killing RPS agents—and they would hesitate angering Montana. He could interfere with their plans, whatever those plans are.”

Yes, he could. “How did Olivia take the news?”

“She is quite miffed she isn’t allowed to participate. Fortunately for my sanity, Melody managed to convince her that the twins might become stressed if she’s involved. I’ve been assured the babies are showing no signs of trouble at this point, but the medical staff wants us to be particularly careful because of her age and that it’s her first pregnancy. I’m not concerned; twins are common in her family, and the women born into the line rarely have problems with even quadruplets. This is a major concern for both Dr. Stanton and Melody, who are coming to terms with Olivia’s drive to have at least ten children.” Terry sighed and regarded me with wide eyes. “I love kids, Ian, but ten ?”

“You married into the Montana Royal Family, Terry. You are the reason there’s a new branch family,” I reminded him. “I’m betting you two end up with at least fifteen brats underfoot before menopause comes calling. And there will be at least two sets of quadruplets. Joining me in being relocated at my parents’ whim might be the only vacation you get for at least twenty-five years. It’ll be a bloodbath, though.”

If I didn’t get the bastards, Terry would—or one of the many members of the Montana Royal Family who would bring out every weapon in their arsenal to get the man back. I’d end up swept along for the ride, but I knew how that family worked.

They would scour the entirety of the planet if needed to reclaim what was theirs.

My parents, fools that they were, likely had no idea they brought about their own ruin.

“My concern is that with your luck, Eddie will be caught up in this mess. The only good news is that Eddie is sacred to them.”

My parents, freshly emerged from their false graves, might be the death of me—and my frustration over their twisted ways would be the cause of it. “Eddie? Why Eddie?”

“Much like with King Adam, your parents sympathize with Eddie. The boy’s father being killed in the line of duty and King Patrick’s unofficial adoption would be key factors. While they have no love for the Texans, Eddie is a different matter. Their compassions are twisted, but they do have them from time to time.” Terry scowled, and he kept an eye on Madelyn. “Eddie is the type of person your parents would want around you if their end game is to make you the inheritor of whatever new empire they are attempting to fashion for themselves. I would be a good resource for my knowledge on protection and leading details. They understand the importance of security, and while I generally dislike them, I have always been a professional. At this stage, they should understand that doing something to me would stir your sister’s ire—and your sister is growing into her strength. She is becoming the very force they wanted for New York, but she’s not working for them. However, they lack an understanding of family loyalty. They simply don’t comprehend that your sister will fully grow into being a Queen of New York the instant they do anything to you.”

I hadn’t thought of that, and I regarded Terry with growing concern. “What do you think she will do?”

“That’s the problem. Your guess is as good as mine. If your parents manage to snag both of us and Eddie? Your sister will show the world New York is a force to respect and fear—and for all the right reasons. She will be doing it out of familial love and duty.”

“Not for greed and power, like them,” I murmured.

“Precisely. For better or worse, I don’t think they’ll act today. They’re getting a feel for us, and the fact you have an attentive detail is likely throwing a kink in their plans. And they are likely operating under the assumption the RPS agents will cooperate if they feel like it will be better for your wellbeing. They aren’t wrong. However, they forget that RPS agents will kill any royal who has turned coat. And they have. New York is your sister’s kingdom now—and yours. But they don’t understand that New York has won the support of the people because you and your sister are the best people for the job. The people have no fear of the succession. Should something happen to your sister, they have you—and their faith in you is strong.”

“I don’t see why that might be.”

“You had a chance to become the King of New York, and you handed the reins over to your sister without hesitation or question, at the request of the people. You have put them above power, and they know it. If you do have need to take the crown, they know it is not a want but a responsibility and a duty, just like your sister reigns for the same reason. And should your parents act, the world will know what they have done—and every talent, no matter how minor, that New Yorkers can bring to arms, will be used. Your parents have forgotten the power of a spark. I have not.” Terry glanced at Madelyn. “And for you, Madelyn is a spark that could spawn a firestorm of the likes your parents can’t even imagine. That’s a double-edged sword, though. They can control you with her if they use her correctly. But they will not. They don’t understand matters of the heart, and the instant your parents do something that hurts the heart, and Madelyn is the one who suffers, I believe you will not have any problems with hesitation. You will reduce them both to less than even ash.”

“I’m already there,” I confessed, joining him in watching the woman marvel at the world around her, playing with the RPS camera. “Get me a good camera with an exchangeable battery and a bunch of spare batteries. I will pretend it’s for a research project of some sort. In reality, I’ll just hand it to Madelyn when we go somewhere so she can take pictures. Or hand it off to an RPS agent to hand off to her.”

Terry lifted his hand to his ear and relayed my request, and to my amusement, he listed a brand, specified the number of batteries, and suggested that two cameras be purchased, one to be kept with me and one for the RPS to have available so they wouldn’t have to hand out their work cameras in the future. “I’ll have the bill be sent to you for them. I get the feeling that’s something you want to handle yourself.”

I nodded. “Thank you. I guess I should get a personal camera for myself as well and take photography up as one of my hobbies. Then I can justify a bag to carry hers around with me. Don’t photographers take numerous cameras around?”

“They do.” After a moment of thought, Terry issued an order for another camera of a different brand, and he specified several lenses, along with a set of extra batteries and memory chips. “And if she ends up using your camera because she wiped hers out of batteries, no harm will be done.”

“Precisely. Do you know anyone who can teach me how to use the camera so I don’t look like a complete idiot?”

“Easily. I know how to use most cameras, as royals often have an interest in photography. It’s a calming, artistic activity that doesn’t have any additional responsibilities.”

Interesting. I’d never tried photography, mostly because my parents hadn’t approved of the activity. It hadn’t seemed princely enough. My sisters had been encouraged to play with cameras, but my brothers and I had been barred from the hobby outside of what our phones could do. “Don’t the pictures need to be edited?”

“Some photographers like editing their photos in search of perfection, but it isn’t necessary.”

“Can you ask someone to get a laptop and load it up with photo editing software? And get everything I need to put the pictures on to the system. That way, if Madelyn does want to edit her pictures, I can just hand over the machine without having to sacrifice my work computer.”

Chuckling, Terry did as requested. “And if she asks why you have two laptops, I recommend that you tell her you’re trying to separate work and play.”

I played? Rather than dig myself into a hole with the RPS agent, I nodded. “I’m going to need clues on how to get through this, Terry.”

“If you’re anything like your sister, you’re going to need guidance on how to have fun. I’m confident we can handle this issue. You might even like it.”

“How many times have you told my sister she might like something?”

“More than she prefers,” he admitted. “Unfortunately for us all, she decided her version of fun is that wretched mud course.”

Unable to help myself, I laughed. “It was fun right up until I earned a concussion. It alarms me that I would not protest much if I were forced to go through it again.”

“Please don’t tell your sister or my wife this, but it was rather enjoyable.”

As RPS agents loved putting their skills to the test in competitive fashions, I had no doubt the man had delighted in pushing his limits despite the muck. “It beats having to deal with lobster.”

Terry sighed. “Olivia wanted to go to the grocery store recently, and she discovered some of them have lobsters in tanks and she could take home live lobster for dinner. I’ve had to deal with crustaceans in the house twice so far this week. Then she made the mistake of looking them in the eyes, so I had to put them in the boiling water.”

“It looks like you survived without incident.”

“Somehow.”

I grinned at his exasperated tone. “Did she at least remove its legs for you once it was cooked?”

“Fortunately for my sanity, she did. I might regret this, but I have made arrangements for our reading room.”

“What sort of arrangement?”

“There will be an aquarium installed with numerous small freshwater lobster in them. It will be a shallow five hundred gallon, and each lobster will have its own habitat. There will also be fish in it. I’m hiring someone to maintain it, as there is no way I’m sticking my hand in that tank.” Terry shuddered.

“How large do these lobsters get?”

“Roughly six inches, so I’m confident they won’t kill me even if they escape their tank.”

I snickered. “And how is Pink Lady doing?”

Terry opened his suit jacket, revealed his inner pocket, and showed me his pet squirrel, who was curled up for a nap. “She’s on another round of medications, so she’s extra sleepy right now. Had she been more active, I would have needed to leave her in her cage at work. She’s no longer contagious, but she’s still recovering.”

“She’ll be all right, though?”

“She will be. She was pretty weak when I adopted her, which is why she’s slow in recovering. The other palace squirrels are doing much better. We’re still taking care with your sister’s rats, but that’s just due to an overabundance of caution. Mostly, she’s regrowing her fur and gaining weight. She’s still tender in a spot or two.” Rather than let the sleeping beast lie, he retrieved his pet from his pocket, waking her up with a little kiss on her nose. Pink Lady squeaked, and then she snuggled with her owner. “I have a theory that she used to be someone’s pet.”

I could believe it; people seemed to think the palace grounds were a good place to dump unwanted pets. “There are currently four cats, six dogs, three peacocks, and a turkey indicating you are likely correct.”

The turkey had been the latest arrival, having been dumped, bound in a burlap bag, near the gate a few days before Thanksgiving. I questioned the turkey, as it was a rather rare color mutation. She would live out the rest of her life in turkey paradise, as my sister was incapable of turning animals away.

“We figured out where the turkey came from,” Terry said with laughter in his voice.

“Oh? I hadn’t heard.”

“Illinois holds responsibility. We are deciding on retaliatory measures. In good news for Illinois, there was somebody on hand keeping an eye on the bird to make certain her delivery was without incident.”

Of course. Who else would send us a fancy turkey? “I don’t suppose I can help with the retaliatory measures?”

“You can. In fact, I think it’s an excellent idea. We can do some planning while in California. That leads me to some issues with the trip.”

“My sister, aware our parents are hovering, is going to want you to stick close because there is almost no chance they’ll do anything to you other than potentially disable you temporarily, where unknown agents might not be so fortunate.”

I could read the writing on the wall, and for the most part, I even agreed with it.

“When honest about it, I was expecting it to work out like this. Your sister would never forgive herself if anything happens to you and she could have prevented it, and this has the least risk to everyone involved. It’s also part of why Eddie is going to be with you at all times. We’re using their beliefs and feelings against them. If you’re surrounded by those they won’t hurt readily, we have the highest chance of nobody getting hurt at all. The problem with this? You’re the one most likely to be hurt as a result. And yes, your sister is aware of this reality. But while you run high chances of being hurt, you will have low chances of being killed—and she’s mostly all right with that. Injuries can be healed. Death can’t be.”

Those bastards. The fact they worried Rachel bothered me. For our family’s dark legacy to end, I would need to be the one to end it. Knowing my family, there was only one option: lethal force. “Does dead count as hurt? Because I have every intention of making them come down with a severe case of dead, Terry.”

“For this, nobody getting hurt applies only to us. But the hard part of this will be putting you in a position where you can eliminate both in one shot. They are not without their defenses, Ian. And I’m genuinely concerned they will go for a non-fatal injury to contain everyone. If they are wise, they’ll understand their best course of action is to injure you. They know we’ll cooperate to make certain you recover, and that will buy them time.”

I nodded, well aware of how the family magic worked. “I can overpower their defenses, but I do need to strike without warning. There will be no snapped fingers, no gestures, nothing. I will simply will them to become ash and smoke, and that will be their fate.”

Terry sighed, and I wondered how he handled the reality I had no issues with being injured if it meant my parents would never be able to hurt anyone else. He regarded me with a solemn expression before asking, “Will you be all right, Ian? We’re asking a lot of you.”

I took my time thinking about it, knowing I would not be able to lie to the empath. Finally, I sighed and nodded. “I would do far more than kill our parents for my sister and my kingdom, Terry. And I’d do so without hesitation if it means protecting Madelyn. I’m willing to live for them. Killing for them is a small ask in comparison.”

“Yes, it is. Things will get better. It will take some time, but things will get better. I wish I could promise the when and the how, but there you have it.”

I wondered what my sister and I had done to deserve someone like Terry sweeping in and restoring order to the mess that was our lives. Rather than ask, I watched Madelyn and allowed myself a smile. “They already are.”

* * *

Madelyn managed to drain four cameras out of juice, taking thousands of pictures during our tour of the vineyard grounds. She dove into the grape juice flight with amusing enthusiasm, earning the adoration of the staff. Then, in what I viewed as one of the kindest gestures anyone had done in a while, the manager presented a bottle of wine that had been stripped of its alcohol.

It was an experiment to determine if it would make wines accessible to people like me and my sister, who couldn’t enjoy traditional vintages.

I conferred with Dr. Stanton, who was on hand in case of any incidents, and she agreed to the test.

Somehow, the wine tasted like wine without trying to kill me. I stared at the doctor with wide eyes before turning to the manager and asking, “Is this the only bottle of it?”

“We prepared an entire case hoping it would make our wine accessible to you,” he replied with a smile. “It has different tones than our regular wines, but we slipped it into a tasting recently, and it scored quite well. We are using the alcohol stripped from the wine for some specialty liquors. The process isn’t as expensive as we anticipated with the right talents on hand, and we have several staffers who can handle the work.”

“When we get back to the palace, we should prank my sister with this,” I informed Dr. Stanton.

The woman grinned at me. “That seems like a reasonable plan. We’ll take the whole case, and we’ll place an order to stock the palace with it. We’ll need cooking sherries and other good wines for the chefs; that will make everyone in the palace rather happy with you.”

“We can remove the alcohol from any of our products. I’ll get in touch with the palace kitchen and find out what they need,” the manager promised. “We’ll also send samples of our latest vintages in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic variants. His Royal Majesty, from my understanding, enjoys wine?”

I nodded. “He does, but he tries to make certain Rachel doesn’t feel left out.” I lifted the bottle. “This will work fantastically well at that. We’ll just have to be careful to not grab the wrong bottle by accident.”

“We’ll be making special labels for the non-alcoholic wine so it’s easy to tell. We’ve applied a tape border in red for the moment to make it easy to tell which ones lack alcohol. We’ll take care of loading the SUVs with the crates while you enjoy the rest of the bottle.”

To my amusement, the man fled, issuing orders to make certain we were properly cared for.

I put some serious thought into hugging the bottle. “It didn’t try to kill me, Dr. Stanton. It’s been twenty minutes, and I’m not dying yet.”

“You’re not going to die,” she promised, smiling at my antics. “Please don’t mind him, Madelyn. Alcohol has been a significant issue for him for many years, so this is quite liberating for him. He can enjoy a good wine without consequence—and it will solve more than a few problems at the palace, especially among some staffers who developed addictions. I’ll be making sure to get a supply so they have an extra tool to help them conquer their demons.”

My parents held responsibility for that, too.

They’d driven more than a few staffers to alcoholism, and my sister worked hard trying to help everyone in the palace lead happier and healthier lives.

“Do you think I can order a few bottles for myself through the palace?” Madelyn asked.

If I had my way, she’d have a limitless supply of the drink and someone to share it with her. The reminder she had an ex, one who had abused her in some fashion or another, bothered me. The instant I got a chance to speak with Terry alone, I’d do some investigation of the man to find out what I needed to do to protect Madelyn from him.

While the RPS would do its best, especially now that Terry headed my sister’s detail, I wanted to be involved—or at least be familiar with him so I could act if he was foolish enough to come near Madelyn.

“That won’t be a problem,” Dr. Stanton replied. “I’ll be making certain the palace is aware that you both will need to be kept supplied with the non-alcoholic wine. If it has the health benefits of wine without the alcohol, I’ll be recommending that you share a bottle every day. When you exclude the alcohol portion of the wine, it has a lot of good things for you in it.”

I poured us each another glass of wine before handing over the remainder of the bottle and the cork to Dr. Stanton. “There should be enough left in there you can get it lab tested.”

She accepted the bottle, returned the cork, and handed it over to one of the RPS agents. “Get them to give you a sample of the alcoholic version so we can do a full evaluation. If the alcohol is the only thing missing, we’ll have a better idea of how to approach the situation. If there’s a secondary substance missing, I’d like to test them for a reaction.”

As always, I wondered how my family would have changed if only we’d been surrounded by people like Terry and Dr. Stanton from the start—and if we would ever truly recover from our past.

Only time would tell.