I had meant in terms of her health, not necessarily the infrastructure, but Valora would of course be thinking of her people in addition to Adriatica.
“Was Jeremiah okay?” I wondered out loud. He had been the only guard to survive when Valora took down Necros and those residing at the palace. The guard had shown her loyalty before her rise to power, so she’d awarded him with the position of Chief Security Advisor. He was one of the good men, a blond giant with Herculean strength.
“Oh, he was fine. His recruit was, too. They both found the entire situation quite comical,” Valora said.
Her maid coughed a laugh, suggesting Valora’s summary might hold a half-truth to it, but I didn’t push it. Instead, I said, “Well, what a wonderful welcome to the guards of Nova.” I chuckled at the thought and allowed Adriatica to wrap her little fingers around my much larger one.
“Well, the guard stayed,” Valora amended. “So I’m sure it couldn’t have been too bad an injury.” She seemed to consider it for another moment, then shrugged and focused on me, only to frown. “Are you all right? You seem tired. No, that’s not it. Something’s wrong.”
I sighed heavily. “I’m just not looking forward to tonight.” Understatement. “Have you met Napia before?”
Valora shook her head. “I’ve not had the pleasure, but I’ve heard rumors.”
I contemplated how to word my thoughts. “Well, I don’t want to question Queen Lux’s judgment, but I think she might have gotten it wrong with this partnership. Grigory isn’t going to be happy.”
“Has he spoken to Lux?” Valora asked.
I handed Adriatica back to her when she started to fidget, and shrugged, not knowing the answer.
“In the short time I’ve known Grigory as my brother, I’ve learned he’s the sort of man who won’t do what he doesn’t like. Don’t worry. If it’s not meant to be, then it will end in time.”
Her words had me glancing down at my dress. She was right. He didn’t take shit from anyone, and his blood now flowed through my veins.
“You know what? Green isn’t really my color either,” I said. “Just give me a few minutes to find something more appropriate, then I’ll take you to meet the great Napia.”
Valora grinned. “Why do I suspect that this will be an entertaining introduction?”
“Because you know me well,” I replied, walking back to my dressing room.
Poor Grigory.
He was in for one hell of a night.
“Worm pie, my lord?” a passing server asked.
I gaped at him. “Do I look like I eat mud?” The enhanced menu selection for tonight’s affair was put together courtesy of my future wife. Fucking she-demon.
“N-no,” he sputtered. “I just… I’m supposed to…”
“Forget it,” I replied, dismissing him with a wave of my wrist.
Adrik glanced at me sideways, then covered his smirk with his glass.
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh all you want,” I muttered, unamused.
Napia frolicked through the room in a gown that left nothing to the imagination, her blue eyes alight with pleasure at having redecorated the entire room to her liking. Her father wasn’t far behind her, his rotund belly telling me he’d indulged in one too many worm pies throughout his many years. His willowy wife, however, could stand to eat a few more.
And wow, I sounded like a simpering teenage demon complaining about everything that moved around me.
I swallowed a healthy sip of my wine—confirming my pending alcohol addiction—and grimaced at the fountain display in the center of the ballroom. The water demons were dancing around it, worshipping the magic Napia had woven through the floating strands.
The entire palace had been transformed overnight to resemble a kingdom I had no interest in leading—her kingdom.
Several Noxia demons stood in the shadows, their distaste at the change evident.
We preferred night.
Smoke.