Necessary Magic (Wolf and Unicorn Book 1) by Val St. Crowe

Author:Val St. Crowe [St. Crowe, Val]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Punk Rawk Books
Published: 2017-04-28T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Zhanna read over the text on her phone again, unable to believe it. One man from the expedition that Caspar had led out had survived. One. He’d only made it out because he’d run like a coward, even though he was spinning it that he’d left to make sure that she knew what had happened. She supposed it was good to have news, but it was bad news, and that didn’t make that man any less a coward.

“High Mistress?” said the voice of her lady-in-waiting, Gramercy Dunn. “Something upsetting in the text?”

The two were in the main banquet hall. Zhanna had been in the midst of ordering menus for the next three banquets when the text had come in. She set her phone down on the long dining table, which stretched up and down the room, gray marble with seating for twenty.

“Yes,” said Zhanna. “Caspar’s dead.”

“Oh,” said Gramercy, her face twisting in concern. “How awful, High Mistress. I’m so sorry.”

Zhanna made a face as if she’d smelled something bad. “It is awful, isn’t it? Here I send him out to do something to prove to me that he’s a man, and he gets himself killed. Some kind of man he is. I’m just disgusted. If he weren’t already dead, I’d probably kill him myself.”

“Oh, I’m sure you don’t mean that,” said Gramercy, attempting a smile.

Zhanna pulled out one of the chairs at the dining room table and sank into it. The other witch was one of her newer ladies-in-waiting, and she always seemed nervous. Zhanna wished she wouldn’t. The stupid half-smiles and the way that Gramercy shifted from one foot to another got on Zhanna’s last nerve. However, after news like this, anyone would get on her last nerve, so she didn’t think there was much point in dismissing the other witch. She sighed. “You have no idea how difficult this is going to make things for me. I have no consort.”

Gramercy sat down next to her. “Oh, I know, High Mistress. It’s awful.” She reached out a hand to enclose one of Zhanna’s.

Zhanna furrowed her brow, looking down at Gramercy’s hand clasped around hers.

Gramercy let out a nervous laugh and withdrew her hand. “Sorry, High Mistress. I only meant to comfort you in your grief.”

Zhanna snorted. “I’m not grieving.”

“You don’t have to hide it from me,” said Gramercy. “I know that you are a strong woman, and your love for your husband does nothing to weaken your strength.”

“Love?” Zhanna let out a noisy breath. “Where would you get such a ridiculous idea? I have never loved Caspar. I couldn’t possibly have loved something like that. He was occasionally useful. And perhaps a few hundred years ago, he was still very handsome. But I never loved him.”

“Oh.” Gramercy seemed thrown by this. “Well… perhaps you’re just in denial, High Mistress? You don’t have to admit how hurt you are.”

“I’m fine with talking about my hurt,” said Zhanna. “You have no idea how absolutely agonizing it’s going to be, all those eligible bachelors jockeying for a place at my side, all wanting to be my consort.

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