Geza nodded solemnly, waving a hand. Surah didn’t bother to sigh, worried enough about Malin that she let her own sarcasm go. Wrapping an arm around his back, Surah nearly tumbled as Malin surged to his feet. The gargoyle grabbed Surah'sarm.
“My apologies, Surah. I’m fine, you don’t need to fuss.” His gaze turned towards the silent Sililu, thoughtful. “It seems that we need to have a long talk,however.”
Sililu bowed. “I am at your disposal,Lord.”
Geza snorted. “He'd better hope not. Do you really think I'm going to allow you all to walk out and go conspire againstme?”
“Geza—”
“Don't ‘Geza’ me,” he snapped. “You’re worse than all of them–at least they don’t pretend to be loyal like youdo.”
Surah stared at him, angry. “That’s bullshit. But whatever. Come if you want. You can watch us talk about you all youlike.”
Geza bared his teeth. “It soundsfun.”
It was a silent group that walked back to Sililu’s quarters. The servants and guards tried not to stare. Everyone knew the royal family was odd, but today’s events…Surah was certain no one knew how to take the apparent camaraderie between two Princes' who were just fighting a minuteago.
When they arrived in Malin’s suite, Surah didn’t waste time. “Everyonesit.”
“This is my room,” Malin said, raising aneyebrow.
“It’s my castle,” Geza said, settling onto the cream couch. His legs and wings sprawled, taking up more space than was politely his. Narrowed eyes dared anyone to say anything aboutit.
“It occurs to me,” Malin said, “that whatever issues the nobles would like us to have with each other—and whatever legitimate issues they have with your style of rule, Geza, that it hasn’t rightfully come to a point where there needs to be pitched battle in the thronehall.”
“It sounds like you’re attempting to avoid open treason, Prince Malin,” Cernea said, voice cool. “What exactly does that mean for mydaughter?”
“You know, you aren’t in any position to make requests, considering we all know your allegiance will go to the highest bidder,” Gezasaid.
“Not the highest bidder. The strongest ruler. Whether that is yourself, my Prince, or Prince Malin, remains to bedetermined.”
Malin stiffened. Surah strolled over to her mate and dug her fingers in the gargoyle’s tense neck and shoulders, massaging. After spending years in human society, Surah supposed both she and Malin were in a unique position to appreciate just how direct gargoyles could be. They certainly weren’t much for subterfuge. Surah rubbed a particularly nasty knot in Malin’s neck. He mmmed, bodyrelaxing.
“Uh, can you do that somewhere else?” Geza asked, averting hisgaze.
“Awww, would Gezie wike a wackwub, too?” Surah asked, in her best high-pitched singsongvoice.
Her brother shuddered. “If you touch me I’ll cut your hands off. Gross.” The Prince’s gaze slid to Sililu. “Now, a backrubfrom—”
Cernea growled, interrupting Geza before he could complete theinsult.
“Can you focus?” Malin snapped. “You have two factions fighting here–one fighting for me to take control. But their main concern is your bloody incompetence. If you started acting like an adult they would backoff.”
Geza’s face tightened as he sat up, wings snapping in irritation. “You insult me in front of mysubjects?”
“You wanted to be here,” Malin reminded him. “The next problem is Mogren. She doesn’t want another Prince, they wantdemocracy.”
Surah laughed. Malin said the word like it was a rotten jellybean he’d been tricked into chewing. And he was a CEO over a mostly human runcorporation.
Geza looked at Malin with false patience. “Do you think I don’t know that? But I have no cause to arrest either of them. Lavinia, especially, has been very careful not to go beyond the scope oflaw.”
“Oh really? And were you aware her men attacked Surah again–this time in the livery of your personalguard?”
“What?”Geza surged to his feet, dark eyes glittering. “I told that bitch that if sheever—”
“She must not have gotten the memo,” Surah interjected,snide.
“It still isn’t enough,” Cernea said flatly. “The only way you will get the Assembly to go along with the arrest and conviction of a sitting noble Council member is if she is caught in the act of treason. Openlycaught.”
