Piper (Queen's Birds of Prey 4)

The pain took him to the floor. Crying out with it, he had to stay conscious enough to tell his guard to stand down. There wasn’t even enough of his strength left to do that, as it turned out. Basil lay on the floor, his body aching so badly with each breath he took that he knew he was surely going to die. Begging for Grant to come to him so he might pass the magic on to him, the younger man stood over him and his mate to protect them. His guard stood down when Piper told them to get out of the room.

Basil woke. He didn’t move for fear it would drain more of his strength away. There was so much to do right now, and he knew time was wasting. When a movement caught his eye, he turned toward it to see who was in the room. The candle being lit was all it took for him to see Piper sitting in the room with him.

“You’re a fool. I’m sure that if you have good advisors, they have been telling you the same thing.” Basil told her he thought they might be a little more afraid of him than she appeared to be. “I’m not afraid of you. Not at all. However, there are a few things you should know and a couple more that you need to worry about. Your brother isn’t dead. He will be as soon as I find him, but for now, he’d still alive and kicking.”

“No, I saw him die.” Piper just cocked her pretty brow at him. “All right. For the sake of argument, he’s still alive. Where has he been these past years? I’m sure you have an idea.”

“I do. But I have other things to tell you first. You’re not dying. At least not if you don’t piss me off anymore. I’ve removed all the iron from your blood. Had you asked earlier, I could have done it a while ago.” He asked her if she was sure. “Are you going to question my every statement to you? Or is it all right if we have question and answer time in a little bit? Your brother wasn’t the only one that was poisoning you. It was someone in your household. Also, this is part of the things you need to know—your wife isn’t dead, nor is the child. It’s not your child, but your brother’s.”

He nearly told her she lied, but he had a feeling she’d hurt him. Basil sat up on the side of the bed and tried to work through what she was telling him. Thousands of questions went through his mind at one time.

“My wife, she was killing me as well.” Piper said that was right. “And the child, you said he was my brother’s. So when I would have died, my wife and her son would have come forth and taken over the kingdom.”

“Yes. Any more tidbits you’ve worked out?” He could have easily hated her, but he didn’t. Basil might well have fallen in love with her in the last few minutes. “You’ve already gone over it. Just say it, and I’ll tell you if you’re nearly as smart as everyone thinks you are.”

“They’re taking the money that is missing from the vault. The two of them have been robbing me while I thought them dead.” She told him she’d already changed the locks on the vaults with her own magic. “Thank you. You said I’m not to die. What did you do?”

“As I said, I pulled the iron from your body, so it was no longer a threat.” He could feel himself getting stronger by the minute. “The last thing you should know is that both Grant and I gave you some of our blood. I haven’t any idea what it will do to you. Perhaps we can hope it made you smarter. But somehow I doubt that’s going to be possible.”

“Where is Grant?” She told him. “They think I’m dead? Why would you do that? There are people out there that are only loyal to me.”

“Those people that you thought were loyal are now all dead. Yes, I killed them. Also, you will need another cook, as well as an advisor. You might say I have cleaned house for you.” He didn’t know what to say to her. Or even to ask of her. “The worrying part now. You will need to worry about your wife and brother. The child is all grown up, so he will also be a threat to you. While I can’t find them, you can bet your ass that I will. Then they’re going to meet an end that isn’t nearly as nice as the rest of your staff had.”

“I don’t know what to say.” He looked at her and saw that she was changing...evolving as well. “I touched you. You’re fae.”

“Yes. I was fucking pissed about that too, but I figure it’s all magic. I have wings as well. So does Grant. Not happy about that. If I can’t change into my phoenix, you’re going to wish you’d never met me.” He told her he wasn’t so sure now. “Good. You keep that thought in your head all the time, and try not to piss me off.”

“Thank you, Piper.” She leaned forward, and he knew that whatever she was going to tell him, he didn’t want to hear. “Is there more I should know?”

“Plenty. But for now, I’ll tell you that all the money I could find that they’ve taken from the vaults is back. They’re going to figure it out soon enough. Until I tell you differently, you’re to stay in this room and only this one. It’s been fixed, so no one will see or hear you so long as you’re here. It’s the only way to keep you from being hurt. You’re weak now, as I’m sure you figured out. Until you’re back to full strength, stay hidden. If you don’t, I can no longer protect you.”

“Why are you doing this?” Piper asked him what he meant. “You didn’t have to do this. You could have just taken the job and let me die. Why? And why are you so angry about it?”

“I’m not angry at you, not really, but that you were letting yourself be made a fool of. That is not what a leader does. Yes, I had to do this. I don’t know why, but I have this feeling that I was meant to help you and that it will, in some way, help the rest of us. As I said, I don’t know why, but we’ll see. If it’s nothing, then that’s all right too. You’re alive to rule your lands, and I will have a favor from you.”

“Anything.” She told him to just get better for now as she stood up. “Piper, I literally owe you my life. Thank you.”

He wasn’t sure, but he thought she told him to fuck off as she left him there. Basil laid back on the bed and closed his eyes. It was funny, really. She was the most ungracious helper he’d ever met. Yet he had a feeling she’d kill for him. In fact, she’d already done that.

Basil let himself fall into a good deep sleep. He was safe, as was the castle and people while they were here. There wasn’t anything more wonderful than that, he thought.