Chapter 16

Serpin didn’t even get a chance to get out of the cab.

As soon as Collin felt she was near, he was out the front waiting for her to pull up. He had the door open and her in his arms the moment she halted the transporter. She chuckled when he finally let her up for air and put her on the ground. She was then hauled into Paige’s embrace and greeted just as enthusiastically.

If she had any doubts that they had missed her, they were soon shattered. While they had talked most nights that she was away, through the vambraces, she knew she had missed them terribly as well. She was a little surprised that she felt as if she had come home. Looking at her two lovers, she realised that wherever they were, was her home.

Tom and Barnacle had decided they were happy to keep working for Serpin, so she still owned the old smithy. They would keep the boys stocked with magically enhanced items like the horseshoes and the boys would keep doing what they had always done. They had steady orders and were content. They even planned to take on a couple of apprentices.

Now that she was back at the Guild Hall, Serpin needed to get her classes sorted out for her apprentices. She had enjoyed teaching Collin and felt that her experience with him would help her become a better teacher for her new Novices.

Collin had managed to find her six students. Two were a little older and had some experience so she would have to grade them to see what areas she needed to concentrate on with them. He had said that Allison was doing great. It seemed that being in love hadn’t dampened her enthusiasm.

Serpin was relieved that the girl had redirected her infatuation to Jay. Paige had told her that even though he needed a magical fix he had pushed her away when he thought she was Allison. This too had helped relieve some of Serpin’s anxiety.

She wasn’t sure why she was worried about Collin leaving her. The look of love he gave her, and his greeting dispelled most of her worries. He was, however, a handsome man and in his position, the temptations would come his way.

She knew that she would just have to trust that she and Paige truly did make him happy.

Another young woman was also having doubts, as she watched the throng of beauties who were clustered around Ayden.

Justine knew that eventually, she would have to share him with Ryne. Oddly, this didn’t worry her so much. She was more worried about him having passing fancies. Her father didn’t have fidelity in his make-up. She had seen many people come and go in his life.

She had assumed Collin was tarred with the same brush but now wasn’t so sure. At the Ball, he had stuck with Paige and Serpin. She had observed quite a few, who had cast their eyes over him, especially since he had become the Lord of the Mage Guild.

However, Collin had seemed oblivious to them. His eyes always sought out his partners if they left his side. The smiles he gave them and the way his eyes lit up when they touched him and smiled at him was reminiscent of the Collin she had known and loved, before their father had tried to take over his body.

At the ball, Collin had been polite to any who had talked to him, but he had not asked any of them to dance other than her, Serpin, Paige, Melody and Tilly. Interestingly, Ayden had only danced with them too, except for the one dance he had with Ryne. To their amusement, he had even let Ryne lead.

She didn’t know why she worried. In the six weeks that they had been in Slidervale, Ayden had only danced with those he felt he had too. He always came back to her side and didn’t linger with the person he had danced with, out of what he called duty.

Justine started when an arm went around her waist and a body pressed into her from behind. “Get me out of here,” the soft sexy voice said into her ear. A shiver of delight raced down her spine and she tingled all over. Turning her head, she looked into Ayden’s beautiful eyes. His smile was immediately reflected in his eyes and the full force of his love for her was there for her to see.

“Please my love, I can’t take much more of these obsequious people.”

“Obsequious?” she said with raised eyebrows.

He leant in closer, so his breath once again caressed her ear and whispered, “I’d call them arse-kissers, but I was trying to be polite.”

Justine giggled and he hugged her to him. She whispered back, “Should I plead a headache or just that I wish to leave so you can fuck my brains out?”

Ayden groaned softly and she felt the effect she was having on him. She giggled again as she rubbed back against him. His arms tightened, “Plead the first and you will get the second.”

Justine turned and took his hand in hers. “Bugger them, let’s just leave. We don’t have to explain ourselves to any of them.”

Ayden looked at her in surprise and then grinned impishly. “Fine by me and you still get the second option.”

“Good, I thought you would never ask,” she replied and led him from the ballroom.

Several people went to stop them but the determination on Justine’s face as she ignored them and towed Ayden in her wake halted most. One obnoxious old biddy put out her hand to stop Justine. As she went to form her words, Justine bared her teeth at the woman and kept moving.

Ayden didn’t offer an apology either. If he heard one more person tell him, ‘That’s not how we do it here,’ he would go mad. It was if they were being obtuse just for the pleasure of it. It wasn’t just the nobility giving him trouble, even the servants were being a pain in his arse. If he got much more crap from them, he was going to sack the lot and start again.

They made it to the stairs when they were stopped by the butler. “Sire, is there a problem? The ball in your honour is still going on,” the man rebuked Ayden in his pompous voice.

“Yes, you’re in our way,” Justine told him and pushed past him. She then ran up the stairs with Ayden still in tow. She stopped part-way up and turned to the startled man. “Actually, there is a problem. Tell that lot of arse-kissers to go bloody home.”

She then went to lead Ayden at a more sedate pace. Ayden stopped her and looked at the butler. “You heard her man, move your arse and do as you were told for once. Tell the musicians to pack up and stop serving the guests food and drink. They will get the hint soon enough.”

“Tell them as they leave that I want them in the throne room at ten bells and if they are late, they will be locked out. I also want the ballroom cleaned up a lot better than the last attempt that the servants you command made. If it isn’t done to Justine’s satisfaction, you and they will be dismissed. Am I clear?” Ayden said in a cold voice and then stared the man down.

The butler felt that something had changed and the look in both Ayden and Justine’s eyes and their stance told him they’d had enough. He bowed and hurried to do as he had been told. Ayden was a Regent and his bearing said that he was sick of being the nice guy.

Harold the butler also now believed his job was in jeopardy and he didn’t wish to lose it or the perks.

The musicians finished the last dance song and started packing up.

“What’s going on?” Duke Robert Tyson asked Harold who was still standing near them.

“Regent Tyler has requested the ball to end. He also wants you and the other nobles in the throne room before ten bells or he will lock you all out,” Harold informed the Duke and those near him.

“We will see about that, just whom does he think he is, trying to come here and order us about,” Robert blustered.

“He is your Regent, whether you like it or not!” Robert’s vambrace replied tartly, to everyone’s surprise.

Helen, who had come over to see what the fuss was about then added, “He wears the vambrace of Queen Camila and since Justine wears Queen Ivana’s then they are your Royal lieges. Queen Ivana wanted Boa Island ruled by one family and she has got her wish. They have every right to tell you to turn up to a meeting that they have called.”

Several of the more obstinate nobles grumbled that they didn’t want things to change. “Change is inevitable, nothing stays the same. Have some of you been getting strange tingles from your vambraces lately?” Helen asked the group around her.

She guessed by the looks of discomfort that several of them had. “Lord Wizard Trae propagated a spell to update your vambraces and in case you didn’t realise it, the Royals have by now touched all of you who wear magical items and passed those upgrades on.”

“If you don’t start behaving as the representatives of your people that you are supposed to be, you may well lose the privilege of wearing such items as they will leave you. You will all find that your vambraces can be communicated with and I suggest that you and they get to know each other a little better.”

“On a parting note, if Ayden says don’t be late, then don’t be. He will lock the doors and you may not like the consequences if you are found on the wrong side of them. Good night,” she finished, and then turned and left the stunned nobles.

Unlike them, she knew Ayden a lot better than they did. He may seem like a nice bloke and he tried to find diplomatic ways to solve problems. None the less, like his mother, once he’d had enough, he’d play the Lord and put down his foot. She was surprised that he had lasted as long as he had. She’d realised within days of being here that only Ayden could pull these people into line.

Helen was glad to be retiring early from one of these abhorrent functions, at which the nobles here seemed to spend all of their time. She wasn’t sure that she was cut out to be their Viceroy. The problem was that she wasn’t sure who here could replace her.