Reign of Blood

Chapter Forty-Six

"You look happy," Rosa said, staring tiredly at him across the bar. "You never look happy. Something's happened. What gives?"

"I've marked her," Chronos said, barely believing the words as he said them. He'd actually marked Annaliese—and she'd actually let him. She'd welcomed it, in fact. She was as good as his.

"Tell me something I don't know." The barmaid rolled her eyes at him. "This entire bar could hear you two going at it last night. Even the nymphs were getting flustered. Someone likes to scream, ey?"

"Good." Then they knew he was taken. They'd leave him alone. Annaliese could stop pretending she wasn't boiling in jealousy. The Common World now knew he was spoken for.

"Where's the lucky girl then?"

"Upstairs," He answered. After another round upon waking up, Annaliese had kicked him out of the room so she could shower in peace. They both knew she wouldn't have been cleaning herself if he'd have stayed.

He was eager for some more.

"Good on you then," Rosa said, handing him a hot drink across the bar. "I'm happy for you your prince-liness. I knew someone would wrangle you into behaving yourself eventually."

Chronos scoffed. Rosa was still pushing her luck.

"It's just a case of introducing it to the wolves now. I don't know how they'll take it."

"Yeah, two witches might be a bit much for them right now. Give 'em a while to adjust to Evette. You know, since their Queen is already their enemy. Give them some time for that one first. Then you can drop this bomb on them. Maybe announce your inter-species war is over and done with too."

That would probably be a good place to start.

A throat cleared from behind him.

Fenrir was back, an envelope in hand.

"My liege," He said, bowing to his Prince.

"Fenrir," Chronos acknowledged. For a change, he was feeling jovial. Probably because he'd just gotten laid. Not to mention the part about it being the best sex he'd had in his life. "Sit down and have a drink with me."

"You seem happy."

"It's a good day."

A great day.

"Then I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a letter arrived for you at the castle this morning. I thought I'd bring it to you myself."

The scarred werewolf slid the envelope across the bar until it landed in front of the Prince.

Chronos sighed and rubbed his temples.

Was one day of pure elation too much to ask for?

"I believe it's from the elders, sir. Word has gotten back to them of your... relation to the Queen."

"And how would that have happened?"

Unless someone had snitched. Chronos narrowed his eyes at the scarred wolf.

"I believe your brother may have had something to do with it. He's explained to the council his reasoning for remaining in Veneficus. I believe, from your brother's explanation, that the council has put two and two together."

"For fuck's sake."

He snatched the envelope up, sliding his claw along the back of it.

True to Fenrir's word, it was addressed to him and signed at the bottom by the werewolf council.

Joy.

They knew about him and Annaliese.

With each line he read, his mood grew worse and worse.