To Claim A Crown Book Three: The Host Of Death

Chapter Sixteen: Dinner Assignment

"Then you can understand why I did what I did," Sarah mutters as she sets her cup down. At Naomi's silence she dares to look up and her best friend is looking at her with raised eyebrows, waiting for her to say more. "I saw the bond the two of you shared, immediately. Of course I had read about it. I knew what it was but I never thought I'd actually see one up close and when I did I was envious." Sarah laughs, her eyes falling to her lap. "I wanted what you had, that kind of bond, emotion. But I realised then that you would be his aeturnum first. Before our friendship, before any relationship. When I realised that I also realised that I didn't want to be alone. And it just so happened that Raurlin had a best friend too."

The two fall into comfortable laughter as Raurlin walks into the kitchen with a soft smile. He wraps an arm around Naomi's waist and tugs her against his body. Naomi rests against him comfortably but from his side his racing heartbeat vibrates against her ribcage. His body is warm underneath the jersey he is warming. The heat is radiating through her clothes too. Naomi glances at him with a frown.

"Jackson and I have decided to accompany Horatio to the record-keepers. It will be good for us to know where they are staying. And the two of you are definitely caught up in some gossip so we'll leave you to it. Just remember that Soraya is resting upstairs, perhaps you can check on her?"

Sarah hops off the counter, "even better. We will drag her down here and force her to cook with us."

Raurlin shrugs, "whatever you decide. We will be back soon." Raurlin kisses Naomi's temple and strides out of the kitchen.

Naomi and Sarah remain in silence until he is out of earshot. Sarah rests against the counter and clears her throat. "When Dez told me she not only had a spell that killed off the aeturnum side of a vampire but that she had also done the spell and succeeded I was just filled with this hope. So much hope. It blinded me for sure! I never should have done what I did, especially without talking to Jax first. But still, it worked out in the end. Some stroke of luck."

"Do you and Dez still talk?"

"Here and there. She's keeping tabs on the other witch, the one Sigrid possessed. She keeps me updated here and there but I do have a mapping spell out on both of them. I know where they both are at any given moment."

Naomi flicks imaginary dust off her pants. "I thought you'd want to remain in contact with them...they are witches afterall. And you're kind of...the strongest witch there is. I thought you might want to start a coven."

Sarah shakes her head dismissively. "I thought about it too but it would be the worst thing for all of us to be together under one roof. Aside from the fact that from a security point it doesn't make sense to have all of us together, each of us practises a different craft. Dez could never grasp the fullness of blood magick. It would only lead to tension. I think I could make trips to visit them both in turn, and work on what they already have. Perfect some spells. Introducing new ones. I'm sure they will have covens of their own, I would like to meet them. Ultimately they all need to understand that I am the balancing witch. Their coven members need to understand that. They can exist however they would like provided it is within my say-so."

Naomi exhales a breath. "Sounds intense. But I hear you, it makes sense. The original witches gave us a run for our money. Sigrid definitely played us. To this day we don't know if Idonea walks the Earth. Never mind the third witch. There's just too much possibility. It's much easier to focus on what we know. Right now we know that we need to cook dinner and that we need to wake up Soraya and get her down here."

"Agreed. We won't push her too much but we're the ones who killed her. We can't just abandon her." Sarah straightens. "Let me go call her, do you want to get going with a menu so long?"

Naomi looks at the kitchen around her, nodding her head slowly. "Yes, sure. I'll just work off of what we have." Naomi watches behind Sarah until she is out of the kitchen then she begins walking around the kitchen looking through the cupboards and the fridge. Naomi sets a pack of steaks in the sink and sets down some vegetables on the counter, regular potato, sweet potato and butternut. Shortly after Sarah and Soraya's chatter carries down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Naomi looks at them with a smile. Soraya's neck is better now, the bruising has lightened drastically and the red tear stains on her cheeks have eased up completely. She has changed too into a comfortable tracksuit and her hair is tied up and out of her face. She is looking strangely refreshed.

"Raya," Naomi directs, "are you feeling better?"

"Much. I had a good long nap and I'm feeling really refreshed, thank you. How can I help?"

"Well first things first, we have to decide what to cook. I've found some steak that isn't frozen and some vegetables. Soraya, why don't you take the lead on this? You worked at the pizzeria. I'm sure you've picked up on some skills."

Soraya battles back a smile and fails. "Very well then but you have to follow my lead. What I say goes, I run the kitchen now."

"Yes chef!" Sarah exclaims wrapping an apron around her waist then handing another to Soraya and Naomi.

Raurlin taps his thumbs on the steering wheel and he glances at Horatio who is sitting solemn and silent in the back seat of the car. Horatio's glossy eyes remain steadfast ahead of him and it is clear that he is lost in thought. His breathing, although shaky, is steady. He clears his throat and his eyes drag upward to the mirror where Raurlin is watching him.

"My King, if I may ask, why are we not moving?"

Raurlin glances at Jackson and Jackson nods quickly. "Horatio, is your allegiance to your king?"

Horatio nods, a deep frown tugging his grey eyebrows. "Yes my King. Unequivocally. To my King and my Queen. Forever."

"Forever is a long time," Raurlin cautions with a raised eyebrow.

"My King, I have lived forever three times over. And I will continue to pledge my life to you. My life is yours, my life is my Queen's."

"Horatio, I need you to ask something of you and I need you to swear secrecy with me and with Jackson."

"Anything you ask my King. Anything at all."

"Naomi...I need you to watch her. At all times, when I am home and especially when I am not."

Horatio muses over Raurlin's words. "My King, to keep secrets from My Queen...I do not know..."

"It is not a favour. It is an order."

Horatio's head hangs low. "Of course. I swear secrecy. My King if I may know why..."

Jackson turns in his seat to look at Horatio, "that is not an appropriate-"

"-Jax" Raurlin interrupts, "it's okay. This is news we are going to have to share anyway. Horatio, we have received news from the locals that murders have been happening in all the neighbouring towns around us. A body was discovered here on the border and it looks like the murder was intended to be targeted at a vampire. The eyes were removed, teeth removed and-"

"-the nails. They were removed, skin sliced in a v."

"Yes, Horatio. How did you know that?"

Horatio scratches his forehead and it wrinkles. "Forgive me My King, I know that I know it but I don't know how I know it. It's as if I can't really remember something, it's right there..."

"Don't worry yourself, old man. We cannot remember anything either. The bottom line though is that we must do everything we can to protect our Queen. Do you understand?"

"Of course My King. I will say nothing. Perhaps, the record-keepers have something in their records about this murder."