Chapter 385: Meeting Ruler
Pagomaris strode forward, in the lead for the first time since we stepped off the platform below, and genuflected so deeply to the thrones before her I'm positive her nose touched the stone. She then turned and smiled at me, body vibrating with joy.
"Bow now before our High and Noble Rulers," she said in a voice throbbing with emotion. "His Royal Highness, Prince Vandelarius, Ruler of the Second Seat, Demon Lord of Milanseme, Carrier of the Sacred Shroud, Lord Master General of the Guard..."
She went on so long I felt my brain going numb.
I know, Sassy sent. Tiresome, aren't they? Your grandmother's titles could fill a thousand paged book, so get that glaze out of your eyes and listen up.
Smartass cat.
Pagomaris finally wound down, adding one last title about a Glorious Chalice of something or another before she turned and bowed herself to the demon on the smaller throne.
It sat just below my grandmother's, to the left side, not quite as grand. In it slumped a portly demon who appeared to be in his late twenties, though I was well aware demon ages were very deceptive. More likely he was a couple of thousand years old.
1894, I think, Sassy sent.
Nitpicker.
My point was, despite all the fancy-schmancy titles he carried around with him, Vandelarius seemed frumpy and more than a little petulant, his elaborate robe crumpled in his lap, dirty boot bobbing over his crossed knee. His amber eyes sunk into his face, peering pig-like over his rounded cheeks, thick lips almost grossly so. His black hair had thinned, leaving him a severe widow's peak, scalp shining through the carefully combed remains.
By the way, Sassy sent. You should probably bow right about now.
What? I glanced around, so focused on my observations I missed the fact everyone else was on their knee. Dad glanced up at me, a little grin pulling his lips, but I figured I'd better conform just in case.
It sucked and I hated bowing right away. But I did it, if only for Dad.
I rose with the rest of the demons as Pagomaris turned with another huge smile.
He's Harry's brother-in-law, Sassy said while the aide beamed all around. Married to his sister.
My uncle. Okay then.
Watch him. Sassy's voice hissed in my mind as Pagomaris began to introduce my grandmother.
Got to love family.
"And now, all hail our Most Noble and Righteous Ruler, First Seat Ahbi Sanghamitra, Glorious Leader of all Demonicon, Salvation of..."
Um, yeah. Booooring.
A yawn began in the back of my throat and crawled its way up to my mouth as Pagomaris went on and on and bloody on until I found myself clamping my lips together to keep the damned thing in, eyes watering as the yawn crested and finally left me.
If this was what life here was like, I was happy to go home.
My eyes kept wandering, over the assembled watchers, my demon family, to Vandelarius and his clear disregard for the ceremony of it all as he scratched absently under his robe and didn't bother to hide his own yawn, mouth gaping every two minutes or so, showing the black depths of his throat and the golden molars way in the back.
Made it hard to hold back my own yawns with him shoving it in my face. As for my grandmother, I didn't really think staring at her would be the best course of action considering how everyone treated her, so I only caught glimpses as my gaze flickered to her over and over again, forming a final picture while Pagomaris finally wound down.
One thing, my grandmother was a very large woman. Not in fat, in stature. She had to stand at least as tall as Dad, if not taller, her wide shoulders a challenge to his own. Her stern face was rock-like, faintly lined, the first older demon I'd ever seen. Carefully coiffed steel-silver hair wound around her head and cascaded in perfect coils over her shoulders, falling over her massively spectacular robe and trailing down the seat to swing softly near her feet. Her eyes were the same penetrating amber of all demons, but I sensed a hardness to her making me think she was way more effigy than demon.
She didn't twitch, barely seemed to breathe the entire time, large hands clamped onto the arm rests of her throne, beak-like nose curved downward over lips thinned to a straight line. If it weren't for my previous experience, for the danger I'd endured and survived, I might have been afraid of her.
Okay. Was a little. But it wasn't like she planned to bite me. Not that anyone mentioned.
Come to think of it, how much did I know about demon culture? Was biting involved?
Syd. Get a grip.
At least the stares and whispers served me well. The more the gathered family judged me, the angrier I grew. My demon was happy to hum her dissatisfaction with present circumstances, though she was as fearful of my grandmother as I was. Shaylee stayed out of it, though I wasn't sure if on purpose or not. She felt muffled inside me, as though being on the demon plane held her back. I hadn't noticed last time, but then I was focused on saving Dad so it was likely I wouldn't have.
As for the vampire essence, she lay coiled in my heart, as usual, observing. She hadn't so much as whispered to me in the last few months, content to exist within me. Even visits from Uncle Frank and Sunny didn't rouse her much, though they still suffered from a bit of attraction to me because of her presence. I hadn't seen Sebastian and worried he was avoiding me for the same reason.
So my demon and I it was. Good enough. We could handle things, especially now I knew I wasn't allowed to use my other magicks anyway.
I snapped back to reality from my wandering thoughts to find my eyes locked on my grandmother's. She stared back, cold and empty, but this time I wasn't scared. She reminded me of Charlotte when the weregirl was in guard mode.
Good then. Pull your attempt at being creepy and hard assed, Nanny-mine. I could take it.
Pagomaris bowed again to the thrones before backing away, still nearly prone, a creepy display reminding me of a giant metal spider. She didn't rise until she was almost to us. Before she could speak again, Sassafras darted forward, leaping up the three stairs to my grandmother's throne and hopping up into her lap.
A smile. Was it? Could that concrete face really smile? One huge hand lifted from its place on the throne, almost as if a statue come to life, and she stroked his fur with amusement pulling her lips upward.
"Sassafras," she said, voice deep, but very feminine. "How delightful to see you, dear boy."
He began to purr, the sound of it carrying even as his demon magic reached me, woven into his own personal song. "Ahbi," he said.
Gasps of shock. Clearly her first name wasn't the best choice of address. Even Pagomaris blanched, paling under her red-tinted skin.
But my grandmother laughed, a booming echo, still gently stroking his fur.
"Welcome home, boy," she said as her eyes lifted to me.
So she had a heart. Somewhere inside her, anyway. And now, thanks to Sass, I knew it.
You're welcome, he sent in a very tight thread. But don't get cocky. She'll crush you like a bug.
I was sure he was full of it, but why risk it?
Because she gave me reason to.
"Approach, Meira, daughter of Haralthazar, Demon Prince of the Second Plane." My grandmother didn't gesture, face falling again into a cold mask.
My sister moved ahead without a sound or hesitation while my blood began a slow burn.
Um, she was much more than Dad's daughter. Much more. The group surrounding us laughed behind their hands, as if aware of the slight. Coldness I could handle. Arrogance when it came to my lineage?
She had another freaking thing coming.
Any fear I'd felt, any residual concern, melted like cheap wax under the rumble of my rising temper. Even my demon joined me, snapping fire through my body until I was rigid with it.
Two could play this game, oh yeah. As Meira bowed to our grandmother and accepted whatever platitude the old demon offered, I ran over my plan in my head until it was perfect.
I quivered inside, but stood a statue myself on the outside when Meira finally backed away and my grandmother fixed me once again with a gaze like steel.
Let's see how she liked a taste of her own medicine.
They wanted scandal? Something to gasp at? I was more than happy to deliver.
Before she could say a word, I stepped forward and opened my big mouth.
***
