Lottery King 7, page 22
“We’re agreeing that Michael was worth waiting for,” Gemma explained. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Helena murmured. “And yes, he definitely was worth the wait.”
“You’re gorgeous,” I breathed as I kissed her on the cheek.
Then Poppy came back into the room in a dusky pink lace gown that hugged every one of her curves. The sweetheart neckline showed off a fair bit of cleavage, and I fought the urge to bury my face in that sweet valley. The floral lace pattern covered every inch of the gown, and it didn’t have any other embellishments. But Poppy had selected a pair of diamond-shaped, diamond and ruby-encrusted earrings that were easily three inches long. They dangled from her pointed ears and set tiny reflections all through the room. Her teal hair was pulled far to the right with a deep side part, and a diamond and ruby pin held the waves in place at the back of her head.
“Wow,” I breathed, and I looked at my winged wives. “You both look incredible.
“That’s our cue, Nyxx,” Gemma teased. “Time to fancy-up.”
“Let’s see if we can follow those show-stopping entrances.” Nyxx smirked.
Gemma and Nyxx left the room, and my four wives and I continued to snack on the food tray while we waited.
“You need your tie!” Poppy gasped suddenly.
“Yeah,” I said. “I was hoping one of you knew where in this… explosion of retail it was.”
“Shit…” Poppy hissed softly. “I swear I saw it earlier.”
“It’s not a big deal.” I shrugged.
“I think I saw it over there last,” Helena said, and she pointed over to a pile of shopping bags. “But… that was a while ago.”
“I can just pick something from–” I started.
“Shh.” Poppy stopped my words with a finger over my lips. “I will find it.”
“Okay,” I mumbled past her finger.
Poppy grinned and set off to locate the elusive gold tie.
Helena smirked as she tried one of the pickles Gemma had enjoyed.
“Mm,” Helena hummed. “These are good.”
“Yeah?” I asked.
I picked up one of the little pickles that was no longer than my pinky finger, and I took a bite. It had the perfect level of sharp crunch a pickle should have, and it was filled with a rich garlicky flavor that I hadn’t expected.
“Oh,” I said. “That is really good.”
“Um…” Gemma hummed and laughed as she entered the room. “What is Poppy doing?”
“I’m looking for Michael’s tie,” Poppy answered.
I turned around to look at Gemma and Nyxx, and they were an intense contrast of one another.
Gemma wore a sky-blue gown with a fitted bodice and full flowing skirt. The top half was nearly cut in half by a deep v-neckline that went almost all the way to her navel. It was embroidered with tiny flowers that were attached in a way that made them look like butterflies about to take flight. The skirt was probably a dozen layers of some sheer fabric that had a long slit all the way up to her left thigh. It showed off a long leg of fair skin and shimmering indigo scales around her ankle. Gemma had curled her shoulder-length hair into loose ringlets, and she wore a pair of pearl earrings that matched her new engagement ring.
Nyxx’s gown was as dark as her shadow form. The asymmetrical neckline hooked over her left shoulder, and there was a cluster of dark rhinestones at the top of the strap. It swooped in diagonal ruching across her torso and flowed down in beautiful draping skirts. The most interesting aspect of the dark gown was the slight gradient that started around her knees and grew lighter like flames toward the hemline. It shifted from black, to deep maroon, to pastel orange, and finally a hint of yellow at the very bottom.
“Goddamn,” I mumbled under my breath. “What did I do in my past lives to earn this?”
“Do you like it?” Nyxx asked.
“I love it,” I said. “And I love all of you, with my whole heart and soul.”
“We love you, too,” Gemma and Helena said almost in perfect unison.
“So much,” Poppy added as she walked over to stand with us. “More than I thought possible.”
“More than I thought I deserved,” Nyxx said with a wry laugh.
“I feel like there aren’t enough words to say how much I love you,” Gemma added.
“I know exactly what you mean.” I grinned.
The four beautiful, strong, and caring women walked forward with their arms wide, and they surrounded me in a full-circle hug. Thick, passionate emotion swelled in my throat, and I wondered if I would ever get used to the overwhelming power of my devotion to these women.
“Should we go?” Poppy asked after a long moment.
“I suppose so,” I chuckled.
“One more pickle,” Gemma said with a smirk.
“Ooooh, me, too,” Helena laughed.
“Aren’t they amazing?” Gemma giggled.
Helena nodded as she bit one of the savory little snacks in half.
“Wait!” Poppy covered her mouth with one hand. “I still haven’t found Michael’s new tie!”
“Shit,” Nyxx muttered.
“Let’s all look for it,” Gemma suggested. “It can’t elude us all.”
Before I could insist on just grabbing a tie from the closet, all four ladies spread out through the room. Clothing started to get flung over shoulders, and in a matter of seconds, the room was even more chaotic than it already had been. I chuckled at the sight of them digging through so many shopping bags for a tie. It felt like some kind of bizarre challenge show that Nickelodeon would have aired in the early two thousands.
“I found it!” Gemma cheered with victory, and she held the gold tie aloft with a wide grin on her scaled face.
“Yes!” Poppy clapped her hands together.
“Well done!” Helena laughed.
Nyxx chuckled in that rasping way of hers as Gemma tossed a few items back out of the middle of the room. Then she carried the tie over to me like it was a precious and valuable artifact.
“Do you know how to tie a tie?” I asked the mermaid commander.
“I don’t,” Gemma admitted with a laugh.
She looped it around my neck and tugged gently until the two sides were even. I grinned at her as I pulled them to the right lengths to make them lay evenly after a carefully twisted knot.
I remembered the moment when I was sixteen that my dad had taught me how to tie a necktie for my first formal school dance. I’d been so nervous, but he’d been endlessly patient with me. The skill had been useful during job interviews over the years, but my triplet valets had really taught me the mastery of various knots. Now I was able to tie a perfect Windsor knot without really paying attention, and I smirked at how proud Matis would have been at the sight.
“How do I look?” I asked, and I held my hands out to show my ladies my suit.
“Kingly,” Nyxx murmured with affection all over her face.
“You should wear a crown,” Helena said.
“Should I?” I wondered.
“Why not?” Gemma asked.
“You are the king, after all,” Poppy giggled.
“May I pick one?” Gemma asked.
I silently nodded my consent, and Gemma smiled and disappeared into the other room for a moment. She returned quickly with a simple solid band of gold that was the same height all the way around. It reminded me of what my wedding band had looked like before we’d started embedding gemstones into it to represent each of my wives. It was highly polished to a perfect shine that I could see my face in, and it fit over the crown of my skull very comfortably.
“That’s perfect,” I murmured, and I kissed Gemma. “Thank you.”
Gemma smiled proudly, and smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle from my suit jacket.
“Shall we?” I asked my ladies.
They all nodded and smiled, and we walked out into the hallway together. The house was filled with the soft background sounds of staff going about their daily work. It hit me like a ton of bricks that I hadn’t really been alone in months. Even when I was alone, there were always maids, butlers, and security guards close at hand. All I ever had to do was shout, and I would have a fleet of servants at my beck and call.
It was so fucking weird to realize. But it was even weirder that I kind of liked it. Growing up with four older sisters had left me begging for privacy on more than one occasion, and when I’d finally moved into my first solo apartment, it had felt like heaven.
Me from a year ago would have been baffled at how surrounded I was now, but I’d gotten so used to it.
We headed downstairs and found Ace waiting for us by the front door. I suspected one of the hidden shadow nymphs had hurried ahead of us to let the driver know we were about ready.
“Your majesty,” Rune said in a harried voice as he rushed into the mansion. “I’m so glad you’re all okay.”
“We’re fine, Rune,” I assured him. “Where have you been?”
“I was meeting with some local kinnara spies nearby,” Rune explained. “They’re undercover, so I had to meet with them in secret. It was too risky for them to come directly to the house. I’ve just heard about the riots.”
“The reserve guard came in,” I explained. “Things are getting back under our control.”
“Good,” Rune sighed.
“You all look fabulous, your majesties,” Ace said, and he bowed respectfully. “Are you ready?”
“We are,” I said. “Are you alright, Ace?”
“Yes, your majesty.” Ace nodded. “I am a retired soldier. That sort of thing doesn’t get to me as it might others.”
I clapped him lightly on the shoulder, and Ace nodded as Dedan silently opened the front door for us. Then we all loaded into the limo. Poppy, Helena, Nyxx, and Gemma settled into the seats on either side, and I sat on the short bench at the back.
“Enjoy the evening, your majesties,” Rune called, and he shut the limo door.
Ace climbed into the driver’s seat and started up the engine without further conversation. He pulled out onto the street and started to drive us to Lady Pemala’s estate.
It was then that I realized she hadn’t sent a car or driver for us this evening. I shrugged it off and figured she was probably satisfied enough by having us arrive in her personal vehicle the night before. It didn’t matter to me who drove us there.
As we passed into the poorer areas of the city, there was a marked difference in the air. Shadow nymph guards patrolled the streets, and there were signs in four different languages, including English, that alerted everyone to a curfew that would start at ten in the evening. I wondered how that might affect attendance at Lady Pemala’s social gathering and if the curfew applied only to these neighborhoods.
There were hardly any people on the streets other than my shadow nymph guards, and the few people who were working in front of their homes hanging laundry on lines hurried inside as the limo approached.
Tense fear had settled over the city of Yangon after the riot this afternoon. It only strengthened my resolve that canceling the festival was probably the right move.
When we arrived at Lady Pemala’s estate, there was a general fog of confusion in the air.
Guests in dark suits and expensive gowns stood around with confused and worried expressions.
Ace pulled the limo into the end of the gravel driveway, and several servants in matching uniforms pointed to our vehicle. They spoke among themselves for a moment before one of them separated from the group and headed toward us.
Ace rolled down the front passenger window, and the man stuck his head in with a deep frown.
“My apologies, your majesty,” the man said. “The party has been canceled.”
“What?” Poppy asked.
“Why?” Gemma asked.
“I’m afraid Lady Pemala was abducted during the riots this afternoon.” The man frowned.
Chapter 13
“Abducted!” Poppy hissed with shock.
“What?” Nyxx demanded.
“Sorry, your majesty,” the man said. “I don’t have more information at this time.”
“I’ll send a team to help you,” I said.
“Thank you, your majesty,” the man said, and he stepped back to let Ace close the window.
“Ace, take us back to the house.” I scowled.
“Yes, your majesty.” Ace nodded, and he pulled the limo into a wide U-turn.
“What’s going on,” Poppy asked in a tone that said she didn’t expect a single answer.
“Lady Pemala was abducted,” Helena repeated the information like she was trying to force her brain to process it.
“Michael–” Nyxx began.
“I know,” I interrupted. “We need a team on this right away. We need to find her. I was planning to remove her from her position, but this… Fuck.”
“Do you think it was The Rising that took her?” Helena asked.
“I don’t see any other suspects at the moment,” I sighed.
“Is it possible she is working with them?” Gemma asked. “And she’s organized this to shift blame away from herself.”
“It’s possible,” I said. “But I doubt it.”
“We’ll learn everything we can,” Nyxx said.
“And we’ll either rescue her,” I said. “Or we’ll find out her true motives here.”
We were all silent for a moment, and a dark thought pushed itself to the front of my mind.
“None of you are to leave the safety of the estate,” I ordered.
“But wasn’t Lady Pemala abducted from her estate?” Helena asked.
“We don’t know that,” I pointed out. “She might have been shopping in town just like us. But even if she was at home, she doesn’t have the kind of security force we do. You’ll all be safer at the house.”
“I’m not stupid enough to go out anywhere with all this fuckery going on,” Poppy said as she crossed her arms, and she slumped back in her seat. “Wild centaurs couldn’t drag me outside.”
“Good,” I chuckled darkly at her cute stubbornness.
We sat silently for the rest of the car ride back to the house. Gemma and Nyxx’s faces were locked in thoughtful expressions, and I thought they were mentally going over everything that needed to be done and planned.
We arrived back at the house, and there were shadow nymphs standing guard all over the place. They ushered us quickly into the house.
Dedan had a shocked look on his face as he welcomed us back.
“Your majesty,” he said. “Is everything alright?”
“Where’s Rune?” I asked. “Where’s he been working?”
“I’ll go get Dinah and Ivis,” Helena volunteered.
“Rune has been working in the downstairs study, your majesty,” Dedan said in confusion. “I’ve just sent a dinner tray in there for him.”
“Show me,” I said.
Dedan nodded and hurried to obey my curt orders. The blue-winged kinnara walked rapidly down a hall we hadn’t been down and turned through a pair of double doors about two thirds of the way down.
Rune was seated at the circular table in the middle of the study with a spread of files and two laptops in front of him. At least a dozen and a half shadow nymphs worked in the room alongside a few fae, at least one witch, and a local man I guessed was a Belu.
“Your majesties?” Rune looked shocked. “What are you doing here? Lady Pemala–”
“Has been abducted,” I interrupted.
“What?” Ivis nearly screamed from the doors. “What happened?”
I looked over just in time to catch Dinah as she walked straight into my arms. A maid in a black-and-white uniform closed the doors behind us all, and Poppy, Helena, Nyxx, Gemma, and I quickly filled everyone in on the new development of Lady Pemala’s abduction.
“We need to know if she was abducted by The Rising,” I said.
“Or if she organized it to cover up her involvement,” Gemma added. “I’m sorry, I still think it’s too big a chance.”
“No, you’re right,” I agreed. “I’m not willing to leave that angle alone. We need to know the motives behind her abduction as well as the identities of the perpetrators.”
A quick succession of shadow nymph scouts had entered the room silently and laid reports directly into Rune’s hands while we spoke, and now he looked down and started to read them.
“Shit…” Rune hissed under his breath.
“What is it?” I asked. “New information?”
“It appears Lady Pemala was not the only one abducted,” Rune explained. “These reports are all about this afternoon. The Rising has claimed full responsibility for the abduction of Lady Pemala as well as…”
Rune flipped the page to the next one, and his teal eyes went wide.
“Six other local representatives,” he finished.
“Seven reps?” Helena asked with shock.
“Yes, your majesty.” Rune nodded and flipped another page. “There are also eye witness reports that at least two dozen humans were abducted as well.”
“Shit! Were they abducted from their homes?” I asked. “From the streets? Who were they? People of importance?”
“No,” Rune said. “They were taken from in front of their homes in the slums, your majesty. They were taken during the riot.”
“The riot was a distraction,” Nyxx hissed with realization. “It kept our eyes locked there so they could abduct these people without interference.”
“They were humans?” I asked with disbelief. “Are we sure?”
“Yes, your majesty,” Rune said.
“Why did they take humans?” Dinah asked.
I knew exactly why they might want some humans on hand. They couldn’t exactly sacrifice humans at the festival without having some humans, but I didn’t say it out loud.
I was pissed for more reasons than just the human lives that hung on the line, though. The whole secret existence of the Eternal Realm was in danger here. The more humans were brought into our affairs like this, the harder it would be to keep our world secret from them.
