Crown of Shadows (Court of Midnight and Deception #1) - K. M. Shea Page 0,37

now, surviving my own people was the highest priority—starting with picking employees that weren’t going to betray and/or possibly harm me.

The door creaked as Skye opened it for the upset applicants.

“Eventide?” I called.

The faun scurried through the door. “Yes, Queen Leila?”

“How many other people am I supposed to hire today?”

“Oh, yes. Um, your director of security.”

“That’s it?”

The faun discreetly checked a tiny notepad he whipped out of a pocket of his uniform. “Yes. You will eventually need to decide on an advisor, but no one has volunteered for the position as of yet.”

“Great—we’re done, then. Like I told Skye, I want an ad placed through the Curia Cloisters for the director of security position. Is there anything I have to do?”

The faun shut his notepad. “Your new companion and steward need to be briefed—they will take over handling your schedule. You have an appointment with a tailor this afternoon for your new wardrobe, but your companion will help you with that.”

“Cancel the tailor,” I said.

“B-but Queen Leila! You need…that is to say…” The faun wrung his hands and eyed my cute but very human lace shirt I was wearing.

Skye was better dressed than me in her slacks and flawless dress shirt.

Ugh. As little as I like it, something tells me the way I dress is going to be part of the power game. But that’s fine—I just have to figure out how to do it in the cheapest way possible.

I grimaced. “Reschedule for later this week, please. I know I need clothes, but there are a few things I need to iron out first.”

Eventide relaxed so much he looked like he might pass out in relief. “Yes, of course. It will be as you say.” He bowed three times for good measure. “I will return after rescheduling the appointment to give your new staff their work phones and pass along to you the numbers you’ll need for your head housekeeper, gardener, and the like.”

“Great—thanks, Eventide!”

The faun left looking like he needed a massage or something to lower his stress levels, the poor guy.

I squared my shoulders and studied my new employees.

Indigo was squinting at me behind her cat-eye glasses, her slightly upturned nose scrunched in suspicion.

Her thick, russet colored hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her skinny frame was covered by an oversized blue sweater—which seemed a little strange given that even though the air conditioning was on, it wasn’t that cold—and a simple but neat, gray skirt that covered most of her knobby knees.

She reminded me a bit of a pony with her thick hair, small stature, and big temperament.

Skye was the other end of the spectrum with a pleasantly blank expression, slightly plain but flawless clothes, and her adorably curled bob. Although she didn’t look suspicious, I could feel her reserve stacked around her like a brick wall.

“I sort of already said this, but thank you for applying for your positions, and congratulations. I hope we get to know each other quite well,” I said, rattling off the standard welcome speech I’d heard in training for the various retail positions I’d held as a high schooler and college student.

When they both bowed their heads, I continued. “As part of your welcome, I want you both to know that should you ever be offered a bribe, please know I will always pay higher.”

Indigo’s jaw dropped, and Skye’s eyes widened slightly.

“Queen Leila?” Skye asked.

I shrugged. “I’m not stupid. Nobles, probably even fae from other Courts, are going to offer you money and ask you to do things. When this happens, come to me, and I will always pay more than them.”

“You are our queen,” Skye started. “Our loyalty—”

“Is definitely not with me,” I interrupted. “I might be human, but I know about the constant political upheaval in Courts. I know about the betrayals, the underhanded dealings, and the bribes. Even if I hadn’t known before, getting targeted by the Wraith was a pretty solid indicator of what life in the Courts is like.”

“The Wraith tried to kill you?” Indigo squeaked.

I waved a hand at her. “He didn’t know the night mares had bound me as queen so he wouldn’t be able to. It’s fine. It’s not like he was the first person to try, either. I’m pretty sure a giant spider was sent after me as well, back when only Eclipse was around and I was just a candidate to be queen.”

Indigo—her eyes bulging—looked to Skye, who now had faint creases in her forehead that hadn’t been there