Chapter 23

By now, I can tell the difference between guards and servants, but I know not to trust either of them. Numerous rooms I enter are filled with gleeful women who want to meet me and celebrate with me on this day.

I recognize some of them from the mountain god's blessing ceremony, but I'm hazy about their names…and everything else that happened.

"Luna" a woman cries when I stumble into the second floor study. She's tall and curvy and dark skinned. Long fangs extend past her lower lips like a sabertooth tiger. Her eyes flare with power as she watches me hungrily. "You must come and see us!"

Another woman, tall and reedy, and with green hair that looks disconcertingly like broccoli, glares at me over the top of her horned rim glasses, her eyes betraying none of the smile drawn over her teeth.

"Livonia, here, is going to be your cousin! Come on, Liv. It's the first human in your family, isn't it? Say hello and get her a drink."