Chapter 107

Jordan POV

As I followed “Olivia” into the Winter Palace, I tried to look like a dutiful servant, but I was gawping like a tourist. While the main palace was opulent and elegant, the Winter Palace was fucking enchanted.

This far south, it never snowed; the palace was a place to go to escape the cold. Everything was light and airy and inviting, but it felt nothing like a beach or being at the lakeside. Glass glittered everywhere in the sunlight, and from all the chandeliers I saw hanging from the ceilings, I suspected it wasn’t equally illuminated at night.

There were dozens of places perfect to curl up in with a book or a drink, white pine furniture settings in little groups like one looks for at parties, and fountains. Oh, Goddess, the fountains! There were always at least three nearby no matter where you walked, and those not surrounded by patios were encircled by beds full of flowers in full bloom.

I saw towering foxgloves in white, purple and pink, along with, delphiniums and lupines in every shade of blue, pink and orange hollyhocks, white and red roses, ornamental cabbages with green leaves circling purple and white centers, and many other plants I didn’t recognize but would love to run up to sniff at. In fact, my wolf let me know she could spend many happy hours among the blooms.

And absolutely everywhere butterflies flew, alit, and flew again.

Ines and I stood together in a green room that opened up to a meticulously burgeoning garden for many long minutes, just drinking in the wine-like spices of the air.

“This place is incredible,” she murmured.

I could only nod.

Then I followed the directions I had been given and led her to “Olivia’s” rooms. Ines sat down on the bed among dozens of throw pillows and sighed as she shed her cape.

“I’ve been told the staff have been instructed never to enter these rooms without me,” I let her know. “Just stay away from the windows when the omegas are working the gardens, and you should be fine.”

She frowned at me. “Omegas?”

I smiled and nodded. “It’s one of the nicer customs of Eclipse. An omega who wants certain jobs can have them, primarily ones that deal with giving life. It’s considered a prestigious job to work the gardens at the Winter Palace.”

She laughed weakly. “I can imagine.” She closed her eyes.

“You may not actually be Olivia,” I said, “but there’s no reason you shouldn’t take a nap. I know you’ve been working hard to allow yourself to step away from your duties to help Olivia protect the pack like this.”

I heard the pride in my own voice, but it was deserved. As a beta, I knew I was disposed, though not obligated, to serve the Pack. It was an honor to serve a wolf like Olivia, someone worth every ounce of assistance I could offer. Like the omegas in the garden, I knew I was privileged in my position.

Ines nodded and grinned back at me, obviously thinking similar thoughts. “I owe the Luna a great deal. It’s my pleasure to help out like this.” She looked around and her eyes actually twinkled a little. “Especially in such nice surroundings.”

I chuckled with her and helped her take off the heavy white Luna robes, though she looked at me oddly. I got the feeling having someone help her like that was a new experience for her.

Then we both went quiet at a knock on the outer door. I motioned for Ines to go ahead with her nap and went through the bedroom doors, closed them firmly, and walked to the outer room that connected to the hall.

A beta was standing there in Winter Palace livery that was almost as colorful as the delphiniums.

“Louisa is here to see the Luna, if it is permitted,” he said.

“Louisa?” I echoed in surprise.

He nodded. “The Luna’s stepsister.”

“I know who—” I shook my head. There was no sense snapping at the messenger. “She’s actually here at the palace?”

“Yes.”

I thought a moment. “The Luna is indisposed at the moment, but I will see her. Take her to the green room, would you?”

The valet or butler or whatever he was nodded, turned, and walked back down the hall. I took a moment to wash the journey off my hands and face, checked I was presentable in a large mirror by the massive claw-foot tub, and went to meet her.

Louisa was standing and looking out over the garden when I entered, and she turned to greet me with a quiet smile.

“Thank you for seeing me,” she said. “I hope Olivia is feeling all right.”

I waved at the sofa and rang for some coffee. “The Luna is not able to see you, but she’s not in distress,” I said as I sat in a chair that fully faced her. “Have you some sort of message for her?”

“More like news,” she said, then shook her head. “That is, more like information. I have been trying to find out what I can about Denis and his involvement with the Packs, and I’m afraid I’ve managed to find out something distressing but important.”

“I see.”

A servant, again in that cheerful livery, came into the room with a tray of coffee things. She set it on a side table, nodded, and left. Louisa didn’t look at the tray and barely waited for the servant to leave before telling me, “I’m afraid I’m quite certain Denis is working with a prominent family in the Ravencrest Pack.”

“Oh?” I think my tone was a little frosty, but I didn’t gave a shit about it. Who did this wolf think she was, anyway? We knew what she’d been doing with Olivia’s fiancé, and he with her.

She just nodded earnestly. “Yes, the Dellwolves, I’m afraid, though I don’t know if it’s the whole clan or just some prominent members.”

That sent my mind whirling. The Dellwolves were a prominent family indeed. The patriarch was a billionaire, and one of the sons served on the Lunaris Council.

“But the truly distressing news concerns my father,” Louisa went on, “which is why I came directly here. The Dellwolves Clan and other members of Ravencrest have entered into a deal with my father to help him regain control of the Moonshadow Pack as long as he swears allegiance to Denis when he gains control of Lunaris.”

She snorted then and almost looked like a normal person. “As though Alpha Elroy will just let him have control, just like that.” Then she looked at me with that little kid-earnest face again. “I’m sure getting some sort of control over Olivia must be part of the plot.”

To my surprise, I realized I wasn’t just dismissing her words out of hand. I didn’t believe her, of course, but I was having a great deal of trouble figuring out what the hell she could possibly want with all this bullshit.

On a whim, I stood up and walked to look out at the garden again. My back was to both her and the coffee. All I needed was for her to get up and pour us some, putting Goddess knew what in mine, and I would have the little sneak to rights.