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"I say we set a date for the coronation at the Housetomorrow"

"No It will be discussed between the Private Council first," Mike said

"It should be an event deterreed on by all, not just those who--"

"That’s enough" I stopped it before it started "I a that no one talks politics or battle tactics at the table for the rest of the night I auments"

"Here, here" Arthur rapped his knuckles on the table and dug a fork into his dinner

Slowly, everyone went about their meals, and quiet conversations around the tableUntil Eric mentioned le Château de la Mort

"Elysiulanced up, shocked

"I’m sorry, Councilman I meant no disrespect" Eric looked into his plate

"Let it be known--" Arthur pointed at each person along the table, "--this is the last time anyone will call my home such a name"

"Whoa, hang on" I frowned across at him "Isn’t that what it’s called?"

"No" He took his napkin up again and flipped it into his lap "It’s not"

"It’s a nicknaaine said

"But that’s what David always called it, too"

"Did he now?" Arthur’s eyes narrowed

"Urm…uh, maybe it wasn’t hiet him in trouble when he ‘came back to life’ "So, what’s it really called?"

"Le Château Elysiuardens in the rivers of the Underworld--in Greek Mythology?"

"Yes" Arthur gave Eric a sideways glance "When the castle was built by ulped it all back in "Iout a breath through his nostrils "The castle was coht--built as a home, a sanctuary--a place to end all journeys And so, he named it after the place he believed to be the afterlife"

"So, why do they call it the Castle of Death?"

"Of the Dead," Eric corrected, beco smaller beside Arthur

"Because--" Arthur turned his head slowly to look away froy, Elysiuo and, over the centuries many deaths occurred at the castle, vampires have quite amused themselves with this heinous nicknaht? Like Heaven?"

"Precisely It is a place of rest, a sanctuary Not a tomb," he said

"And this bothers you?" I asked "This nicknarew up there, as a boy It was always only a honorance"

"Okay" I nodded "Fine Like Arthur said, no one calls it de la Mort again Got it?"

Everyone on both sides of the table nodded,softly "Thank you for your support, my lady"

"You’re welco to music, while ht outside was incredibly still, slipping paston my brow in a mist of perspiration It made Petey’s fur, where I layreminds me of her, you know--of my mum"

As always, Petey didn’t respond, but I told hi, the boyfriend who left when she fell pregnant with Harry, and the way she’d dance around the living roo into hairbrushes It almost felt like Petey shared my loss, like he knew her too, or at least knehat it felt like to miss somebody that er, lettingof a cricket gavethere were no evil vahts But they were right out in the corridor--guarding me from evil housekeepers and deadly dustpunished and made to stay in her room," I said to Petey "I mean, I know I can leave, but I feel like Falcon’s ’s chest shook a little, his e

I rolled over and looked into his pale blue eyes "Did you just laugh, Petey?"

He held eye contact, his tongue hanging out, but beyond that gaze was the kind of awareness I’d always seen there--like he was an old soul "I wonder how you beca, Petey--Jason’s," I said "And I wish I could read your ed forward and lickedhim away by his collar

"I’m okay, boy It’s just…well, I don’t see him so much in my dreams now It’s almost like I was left with a certain aht about his sparkling green eyes, how I loved them in a different way to what I love David’s--like they looked the sa worse, you know--this…well, David just isn’t who I thought he was, and I…" I couldn’t say it to Petey, because I wasn’t sure I’d figured it out insoht?"

A lohine sounded in the back of Petey’s throat

"There are just so s in David’s past that I still don’t know, and I’ to wonder if I would love hi to me just leaves me alone with all this in my head, and I can’t sort it out iver ever, and yet I’ivecocked his head; I looked down at his big, heavy paws,impressions in my white quilt, then flopped onto ertip

"If this was E to, and she said, ‘hey, Ara, my husband was really cruel as a child and everyone who knew hies when they think of him,’ I’d tell her she should run, you know That it’d only be a matter of tihed, half waiting for Petey to tell me what to do "I don’t know Maybe I just need to see him Maybe when I look into his eyes and see the hu I’ve made him out to be in my mind while I’ve been here" I sat up and ju to see hirabbed it and pressed play on the David playlist, then opened Arietta’s dresser drawer, pulled out loss and a few other travel essentials, stopping when a lol sounded from behind ?"

He didn’t answer, so I turned back to continue gathering stuff, but the dog appeared besidemy hairbrush up in his teeth