Queen Regnant ( Ace of Queens #3)

CH.53 Keep talking

"We're not messing with him," Caspian motioned for the group to follow him into the study Xavier had set up for them all. "We just want to poke him with a stick for a while."

Manya looked over her shoulder at Owen.

"He's kidding," Mavi said quickly as she watched the worry swim in Manya's eyes.

In front of them, Caspian covered his lips as he hid a chuckle. They all entered the newly refurbished room together as he removed his top hat and hung it on the coat rack.

"Any luck, Jiminy Cricket?" Caspian walked behind Adam and ruffled his hair as the boy poured over the pages of the spell book in front of him.

"I got the first four steps of the spell down," Adam said, chewing on the pencil in his hand. "Gemma is working on the rest."

"Very good," Caspian nodded. "And you?"

He turned to Toby who was sprawled out on the green couch with a book in his hands.

"What are you doing to help?" Caspian asked.

"He's the pretty thing for us to look at when our eyes grow numb from reading Roopcian," Exton said from the head of the table as he rubbed his temples.

"What he said," Toby pointed to Exton as he sat the book down.

"Ugh," Caspian mumbled. "Useless mutts. Except Gem and my Adam."

"Hello, Manya," Gemma came into the room with a cup of tea in her hand. "It's so nice to see you after so long."

Manya ripped her eyes away from the mountains of books on the table and looked at the blonde girl.

"Hello," she said. Her eyes lit up as she took in Gemma's belly. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Gemma laughed as she waddled over to the chair next to Toby. "Please, have a seat."

Owen handed Maksim to Manya as she sat down next to Gemma. He walked back to where Mavi perched on the table next to Adam and pulled out a chair.

"The jinn is in Morocco," Caspian announced.

"Morocco?" Exton shut the book in front of him.

"Yes, Exton," Adam said. "It's a country."

Exton threw a pen at Adam's head. His aim was perfect except Caspian intervened and changed the course of the flying pen mid flight. Owen's hand shot out and grabbed it as the pen changed direction and headed for Mavi's head.

"Can we have a normal discussion for once in this house?" Gemma glared at Adam and Exton. "One more interruption from anyone other than Maksim and I'll zap you like a fly."

Everyone around the room, except Manya, lowered their heads like little children. Gemma didn't get mad often, but when she did, it was deadly.

"You are going to make a great mother," Manya patted Gemma's knee.

"Thank you," Gemma smiled sweetly at the kind woman. "Okay, now back to the jinn."

"Yes," Manya nodded. "The first time I met Heyder was in Oman. Ivan and he were close friends. Then after the boys joined the king's guards I went to see him once more in Morocco."

"How did you convince him to help you with the silver blade ritual?" Toby sat up and smoothed his shirt. "Jinns aren't the most friendliest creatures."

"He owed Ivan a favor," Manya said quietly as she nestled a sleeping Maksim in his arms. "Heyder had left his realm because he had fallen in love with a human girl. She was from an affluent family and they used all sorts of charms to keep him away. Ivan had helped her escape and find Heyder."