Last Guard (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) by Nalini Singh

“I was hoping you’d see that,” he’d said to her in his direct way. “I’m not suited to stand where you stand, Grandmother. Silver has the patience and diplomacy to take the family into the future.”

When that future came, when Silver stood in Ena’s place, she knew Canto would be staunch in his support. Magdalene’s boy knew how to back his people. Once given, his loyalty was a hard thing to break. Which was why Ena wanted to put her eyes on Payal Rao.

From her research on the woman—research Ena and Magdalene had done together, without involving anyone else in the clan—there was little to commend Payal as Canto’s partner in life. Ena’s grandson might have his rough edges, but the boy overflowed with emotion. He loved Ena even though Ena had been raised in Silence, had come to adulthood in Silence, and could never openly show him what he was to her.

Payal Rao was like Ena. Hard. Distant. Calculating.

Canto deserved so much more.

Not that Ena would get in his way—she’d known from their first meeting that this boy had inherited the Mercant will. He would not be manipulated, would not be molded. He would be who he chose to be. So she’d leave him be, but she would make sure Payal Rao understood that she wasn’t a Mercant and never would be—and if that was her reason for playing off Canto’s memories and worming her way into his life, she could just worm her way back out.

Ena would wait to pay her back for hurting Canto. She could be as patient as a spider waiting for prey—and she had no mercy in her for those who hurt the children of her family.

Today, she stared out at the manicured grounds of the small residence she kept in Moscow now that three of her grandchildren were based here. The evening sun gilded everything in sight. A lovely place, but she didn’t truly need it; Valentin had assigned her a residence within the bear den, and all the small bears there toddled after her and called her “Babushka Ena.”

She spent far more time in that residence than she’d believed she would; after a lifetime in Silence, she’d expected to be overwhelmed. She could never live in the den as Silver did, but she could tolerate it for days at a time. So if she had to sacrifice this residence once Payal Rao knew of it, so be it.

This was just a place to rest her head now and then. It wasn’t her home. Only family and a rare few others were ever granted the privilege of visiting her clifftop residence. Payal Rao was unlikely to ever be one of those people.

Canto’s vehicle turned in to her short drive.

As he knew all her entry codes, Ena took a seat in an elegant chair of gray velvet with curved legs on one side of a round table set with a tea service. An identical chair faced her, while she’d left ample space in between for Canto’s chair.

“Grandmother.” His voice preceded him into the room, his presence as big and stubbornly him as always.

“Canto.” Ena didn’t smile; she had been too long in this world in Silence. But her heart warmed at seeing him, this grandson of hers who argued with her the most of all.

He took the hand of the woman who stood at his side. “Payal, meet my grandmother. Grandmother, this is Payal.”

Ena took in the other woman at a glance: a simple but well-tailored dress in burgundy, black heels, her hair in a neat ponytail, and her makeup subtle. The perfect Psy CEO. Not at all the kind of woman who was suited to Canto’s wild heart.

“A pleasure,” Ena said, because she hadn’t been raised by feral wolves. “Please take a seat.”

“Thank you for the invitation,” Payal said as she sat. “I’m honored to meet the elder of Canto’s family.”

Pretty words, Ena thought, but what else would one expect from the daughter of Pranath Rao? The man was as slick as a snake, a cobra hiding in plain sight. “Of course,” she said, and picked up the teapot. “I would be remiss not to greet the chosen partner of my grandchild.”

“I can pour,” Payal offered.

Ena allowed it, better to watch her as she did so. Canto, meanwhile, glanced at Ena, then Payal. Ena waited for a telepathic defense of Payal, but surprisingly, her grandson said nothing. Confident Payal didn’t need it? Poor child. He was clearly blinded by the past in which a child Payal had saved his life.

But that had been a long time ago.

They spoke of polite things, of the Anchor Representative Association, and of Payal’s rise to the Ruling Coalition. Canto also told her he’d seen Arwen and Pavel, and Ena updated him on another family member.

It was all terribly pleasant, the daggers hidden away.

Then Canto’s body went rigid, his jaw working. Payal’s attention whiplashed to him.

“Back spasm,” he bit out, taking a short, sharp breath. “Side effect of surgery.” His chest rose and fell, his skin stretched tight.

Ena wanted to wrap him up in cotton wool, protect him from the world, but she’d learned that for an impossibility long ago. Canto had demanded to be left alone to fight such battles.

In front of her, Payal moved her hand to place it over Canto’s fisted one. He flipped his fist, wove his fingers through hers. Their hands locked. Then Payal turned back to Ena, and her expression, it was as closed as it had been when they began … but the pulse in her neck, it jumped.

Ena frowned inwardly.

“Payal, stop it.” A harsh order from Canto.

Jaw set, Payal shook her head. “No.” Clipped, hard, unmoving.