Viola and Sebastian in Mistress of Malice and Mercy

While the relationship between Duke and Viola is undoubtedly one of the most important in the series, the one between Viola and Sebastian is important.  The first incarnation of this series actually focused more on the Ashwood siblings and Duke was a secondary character (you see how well that turned out - sometimes I think he's more of a drama queen than Sebastian).  When their father disappeared and their mother lost her grip on sanity, the Ashwood siblings broke.  They didn't break in the same way, which is something I wanted to explore and I don't think I got a chance to do.  Ah well, who is going to complain about an excuse to write another Ashwood book?

I am probably in the minority, but I adore the relationship between Sebastian and Viola.  Of the siblings, they are the most alike, though there are some marked differences.  Amy's death split them, but there were cracks that started long before Elrachaim killed her.  Viola wanted to break with her siblings before that showdown.  Sebastian wanted to stop searching for their father and settle down to start a life with Amy.  They were drifting apart and poor Olivia was stuck trying to hold them together.

In The  Chaos Child, Sebastian and Viola try to work out some of their issues but things aren't easy because of his Dreamless Sleep addiction and the matter of trying to rescue Olivia.  In the end, she tells him that she knows he'll never trust her again and that they won't have the relationship they once had.  He surprises her by sticking around, and I think he'll surprise you in Mistress of Malice and Mercy. 

I also adore their teasing - it's not quite the same as her banter with Duke because there is an edge to it, but there is always affection.  This is one of their scenes together in MMM:

 

 

Tears stung Viola’s eyes. The lump in her throat hurt and she wanted to bawl like a baby. She flung her arms around Voltnor’s neck and dragged him down into a bear hug. “I love you guys so damn much.”

“Whoa there, little sister,” Sebastian teased. “Let’s not say things like that with Duke around. I’m not sure who I’d pick in that fight.”

She spun around and threw herself at Sebastian. He stumbled back a few steps but quickly regained his balance. Her arms and legs were like vices around his neck and knees. “I love you, too.”

“Hormones?” Sebastian asked an amused Voltnor.

”I would not dare presume to...”

Viola reared back to glare at her brother only to freeze when she caught a glimpse of his black eye and busted lip. His left cheek was puffy. Still clinging to him, she arched an eyebrow and drummed her fingers on his shoulderblades.

“What in the hell happened to you? Sweet mercy, Seabass-the-stupid-ass, who did you piss off this time? I have warned you about getting snippy with the Yvaltas in the cabin across from yours. How many times do I have to tell you that you cannot, I mean cannot, tease them about their horns. Did you just stand there and let whoever it was kick your ass or did you at least try to defend yourself?”

Over her head, Sebastian rolled his eyes at Voltnor. “Hormones.”

Mistress of Malice and Mercy

Early in the book (release date still pending)
- - -
Duke watched Viola slowly crawl on all fours towards the group of oblivious cat-like demons. He kept one eye on his wife’s wiggling derriere and one on Bert’s face. He was prepared to drive his elbow into Bert’s stomach the second it looked like the older man was paying more attention to Viola than to his poker game.

“Well, hell.” Viola froze in place as a flash of silver on her hands caught her attention. She eyed the still-unaware Chaisans and jumped to her feet.

“What?” His heart skittered to a stop as he performed his customary visual injury check. She wasn’t bleeding and didn’t appear to be in pain. Listening in on her scathing internal monologue only confused him further. “What’s wrong, sugar?”

“I’m a moron. Hold out your hands.”

He obeyed, eyebrow arched in silent demand for an explanation. His other eyebrow lifted when she stood in front of him and stripped off her jewelry. Two pairs of silver hoop earrings followed by a silver watch, charm bracelet, wristlet key ring, silver necklace, silver-and-copper linked belt and five rings filled his hands. He was surprised she could move so quickly weighed down with so much metal.

“Is that all?” he asked dryly.

She bit her lip as she considered the question. Sighing in resignation, she unsheathed the dagger he’d given her for her seventeenth birthday and set it on the tailgate. She still had her gun, but giving it up wasn’t an option.

“Freakin’ kleptos.” She glanced down at Duke’s waist. “You might want to untuck your shirt. One look at that satellite dish you call a belt buckle and you’ll have a pack of Chaisans attached to your jeans.”

Mistress of Malice of Mercy teaser

Viola snatched the sleeping bag out of his hands and tossed it on the couch. “I’ve had my Goth Gabby sleeping bag since I was fourteen. There is nothing wrong with Goth Gabby.”

“She’s creepy,” Sebastian said, panting and sweat-soaked. He dropped a handful of bags onto the floor by Viola’s feet and collapsed on the recliner. “It’s those big, black eyes. I hated the posters you used to have in your room.”

“Big baby.” She stuck her hand in the nearest bag and pulled out a package of rapid-dissolving toilet paper. Her eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. “Really? Seriously, Tobias? That’s it. You are not allowed to shop when you’ve been drinking. I’m instructing Wiff to confiscate your wallet next time.”

Duke's cheeks turned a bright pink. He wished his father were around to offer up an explanation. “Just in case there’s poison ivy or something like it in Wylan.”

She leaned across the canyon of purchases between them and pressed her lips to his scratchy cheek. “Aww, that’s very sweet, honey.”

Buoyed by her kiss, he wrapped his good arm around her waist and hauled her onto his lap. “Well, you’ve got delicate skin, skin I happen to be very fond of, and I’d hate for something to happen to it while I’m not there to care for it.”

Sebastian gagged. “I think I liked it better when you two were fighting. Ow!” He rubbed the side of his head and tossed the throw pillow back at his grinning sister. “I like the pink water bottle best. You’ll look like a pretty, pretty princess, sis.”

“Hey!” Wiff scaled Sebastian’s leg and poked him in the belly button. “I picked that out.”

“And it’s lovely,” Viola declared, glaring her brother into submission. “I’ll think of you every time I use it, Wiff.”

“So does that mean you’ll think of Duke every time you use the toilet paper?”