Page 2 of Knowing Trust

“I’m just trying to get shit done so we don’t lose most of them. They were smart, and there’s a reason they got away with this much and for so long.” I snorted again. “I mean, besides the ignorance, corruption, and incompetence of the councils.”

“You’re sure?” she checked.

I nodded and stretched before walking past her and into the kitchen. “I’m stressed. I’m always going to be stressed. My pants are cranky but fine. That’s just—”

A portal opened and a captain walked into my kitchen, bowing to me. “We’re ready when you are, Your Highness.”

I glanced at my watch. “We leave in ten minutes, Captain. Have extra food ready for the dogs and details available to let them enjoy Faerie. They’ve been going and going for weeks.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Commander Shael has it all prepared.”

“Thank you.” I shot a glance at Mel after he left. “Yeah, that’s how it’s been. I’m not the only one pushing. Everyone wants this over.”

“Julian wouldn’t have contacted me that there was more to this if it was everyone,” she pushed, her tone gentler.

I sighed as I went for the fridge. I offered her a sports drink and tossed her one when she nodded before grabbing my own. “I have deadlines most normal people don’t have, Mel.” I swallowed another sigh when she just gave me a confused look. “My dad will die when I become queen. People are ready for me to make it official like yesterday for stability.”

She froze in raising the drink to her lips. “And there’s no way Lageos will leave you while this threat is still viable.”

“No, and I want to enjoy the little time I have left with him,” I confirmed. “He’s made it clear that this and the other situation have to be handled before he will let go.”

“You get why that would worry the people who love you, right?”

“It should. Of course, it should. I’m not trying to deny that or push back that my situation isn’t fucked. It is.” I nodded when she simply stared at me. “Mel, most people might be in a padded room if they were forced to handle things so their dad could die. That’s a normal reaction to something horrible, but normally it’s a terminal illness. This isn’t and it’s fucked.”

“It is. You took all fall break and only concentrated on this like a demon who—”

“It’s solely so less rats fled.” I focused only on her and let her see it in my eyes. “It was timing and no other distractions. We all jumped on it.”

She nodded. “I’ll tell Julian.” She chuckled when I rolled my eyes. “He’s not wrong that a dragon could assess to see if you had dangerous tunnel vision, and after their missteps of not talking to Izzy or others who know you too, he didn’t want to miss something.”

“I get it which is why I’m not mad. I just think their choice of person is a bit…”

“Hypocritical? Especially when we’ve barely spoken the past year? More,” she offered, not seeming offended when I shrugged. “I’ve wanted to but…”

Now it was my turn to be concerned. “You good?”

She blew out a harsh breath. “Izzy is a hard nut to crack. I thought getting you to forgive me would be impossible, but you seem fine.”

I waved my hand back and forth as I chugged down my drink. “I get a bit salty sometimes still but yeah, we’re good. We can’t be what we were, but that’s not even because of what happened. We’re not the same people. Your biggest fear is ever becoming a sidekick like your dad. Or how you see him. You want to be the superstar, and I can’t be a sidekick anymore.”

“You were more than that,” she argued.

“You never treated me like one, but I was. I was good with that. I didn’t have a problem with being one. I used to prefer it.” I frowned hearing how my answer had changed. I used to say I did prefer it. I shook off my thoughts. “Now I think I’ll be a good queen and this is my spot.”

“Connor asked me if I would consider taking over for my dad one day,” Mel told me, chuckling when I dropped my bottle in shock but caught it at the last second. “Yeah, that threw me as well. A few of my siblings aren’t happy, but he said he wants a rebel like me, not another Trigger. That was who his father needed, but if he’s going to shake things up, he needs me.”

I let out a whistle. “If you need anything, let me know.”

It was her turn to be shocked. “Thanks. Really, Tams.”

“We’re good, Mel. We just…”

She nodded. “Yeah. I am still sorry.”

“I know. I’ll talk to Izzy.”

“No, she’s right to still be pissed at me. I tried to fix things with you, but I never put in the work to fix my friendship with her like I should have. I’m big enough to admit that.” She smirked at me. “Her and Claudia, huh?”

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