Page 38 of King of Forest and Fur

“Xanthus Gahyred,” Rehn repeated.

He didn’t have all sorcerer’s names memorized but that one rang a bell in his head. Then, he thought to Leila and his eyes widened. He was her mentor at the academy, a well-regarded scholar from what she’d shared with him.

“Are you seriously thinking Xanthus would have done this to me?” Altair asked. “The man is a mentor to almost all sorcerers at the academy, a friend to everyone. He wouldn’t hurt a fly let alone frame a man he’s known for decades. This was the first time he had ever been late returning a book of mine.”

“Did anyone else know your plans? That you were leaving for the academy to retrieve your book?” Idris asked while Rehn’s mind raced. “If so, they could be the true culprit.”

“I enjoy a solitary life with my research and experiments,” Altair replied. “There is no one to tell of my comings and goings, but I tell you, Xanthus would not do this. He is as far from a villain as possible.”

“Most villains do not think of themselves as malevolent,” Rehn said. “They want to believe they are in the right and justify their evil for the greater good. If he’s willing to throw you under the cart, try to frame you, there is little he wouldn’t do.”

Rehn wanted to rush out of the ancient prison and find his mate, ensuring she was safe, but it wasn’t like anyone could harm her here in the castle. Still, it didn’t calm his bear, which was growing more and more restless the longer he was away from Leila. Turning back to continue the questioning, he stopped, hearing footsteps rushing down the granite stairs. The guards faced the stairwell, glancing between each other, then back to Rehn and Idris.

“Hold, it is Yaldred,” Idris said, hand up.

That did little to calm the king. She should be with Leila. Why would she come here now? Was Leila injured? His inner beast raged at the thought.

Yaldred jogged off the staircase and hurried past the two guards, stopping in front of the king, panting. She took a moment before she spoke.

“Leila just left to go back to the Sorcerer’s Academy,” she said.

NINETEEN

LEILA

Rehn was nowhere to be found. Leila looked everywhere for him, but he wasn’t anywhere in the castle as far as she could find.

Leila grabbed her bag from the queen’s quarters, taking only the clothes she came with, plus that dress she wore for her first dinner with the king. At the entrance to the keep, she saw Chaniel near the stables, arguing with a groomsman as he readied her mare. Seemed she couldn’t secure a coach for her return trip. If Leila wanted to leave with her, she had to go now.

Maybe not being able to find the king was a blessing in a way. If she were to say her good-byes, how would he react? He’d probably try to convince her to stay, maybe use his powers to keep her here.

No, he wouldn’t need to. He would convince her to stay and that was why she wanted to go. That part of her that never wanted to leave would only make things worse in the end. She knew her feelings for Rehn were deepening. This fling would end at some point but given her feelings and the way they grew; it would be harder to leave if she stayed any longer and hurt so much worse. If she was to ever get back to the Sorcerer’s Academy, this was her best chance, and she’d enjoy the ride with her old friend Chaniel.

With that, Leila hurried toward Chaniel as the groom helped her onto her mare. She waved to Leila with a warm smile. The groom turned and gave her a bow.

“Can you ready my horse, please?” Leila asked, then turned to her friend. “I figured you wouldn’t mind a little company for the ride home.”

“Well, I’d much rather prefer a coach to take me back to the academy,” Chaniel said, glaring at the groom as he moved back to the stables, then she smiled down at Leila. “But your company will make the ride more pleasant and we have so many things to talk about, don’t we?”

Leila suddenly questioned her plans to leave. Chaniel, gossip queen that she was, had seen more than enough of her interactions with Rehn to make some educated guesses. As much as she wanted to keep a closed mouth about their fling and her true connection to the investigation, there was a reason people talked to Chaniel.

Sure, she’d whisper rumors, but she often had good advice or just a comfortable shoulder to cry on. No matter what, Leila knew she’d be sharing more than she wanted with the woman

The groom hurried back from the stables with her horse, tacked and ready for the ride. He held out a hand for her bag and secured it to the saddle. Her eyes drifted toward the main keep, up to Rehn’s chamber. That part of her that wanted to stay urged her to listen but she put her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself onto the horse. No. It was time to leave. Time to go home to the academy.

It didn’t take long for Chaniel to start peppering Leila with questions. She’d watched her as they rode through the gates and across the river, her slight smile quivering with words at the ready.

“You seem eager to leave,” Chaniel said on the far side of the bridge. “Odd, you and the king appeared quite comfortable together. Not sure I’d want to leave any man who looked at me the way he looked at you, let alone the king. I mean, even if he wasn’t a king, I don’t think I’d be able to leave him.”

As much as she wanted to talk about it, even with the academy’s biggest gossip, Leila held firm for the moment.

“Now that they have their man, the king doesn’t need my help anymore,” she replied. “I’ve been gone from the academy too long. With the investigation over, it is time for me to go.”

Chaniel gave a quiet, “hmm.” Her eyes remained focused on Leila as if she were an interrogator hunting for any tells Leila might give away. Only a few yards further down the road, she started that interrogation, trying to lower Leila’s guard.

“I’m sure the king would have loved for you to have stayed. I know you spend just as much time as I do with my nose in a book, but you had to notice the way he looked at you,” she said, giggling. “And you left without saying good-bye? Wouldn’t be surprised if he comes galloping after you.”

Leila glanced down the road behind them until Chaniel clapped, startling her. She scrambled for the reins as her friend laughed. A glare at the woman once she was secure again only had her chuckles growing louder.

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