Page 19 of Fastlander Fealty

This was all so interesting. “So, the Crews of Damon’s Mountains stay separate?”

He frowned and looked off into the woods that lined the river. “Why do you ask?” There was a hardness to his tone that surprised her.

“Just curious,” she said softly. “You don’t have to answer.” Truth be told, she’d gotten lost in the conversation. Sure, Rook would be very interested in all of this information, but she’d forgotten about him for a little while. “There’s a new leader with my people,” she admitted, testing the words to see if she was feeling bold enough to expose some of her feelings on it all.

“An Alpha?”

“No. I mean a new female leader.”

“What are they called?” he asked.

This was a dangerous conversation, but out here away from everything, she felt safe. It was just her and Owen.

“A Queen.”

“Mmm. Do you know her?”

“Yes. I’ve known her for a long time.”

“She’s a good leader?” he asked.

“No. None of them are.” It was her turn to remove her hat and sunglasses, and slip out of her innertube and into the water. She stayed under as long as she could hold her breath, and then came back up through the middle of her float, rested her arms on it and forced a grin, then plucked her canned margarita from the little cupholder and took a long swig. “What’s your favorite color.”

“Lame,” he drawled.

“Hey, it’s twenty questions. I can ask whatever I want to.”

“Green. The color of money. What do you mean none of your people are good leaders?”

Mmm, he was guiding them back to the conversation she’d tried to abandon. She could give him bits and pieces, but nothing important.

“Katrina will be celebrated today after her Queen ceremony.”

“Queen. So, you’re a lioness.”

Chills zinged up her spine, and she ignored the question. Clever man. “I used to be friends with Katrina.”

“Why aren’t you friends anymore?”

“Because of who I was promised to.”

“Who you were promised to,” he repeated softly. “It wasn’t your choice?”

She shook her head slowly. “If I could’ve traded Katrina places back when all of it was going down, I would’ve. I tried to tell her that, but she thought I had attracted him on purpose.”

“Well, bright side for her. She ended up in another pairing, and she’s being celebrated,” he muttered low. “Maybe she’ll be even happier.”

“Probably so. As of today, she is paired with the one she wanted in the first place.”

Owen’s eyes turned ice blue. “Someone she knew before she had a crush on your man?” he asked carefully.

“No.”

“She’s with the one you were with?” he asked, his voice echoing a little too loudly down the river.

She shrugged. “It’s normal for some Kings to take multiple Queens, and besides, I was stripped of my rank and title. I am nothing. Katrina is Queen now.”

He inhaled deep and his nostrils flared slightly and he got quiet for a bit.

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