Page 48 of Tortured Royals

Noah dips his head. “I can’t be sure, your highness.”

My mate blows out a breath. “They’re so predictable.”

I rub my hand soothingly against Blake’s arm. “Is there any other news?” I ask my friends.

When they both hesitate, Blake prompts. “What is it?”

“I can’t be sure,” Luna says reluctantly, “but there have been whispers in the city.”

“What whispers?” Alaric growls.

“About a new power,” Luna answers. “We can’t tell you much more than that.”

“You think she’s talking about the witches?”Shade asks.

“All we know is that things aren’t right,” Noah adds. “The moment the king announced his retirement, fights have been breaking out all over the place. Some say it’s because King Dalton destroyed the Fallon Blade clan house without provocation.”

“No provocation?”Blake scoffs.

“Whatever message was intended, it sounds like the narrative has changed, my mate,”Mason says.

Blake’s jaw ticks, and she stares at Noah. “When and where is the meeting?”

“Daybreak,” Luna replies. “At the Bleeding Hearts club.”

“Bleeding Hearts? That belongs to the Silver Sun Clan,” I say. “They’ve always been closely allied with the Fallon Blade Clan.”

“Well,” Blake says, cracking her neck. “Looks like there’s no time to waste.”

Chapter

Seventeen

~ Mason ~

“What? No, tell her she can’t mess with this perfection,”Shade complains, flying over and settling onto my lap. I’m sitting on one of the chairs beside the table, and the she-demon, Luna, is sitting opposite me. Luna pulls back, staring at the crow uncertainly.

“Shade, this is the whole reason we brought Luna here,”Blake comments aloud, but the bird stays where she is. “We need to know what’s going on at this meeting, and to do that, we all need disguises.”

To Luna’s credit, she keeps a straight face, not commenting on the fact that my mate is speaking to her bird.

“Yeah, well I’ve changed my mind,”Shade squawks.“C’mon Blake, these areyourmates. Aren’t you worried about what will happen if they can’t change back?”She stares up at me with her beady black eyes.“Seriously, look at this face! Wouldn’t you miss staring at this?”

Blake rolls her eyes, but her lips quirk into a grin. “Wewillall change back,” she assures her friend. “Luna has done this many times before. Isn’t that right, Dante?”

Dante smirks. “More than she would ever admit to you, princess.”

“Okay, well I’m going to try not to read into that,” Blake replies, shaking her head. “But see? It’s completely reversible. And besides,” she peers down at me, and just having my mate’s gaze on me has my heart pounding, my pants tightening, “let’s be honest, he could have the face of a goat, and I’d still bed him. He’s my mate.”The warmth and honesty with which she says this is everything to me. Even if I have no desire to ever be a goat.

“Whoa, I know you guys just bonded, but can you do something about this,” Luna cuts in then, blatantly looking at the massive bulge in my pants. There’s no point trying to hide it because my efforts would be futile. Besides, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Not when my mate looks at me like that.

“I apologize,” I tell Luna sincerely. “I seem to have little control around my mate.”

Luna shakes her head, side-eyeing Blake. “Don’t worry. Can’t say I blame you, buddy.”

“What are you guys talking about?”Shade lowers her gaze, and she squawks in surprise. Reeling back, she stretches out her wings and flaps up to Blake’s shoulder.“God, you should warn a girl before doing that,”she gripes to me, sounding more flustered than annoyed. Then she adds,“Wait, when Luna works her magic, will it change that as well?”

Nate pales, his hands lowering to the front of his pants. “Hey, no one said anythin’ about changin’ things down there.”

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