Page 102 of The Shattered Kingdom
“What did you do?”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
KIERAN
I’M GOING TO kill Mason. I’m going to rip out his liver and feed it to the pesky birds that live near the butcher’s shop on the outskirts of Bellmere. Then I’m going to castrate him and offer his balls to Abby on a silver fucking platter.
“It seems he was abducted earlier this afternoon,” Anox continues, his fury poorly concealed. “Only those with the highest clearance would’ve been allowed inside the cells, and the guards refuse to talk.”
I frown. Mason has the clearance, and he also has the means to threaten the guards into silence. Leaving the shifter unsupervised was a mistake I should’ve known better than to make. I wrongfully assumed he’d feel responsible to protect Abby’s family while I helped her prepare for the coronation.
“I’ll take care of it,” I promise Anox.
He nods. “I trust that you will.”
My gaze momentarily flickers toward the abandoned building beyond the gardens. My mother had wanted to tear it down for several years, and I regret my role in convincing her to leave it standing. I have fond memories of hiding on the roof with Mason.
I’m going to tear it down with my bare hands.
There are only a few places on the property where Mason enjoys spending time, and the abandoned tower has always been one of his favorites. We used to love hiding up there when we were children, the two of us full of laughter and smiles as we talked poorly of the faeries celebrating below. I’ve become one of the faeries I used to mock. I’m sure that thought has already crossed Mason’s mind.
He’s standing on the rooftop, his arms around Abby and his chin resting on her head. He’s avoiding me, running away like the coward he is.
“Where are they?” Anox asks. “This is Queen Abigail’s celebration. Should she not be here?”
I frown, resisting the urge to glance toward the tower again. Mason hid himself and my mate well, cloaked in darkness and shadows, and I don’t want to give their location away. Everybody of importance, from our top scholars to our military leaders, is in attendance tonight. Several of them have already stopped to speak with me.
“Abby’s retired for the evening,” I say. “Mason’s gone with her.”
Anox puckers his lips. He’s annoyed, but he has no reason to be. My mother rarely attended celebrations honoring her. She felt her presence put the people on edge, and over time, that became the tradition.
The faeries knew that when they were invited to a celebration at the royal estate, they could attend without the looming fear of the queen’s judgment. Even I’m drawing a few odd looks, and I hold no real power. Not anymore.
My gaze flickers toward Mason and Abby again. The sun is almost entirely set, making them nearly impossible to spot. I know where to look, though, and my frown deepens as I take in their new position.
Abby’s straddling Mason, giving him love and affection he doesn’t deserve—not after the stunt he pulled this afternoon.
Jackie places a hand on my shoulder. I brush her off. She’s pushing her luck, and I’m too angry to remain diplomatic. I need to know what the fuck Mason did with Lord Bishop.
Lord Bishop confessed before the council. We aren’t animals, and there is a process to these things. Mason can’t take matters into his own hands, not when relations between the faeries and shifters are as tense as they are.
The faeries are looking for an excuse to be angry, and Mason is giving it to them. They won’t care that Lord Bishop attacked our mate. He’s a faerie, and Mason is a shifter. He needs to remain far away from the execution.
It was foolish to trust him alone with Abby’s parents. I truly believed his desire to protect his mate’s family would be stronger than his need for revenge. Abby calms Mason considerably, but he’s still the firstborn son of Alpha Theon. His self-control is nonexistent, and I suspect he prefers it that way.
I sigh, dragging my fingers through my hair.
“I’m beginning to regret my endorsement,” Anox says.
He’s lying. Without Mason and me causing trouble, Anox wouldn’t know what to do with himself. We keep his life interesting.
“I’ll handle him,” I repeat, displaying confidence I don’t have. I’m not sureanybodycan handle Mason—not even Abby.
Jackie grabs my shoulder again, her fingernails digging into the muscle even through the layers of my shirt. It’s painful, and I know what it means. I hate that I have a secret language with her, that we’ve spent so much time together that I know what she wants without words.
It’s a betrayal to my mate, and I suck in a slow breath before giving her my ear.
“Go,” she says, her voice low. “I have this handled.”
