Page 112 of The Shattered Kingdom
I shove my hair behind my shoulder, my nerves spiking. We enter the park where the announcement is being held, and the pain in my ass magically vanishes the moment we come into view of the faeries already waiting for us. There are hundreds, and I keep my stride even with Mason’s as Anox and Kie break apart.
Mason leads me up the tall podium brought in for the occasion.
My family is somewhere within the crowd. I don’t see them, but I trust they’re safe. Kie and Mason have assigned three guards per person, just in case. They claim there’s always an increased risk when announcing to a crowd of this size.
Mason places a hand on the back of my neck, his fingers curling and pressing against my pulse point. I shiver but otherwise don’t react as I stare into the crowd below.
A hush falls over the garden as the faeries wait to hear Mason’s announcement. I can practically see their impatience. With all the change they’ve experienced these past few weeks, I can only imagine the fears rushing through their minds.
“Good morning,” Mason starts, his voice booming. “I appreciate you coming out today, and unfortunately, I come to you with a startling announcement. It’s been discovered that AlphaTheon is housing a faerie fugitive, Callie Collins. In doing so, he’s calling the Sylvan Harmony Treaty and his Alpha title into question.”
Mason nervously runs his fingers along my neck, his palms sticky against my skin. This is a huge announcement, and it goes against everything he’s ever believed in. Mason’s drawing a hard line, choosing the faeries over the shifters.
“We have stationed troops along Redstall Forest,” he continues, “and we’re giving Alpha Theon one week to respond before considering the Sylvan Harmony Treaty null and void.”
Chapter Forty-Three
ABBY
THE NEXT THREE days are a flurry of meetings, raised voices, and barked orders. I’m sure Anox has burst at least three blood vessels, and even Jackie arrived at a meeting with her hair undone.
“We’ve been housing him for—”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it housing.” Kie interrupts Mason’s rant. “He’s in the cells, without magic. He’s pissing in a bucket.”
Mason works his jaw side to side, his lips twitching and nose crinkling, before he shakes his head and continues as if Kie never spoke. “We’ve beenhousingLord Bishop for several days, and it’s time to move forward with punishment. I want him convicted and executed.”
Anox sighs. “Yes, I agree it’s time to move forward, but he’s a longstanding council member. People are demanding he receive a proper trial.”
“A proper trial?” Mason laughs. “I don’t recall him giving my mate so much as a properconversationbefore attempting to murder her.”
I suck my cheeks into my mouth, not wanting to get involved. Anox seemed keen to punish Lord Bishop after the attack, but he’s been dragging his feet. That, coupled with the fact we’re stillwaiting to hear back from Alpha Theon, has Mason on edge.
I clasp my hands together, shooting Kie a glance. We should focus on Alpha Theon and the impending war, not this. The treaty was created around the same time Zaha destroyed the shifter lands, and as far as I’m aware, it’s the only thing that’s kept the faeries and the shifters from launching into an all-out war.
They both respected the treaty, skirting around the rules but never doing anything in outright opposition.
Without it, it’s only a matter of time before shifters emerge from the forest trying to claim faerie lands. Faeries are strong, but they won’t be able to defend themselves from full-grown shifter males equipped with delysum.
Mason told me how shifters live, how they begin learning how to fight from an ungodly young age. The shifters revere physical strength, and they’ll cut through the small faerie towns like warm butter.
“It would be helpful if we set a date,” Kie chimes in.
Anox frowns. “Lord Bishop’s family has requested we allow them to conduct an investigation—”
“An investigation into what?” Kie interrupts again. Mason grunts out his approval. “He’s already confessed.”
Jackie, who’s begun picking at her nails, glances up. “He confessed under duress.” Her gaze pointedly shifts toward Mason. “Your reckless actions are the reason we’re forced to delay. You should’ve stayed out of this, as we all agreed.”
Mason bristles.
Jackie continues. “And as much as Ilovewasting our meetings discussing criminals already in our possession, I think our time would be better spent discussing the criminals who aren’t. It’s been three days, and we’ve yet to hear a response from Alpha Theon.”
Mason leans back in hischair. “We gave him a week to respond, and I doubt we’ll hear from him with much time to spare. He wants us to sweat this out. He’s hoping we’ll change our minds.”
Kie clears his throat. “Alpha Theon isn’t going to extradite Callie. We already know that.” He rests his head in his palm, lost in thought. “Have we heard anything from Kalix?”
Anox shoots Mason a sideways glance. “No.”
