Page 64 of The Shattered Kingdom
He used his to create a map of the realm. I haven’t seen one since. Mason must have placed it here last night.
Kie groans, drawing my attention. We shifted while sleeping, and he’s practically sprawled over me. His violet eyes blink open, and he plants his palms beside my shoulders before pushing his upper body off me. His shoulders and biceps flex, the muscles bulging as he leans forward and touches the dark glass.
“I didn’t know you had one of those,” I say.
Kie shrugs. “Most faeries in the capital don’t use them. We’re strong, and the magic boost they provide is negligible. It is helpfulfor small things, though, like this. Mine has been infused to vibrate every morning.”
The buzzing stops, and I relax back into the mattress. Then I remember we need to leave for the shifter lands and jolt out of bed. I left my dress on the floor last night, but it’s gone. I bet Mason stole it, and I chew at the inside of my cheek until I spot two piles of folded clothing on his desk.
They weren’t here last night.
Both outfits are black, and I fight back a smile as I realize one is meant for me. Mason found me a pair of tight pants and a stretchy long-sleeved shirt. The ensemble is identical to the outfits they wore in the forest. We’re going to match.
“Do you feel better?” I ask Kie.
He sits up, watching me dress.
“I do,” he admits. “I always thought sharing a bed would be uncomfortable, but I enjoyed it.”
My movements falter, but I quickly regain my composure. It never occurred to me that this would be the first time Kie shared a bed. I suppose the risk of accidentally touching skin during sleep was too high.
Kie clears his throat. “Did you enjoy sleeping with me?”
Yes. I’m not going to tell him that, though.
I grab the second pile of clothing and toss it toward Kie. He smoothly catches the fabric, his piercing gaze never once leaving mine. It feels like he’s staring into my soul, and I don’t like it.
“I should find Mason,” I say.
I’m surprised the shifter didn’t crawl into bed last night or, at the very least, drag in a mattress and sleep on the floor. Mason’s been vocal about his desire to be near me, and I doubt he’d allow me to have alone time with Kie out of the goodness of his heart.
He’ll weasel his way between us, and he’ll do it with a smile.
I push open the bedroom door and walk down the hallway,peering into every room I pass. They’re all empty, and when I round the corner that leads to the open living space, I finally spot Mason.
He’s sprawled across the couch, still in yesterday’s clothing, with his feet dangling off one side and an arm hanging off the other. Sitting on his chest is a folded piece of paper, and upon closer inspection, I realize it’s the letter his father wrote.
Mason fell asleep rereading this.
My heart lurches.
Three backpacks are resting against the edge of the couch, and I step over them before snatching the letter off Mason’s chest. His nose crinkles, and I just know he’s awake and smelling to see who’s near him.
He relaxes once he realizes it’s just me. I’m not sure what I’m doing, and I drag my fingers through my hair before setting the letter on the coffee table and throwing myself on top of Mason. I feel bad for him, and instinct tells me this is what I should do.
The shifter immediately wraps his arms around my waist, trapping me against him. My knee falls between his thighs, and my arms are squished between our torsos.
“Mason,” I grunt.
“I’m jealous you slept with Kie first,” he says. “And inmybed, no less.”
He’s not really upset. He walked into his bedroom several times while Kie was sleeping, and not once did he look the least bit jealous. He’s only making a big deal about it because he’s hoping to guilt me into agreeing to sleep with him, too. It’s not going to work.
I huff, pushing myself off Mason as Kie walks into the room.
The faerie’s gaze flickers between us and the letter on the table. Mason clocks the action, and he snatches up the letter and shoves it into his pocket.
“Give me five minutes to change,” Mason says, rising from the couch. “We should leave soon.”
