Page 101 of The Shattered Kingdom
Several minutes pass before we reach what appears to be some sort of abandoned brick tower. There’s a stairwell winding up the side, and Mason urges me to begin climbing.
“What are you doing?” I hiss, stubbing my toe. “It’s too dark.”
Mason’s responding chuckle feels almost threatening. “This building was closed up after a fire about a hundred or so years ago,” he says. “Kie and I used to sneak up here and watch the garden parties back when we were too young to attend. You can see everything from the top.”
I begin climbing, tripping every few seconds.
“Is this safe?”
“Of course.”
I don’t entirely trust that. This building must be at least three stories tall, and it’s rickety as hell. The brick steps feel sturdy enough, but that doesn’t mean they won’t shatter beneath me. I have no interest in plummeting to my death.
At the top of the steps is a small rooftop. There’s a narrow door in the center, but it’s boarded up.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Mason taunts.
I shoot him a dirty look, then near the rooftop edge. Mason wasn’t lying. We’re well above the garden and hedges, and I can see the party.
It’s hard to make out specifics, but I can see general faces and figures. I search until I find Kie and my parents. My mom and dad are with Kie, but Aaron has found food. He scans the long table, occasionally adding a few things to his plate, before being corralled to a small seating area with my parents. Kie seems to say something to them, his eyebrow furrowed, before hurrying away.
Kie attempts to weave through the crowd, but he’s continually stopped by faeries looking to chat. I’d be annoyed, but he greets every person with a wide smile. He’s well-trained for this, and I admire his patience. Someday, I’ll join him for such things.
Today, though, I’m going to hide away with Mason.
“Do you enjoy sharing a mate with Kie?” I ask the shifter. I’ve always wondered. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to share you. I could never do it.”
Mason takes a second to respond. “I don’t feel like I’m sharing you. I feel like…” He walks up behind me, placing his hands on my hips. “Kie is mine. I may not be sexually involved with him, but he belongs to me. I don’t mind when my things play together.”
That’s not the answer I was expecting.
“I don’t think Kie would be pleased to hear you say he belongs to you.”
Mason shrugs. “I don’t concern myself with how Kie feels.” A beat of silence. “But don’t tell him I said that.”
I won’t. I’m not interested in opening that particular can of worms. Besides, I’m pretty sure if I asked Kie the same question, he’d have an equally offensive answer toward Mason. Their relationship is entertaining. There’s so much love between them, but they’d rather die than ever admit it.
“He found us,” Mason says.
I already know who he’s talking about, and I search through the crowd until spotting Kie. He’s finally reached his destination,a standing table surrounded by Anox, Jackie, and Lady Cassandra. He’s speaking to Anox, but his eyes are on Mason and me. He doesn’t seem pleased.
His hands are clenching and unclenching at his sides, and his jaw is routinely tensing.
“Mason…?” I look over. Mason grins at Kie, clearly pleased with whatever he’s done. “What did you do?”
Mason licks his lips, his gaze heavy when he finally slides it toward me. “I assume Anox just informed Kie what I did with Lord Bishop.”
What? When did he have time to doanythingwith Lord Bishop? He was with my family all day, wasn’t he?
“What’d you do?”
Mason blinks, his lips curling into a cruel smile. It’s one I haven’t seen since the forest, and it sends shivers down my spine. I’m growing familiar with Mason’s soft side, and I momentarily forgot that’s not all there is to him. He isn’t a good person. Not really.
“Tell me,” I order. “Tell me right now.”
“No.” Mason shakes his head. “He’s mine.”
Mason watches my every move with unnerving intensity, like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike. My pulse is thundering through my ears, and I shake the fear out of my limbs.
