Page 42 of The Shattered Kingdom
They’re probably waiting for the speech Kie mentioned.
Mason begins, again in the language I don’t understand. I listen, trying to see if I recognize anything. Nothing stands out. This isn’t a language that exists in the human realm.
“I understand many of you are hesitant to see me rule,” Mason says, shifting into a language I understand. Somebody behind me scoffs, and Mason clears his throat before continuing. “I’m not interested in giving useless promises to mollify you, and I won’t stand here pretending I’m not the firstborn son of Alpha Theon.”
Mason wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t have a speech planned. He’s only two sentences in, and already, he’s fucking up. He’s supposed to comfort the faeries, not remind them that he’s not one of them.
Kie lets out a quiet sigh and drops his chin to his chest.
“But I’ve made a commitment to the faeries, and to Zaha, andI intend to honor it.” Mason licks his lips, his green eyes darting from faerie to faerie. “I am a good leader, and Prince Kieran will remain by my side as a valued council member.”
Several seconds pass in tense silence. I listen to trees, focusing on the quiet flapping of bird wings. The garden is peaceful, and I wonder if this area is reserved exclusively for funerals. I hope not.
Mason continues. “Please do not hesitate to come to the council and myself with any concerns. We understand Her Majesty’s death frightens many, and we assure you we have everything under control.”
I wait for further elaboration, but Mason offers none. He steps away from the queen’s body, letting Anox take a turn. I didn’t notice the robed faerie’s entrance.
He places a hand on Queen Gitta’s wrappings, then faces the crowd with just as much confidence as Mason. “In light of recent events, we will be holding court tomorrow evening. We invite you all to join.”
Pressure on my arm pulls my focus from Anox. It’s coming from Mason. He nudges his head to the side, gesturing toward the exit. Are we leaving already? We’ve only just gotten here. I wait until we’re safely away from the crowd before speaking.
“Why aren’t we staying?”
“The royal family does not mourn,” Kie says. “We move forward. Always.”
That’s a shitty tradition. Kie lost his mother. He deserves to mourn.
We pass dozens of faeries on our way out of the gardens. Each one bows deeply to Mason. It’s unsettling, and I quickly find myself eager to be away from prying eyes. The grounds are significantly busier today, I assume because of Queen Gitta’s remembrance.
I’m surprised they don’t hold it outside the property, but I’mnot looking to question faerie tradition. Not today.
“What now?” I ask.
It’s Kie who answers. “We continue with our day as normal. I have some work to wrap up, so you’ll stay with Mason for the remainder of the morning. I’ll be back shortly.”
Mason halts. “What do you mean? What work?”
“I’ll be back shortly.”
Kie’s avoiding the question, and he breaks away from us a moment later. Mason visibly hesitates, looking like he wants to chase after Kie and demand that he remain with us. I hope he doesn’t. Kie needs space.
I do, too, if I’m being honest with myself. I still haven’t wrapped my mind around the fact that he’s my mate, and it’s significantly easier to avoid thinking about it when he isn’t nearby. Mason isn’t giving me the same opportunity, and the mate bond is annoying.
It’s not changing my overall perception of the shifter, but I’m continually finding myself drawn to him. I’m impressed with how he’s handled himself today, and I’m excited to have the morning with him. Neither of those emotions are welcome, and I doubt I’d be feeling them if it weren’t for the bond.
“When will I be allowed to go home?” I ask. “I need to contact my family. They must be worried sick about me.”
We walk along the wooded path leading to the royal houses. I scuff my feet along the worn path.
“You’re our mate,” Mason says. “You’ll remain with us. I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with Kie about it, but we’ll arrange for your family to be brought here. They can live on the property if they wish, or within Bellmere.”
“They have jobs, friends, commitments. Their entire lives are within the human realm. So is mine. I can’t stay here. I need to go home.”
“That’s not an option.”
Of course not. Heaven forbid Kie and Mason do something that doesn’t directly benefit them. We reach the house, and I storm ahead and push open the door before the shifter gets it into his head to do it for me. I don’t need him to do anything nice for me.
“You can’t bring my family here,” I argue. “They don’t know about faeries.”
