Page 62 of The Shattered Kingdom
“But you can’t.” I set the tiara on the edge of the couch. “You can regret what you did to me, but you can’t take it back. You regret touching me and igniting the bond, but you can’t take it back. What’s done is done, and I’m sick and tired of you and Mason acting like I’m so entranced by the bond that I don’t have a functioning brain behind it.”
Kie gulps.
I continue. “I’m attracted to you two, but I’m not some damsel hopelessly in love with you. I haven’t been robbed of coherent thought, and it’s time you two stop bitching about things you can’t change and do something productive. Buy me flowers or cook me a romantic meal. Be vulnerable. I honestly don’t fucking care, just—”
“Vulnerable?” Kie cuts my sentence short. “I’m terrified. I’m terrified Alpha Theon is plotting something. I’m terrified Mason is going to be hurt. I’m terrified of letting my people down. Is thatvulnerable enough for you? Do you need more? I can’t stop listening to your heart, and I’ve been funneling magic into it since you were attacked. I haven’t slept because I can’t use magic when sleeping, and I can’t leave you unprotected.”
His words take a moment to register. That’s a lot to take in, but one part stands out.
“When was the last time you slept?” I ask.
I know he didn’t the day his mother died. He was up all night trying to make sense of Lill’s attack and preparing for Mason’s coronation. The following night, he and Mason were up until the early morning reviewing those foreign policy books.
We went to bed early last night, and I was under the impression that Kie, Mason, and I all got a whole night of sleep. I was certainly exhausted after the execution attempt, and Mason slept so deeply that his heavy breathing woke me several times.
“Kie?” I urge.
He looks away, refusing to answer.
“Mason!” My voice is shrill, and the ground vibrates as Mason storms out of his bedroom. He’s on us within seconds.
“What?” He glances between Kie and me. “Is Kie bothering you?”
His face is suspiciously red and splotchy, and the green of his eyes looks extra vibrant. Was he crying? The thought has my heart thumping. I want to ask if he’s okay, but I don’t think he’d appreciate me acknowledging it.
“How long can faeries go without sleep?” I ask instead.
Kie shoots me a look of betrayal, but I don’t care. I don’t trust Alpha Theon, and Kie needs to not be on the verge of a mental breakdown when we meet him.
Mason shrugs. “A day, maybe two. Why?”
I meet Kie’s glare. I won’t feel guilty for caring about his health. “Kie hasn’t slept in three days, and he’s been funnelingmagic into me since the attack.”
Mason cocks his head to the side. “Kie? Is that true?”
“I’m fine.” Kie snatches my tiara off the couch. “I need to pack.”
“You need sleep.” Mason and I speak at the same time. It’s unnerving, and I shoot the shifter a dirty look before continuing. “I’m safe with Mason, and you’re nearby if anything happens.”
Kie rocks back on his heels.
“Abby will sleep with you,” Mason offers. Excuse me? “She needs rest, too.”
Abby can decide for herself if she needs rest, which she doesn’t. I’m managing perfectly fine, and I don’t want to sleep with Kie. I don’t want to sleep with either of them. Besides, it’s too early for bed. I’ve never been one for naps.
“I said I’m fine,” Kie urges. “We need to brush up on the terrain surrounding Traul River. I’m thinking—”
I want to rip out my hair. “For fuck’s sake!”
I grab Kie’s wrist, and I do my best to ignore the way the contact makes my heart swell as I drag him toward Mason’s bedroom. Kie’s had women in his bed, and given the sheer number of condoms in the bedside drawer of the guest room, I’m willing to bet he’s entertained women there, too. I don’t want my first time sleeping with my mate to be in a bed he’s shared with others.
Mason admitted that he has never had a woman in his room, so I’m taking ownership of his bed for the evening.
I’m half-expecting Mason to make a fuss as I drag Kie into his room. He doesn’t say anything, though. Neither does Kie.
“Strip,” I order the faerie.
Kie hesitates, his violet eyes looking everywhere but at me, before he blows out a long breath and tugs his shirt over his head. I do my best not to stare at his toned abdomen as I begin undressing.
