Page 63 of Blood Bearon
“Rachel.”
“Rachel,” he repeated at the prompt. “She’s a police officer. When I said I was going to kill Korred, she…did not take it very well.”
Kaelyn patted him on the shoulder. “I imagine she did not.”
“It was bad. We argued. She told me to leave before she arrested me for making death threats and conspiracy to commit murder,” he hissed. “Despite all she’s seen and been told, still she won’t believe me when I say he’s too dangerous for human authorities to try and apprehend!”
His Queen was quiet for a moment. “Where is she now?”
“Gone,” he said quietly. “Doing her job. I left as she told me to, and came here.”
His ruler’s mouth twitched. “To argue with me about finding a way to spare Korred.”
Standing his ground, Khove met her gaze. “Rachel deserved that much,” he ground out. “I had to try, even if I know in my heart how it must truly end. Despite what that will do to her.”
“I suspect she’s made of stronger stuff than you know,” Kaelyn replied softly. “And you must go back to her. Patch things up, Khove. Make your partnership anew.”
He gaped at his Queen. “How exactly am I supposed to do that? She knows I will end Korred’s life if given the chance. It must be done before he gathers enough strength to strike at us here. But if I do that, then surely she will arrest me, and I don’t want to put that burden upon her. This isourproblem, not hers. Surely even you can understand that?”
He drew himself up tall, realizing what he’d just said. “My Queen, I apologize that was out of line.”
To his surprise, Kaelyn laughed, waving off his rude comment. “Oh, Khove. You have served me, and before me the King, for quite some time. We know each other. I am not offended. Your very passion is what I admire about you. Don’t lose it now. You’re going to need it.”
He blinked. “I am?”
“Yes. And you’re going to need your mate as well.”
The blinking intensified. “I don’t have a mate.”
“Now youarebeing stupid,” Kaelyn teased. “If that police officer isn’t your mate than I’ll resign. Anyone can see the way you two get along, the ease of it.”
“But Kinkaid didn’t see a connection,” he started to explain, only falling silent at the laughter in his Queen’s eyes.
“That doesn’t mean a thing.” Her jade eyes twinkled with laughter about a secret only she knew. “Kincaid often misses things, and not of his own meaning.”
Khove grinned and tossed her a knowing wink. “He might see more than you think.”
The look of shock on her face was priceless. It wasn’t often one was able to do that to the Queen of House Ursa, and he would treasure that moment for as long as he lived. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” he reassured her.
“What secret?” she asked, obviously steadfastly refusing to admit to anything.
Khove’s smile grew broader. “Exactly.”
“Back to the subject at hand,” Kaelyn stressed. “You’re going to need your mate, Khove.”
“I don’t understand why. Even if we assume she is my mate, which isn’t likely, she hates me because I won’t accept her method of justice.”
“She will,” Kaelyn said softly.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because once you bring me Korred’s body, I am going to make you the Knight of House Ursa, Baron of Ursidae Manor, etc, etc.”
Khove’s jaw dropped so fast, it popped. He winced in reflex at the brief explosion of pain, but otherwise it barely registered on him. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?”
“The House needs someone in that position who has seen the ins and outs of rule,” Kaelyn said, her voice quieter, more serious. “Someone everyone trusts, and everyone respects.”
He swallowed, throat dry. Him? Knight of High House Ursa? It seemed an unlikely thing.
