Page 23 of MidKnight
“What?”
Connor spoke softly, “Yes and no questions, Bloss Boss. Stick to yes and no questions.”
I smacked his arm. “Don’t patronize me. My sister was stolen. I was attacked. And I’ve got a foreign queen, a fat-ass lying noble, and some douchey bird intruder to deal with. Excuse me for not asking the right kind of questions.”
Connor held up his hands and slowly backed away from me.
Ass.
I glared at the bird. “Are you working for another monarch?”
The bird shook his head no.
“Well then, are you just passing through?” Connor asked the bird, as if he was at a damn court function and this bird was a guest.
The bird shook his head no.
“Why the sard are you here?” I asked.
“Yes and no…”
“YES! I know! I know!” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath through my nose. “I cannot deal with this right now. You figure out why he’s here. I’m going to find Quinn. I need to punch someone.”
I strode away, leaving my husband and my new castle mage to deal with the bluebird.
But I did yell out over my shoulder to the bird, “Since you’re a person, if you shite on a single one of my things, I willend you!”
I was over this day.
Over it.
Chapter Six
Iwas interrupted on my way to the dungeon because I was too sarding tired and stupid to take the secret passageways. As I crossed one of the main halls, a figure came barreling toward me. Immediately, the guards following me took up position in front of me and unsheathed their swords.
Mateo skidded to a stop just shy of their weapons. “Your Majesty!” he bowed.
When he looked up, I could see his brown eyes were rimmed in red from crying. His wavy bronze hair was unkempt. His shirt was untucked. He did not look well.
I hadn’t even thought of him once since Avia had been stolen. But, of course, he would have been affected.
I cursed myself for being so thoughtless. I raised a hand so my guards could lower their weapons.
“Mateo, how can I help you?”
When he glanced up, the look in his eyes was earnest. “Please. I want to look for her. That’s all I want.”
My heart just about broke seeing his expression. Mateo looked like a lost child. Like a lost soul. If one of my knights were taken … I couldn’t even dare to imagine that. I knew Mateo and Avia were young, but love was love. I’d loved Connor at that age. Younger, even.
I held out a hand and squeezed Mateo’s fingers briefly, the only appropriate sign of affection I could give. “Of course, you may look for her. I’ll let Ryan know so his men are aware.”
Mateo coughed uncomfortably. “There’s only one problem. I don’t own a horse.”
I nodded. An ambassador’s son wasn’t wealthy. And Macedon wasn’t a wealthy nation to start.
I nodded to one of my guards. “Escort him to Jace at the stables. Tell Jace I’ve authorized a horse for him.”
Mateo squeezed my hand and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
