Page 48 of Roar Letter Word

“I am sure that Ruzyll has given you the update,” Mahes said, doing everything he could not to sound intoxicated. “But I will give you the summary anyway. Addie has left me. She has gone back to Earth. So that effectively leaves me with two realities."

Skoll leaned forward on the couch across from the king. His friend studied him with that annoyingly concerned look, but Mahes chose to ignore it.

“First of all, I figure I can go after her to Earth and win her heart. If I am successful, I will stay there with her on her home planet. The second reality is far less enjoyable for me to consider, but consider it, I must."

He swallowed, realizing that his throat had dried. He called for Ruzyll, who promptly brought in lavender lemonade. He sipped at it before dictating the second reality, the one that hurt him the most to lay out.

“The second thing that could happen is that Addie rejects me. I would then return home without any chance of having offspring and without my mate. I would attempt to rule without her, but that would be futile. I would likely descend into madness, leaving myself and the kingdom vulnerable to far more malevolent leaders."

Skoll’s eyes widened, and he shook his head before Mahes could finish. “No, Mahes. Ruzyll won’t let you do this." Skoll’s eyes pleaded at Ruzyll, who quickly left the room.

“Ruzyll already said that. Let me finish,” Mahes said, slicing his hand in the air. “Both realities do not give us fertile ground in which to continue the legacy. So I offer leadership to you, Skoll before I take my leave to Earth."

Skoll was flabbergasted. He scowled at his friend, lifting both palms like a good diplomat.

“I don’t understand. You are doing this all before you even know what is going on with Addie."

The king snorted, not enjoying the critical way Skoll spoke to him but understanding he deserved it.

“Do you not trust your king’s method of thinking?” he said, scoffing. "I have thought this through. A peaceful relinquishing of the throne is far better than letting myself deteriorate into nothingness. Ruzyll refuses to let me step down and take my place. We would leave ourselves exposed to the most vile and cruel shifters our planet has ever known.”

Skoll continued to stare, still somewhat in shock. Mahes rose to his feet, feeling impatient about everything that had gone on in the past twenty-four hours.

“I want to know if you accept this generous and thought-out offer, Skoll. You are the most noble man I know. You will lead this kingdom to splendor and abundance.”

Skoll remained seated, his jaw slowly parting to reply.

Ruzyll returned with a frantic look on his face.

Mahes couldn’t take the interruptions.

“What is it?” he growled.

“My King, you have two visitors. It is of the utmost urgency. It’s Gerri Wilder and Addie’s manager."

Skoll and Mahes gave each other a fervent look of curiosity and confusion. The king waved his hand at Ruzyll, allowing him to bring his guests in.

Gerri was looking splendid as usual, her lustrous, silvery locks unchanged by the wormhole. Franny, whom Mahes hadn’t met till then, was a small, mousey-looking woman. She was marveling at everything as she walked through it, like a maze of mirrors.

“Gerri, to what do I owe this pleasure?” Mahes asked.

He had sobered up innately. His gut stirred with intrigue and guilt at the way he had been speaking to his subordinates. And even his best friend.

Gerri frowned. It was a look that wasn’t very common on her sage, fetching face.

“I was told that Addie was going to be performing tonight, so I dropped everything and retrieved Franny,” she said, gesturing to the young, fascinated woman next to her.

Ruzyll and Mahes exchanged a look. Mahes knew immediately what was going on. His eyes narrowed as he approached Gerri, her pleasing and comforting aura quickly enveloping the entire room. She looked up at him, a stolen look taking her over.

“Bruce. Bruce Brandt. He showed up here a few days ago on your behalf,” Mahes said, looking at Gerri and Franny. “He planned the concert himself. Then he went back to Earth with her afterward, I assume."

Gerri looked puzzled but in a way that was knowing rather than utterly lost. She folded her arms and licked her lips thoughtfully before responding.

“No one has traveled through the wormhole tonight other than Franny and myself. I would have known. And I most certainly did not send him here.”

The man had done it all himself, by his own volition. He had come in the name of Gerri, all for the sake of his own selfish profit. That was Mahes’s general assumption, and he had been right all along. He was a sniveling prick.

“So that means Addie hasn’t left?” Skoll said, eyebrows raised toward the king.

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