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Chapter 1
Nyx
The endless droning of voices was beginning to sound the same to me, my head tuning the ministers in and out as I thought about being with Maren. The last place I wanted to be was in the middle of this endless, boring meeting. The more time I spent here, the more I realized how little was accomplished in the cabinet. There was nothing that the ministers could ramble about that I couldn’t accomplish myself in my offices in the palace.
And I have Maren to thank for that, too,I thought, a smile touching my lips, but it faded as yet another minister tried to get my attention for a nonsensical issue.
I’d had just about enough of the Council of Ministers for the entire year, and I stood, my hands still twirling the cell phone in my hands as I waited for Maren to respond to my latest text.
“Do you have something to say, Alpha?” one of the ministers asked, surprised by my abrupt movement.
“No. I have nothing more to add to this echo chamber,” I replied curtly, tired of the same ridiculous discussions day in and out. “I’ll leave you all in this circle jerk alone.”
A collective gasp followed my rude departure, but I didn’t care. These were my father’s ministers, not mine, and if I’d hadmy way, I would have eliminated all of them and exiled them collectively to the moon already.
Only nine more months until I had full power. Even though I was technically the Alpha King of Steelshire, I wouldn’t have full power until the eighth anniversary of my father’s disappearance.
These ancient curmudgeons spent way too much time ensuring that the kingdom’s money was used to better their already well-to-do friends. Now they were getting on my nerves because they were taking time away from Maren. This was the final straw for me.
I needed to be there with her today, moving day. She needed me with her, even if she was too proud to ask for my help, and I was going. Finally, she was coming back to Steelshire Castle, where she belonged, after a month of being in the apartment I had set her up in, four weeks of misunderstandings and distance between us finally settled—if the movers ever arrived as they were supposed to.
It had been hard to convince Maren to return to the castle after the terrible way she’d been treated by some of the staff and even my enchantress, but everyone now knew better. One breath of disrespect toward Maren would lead to immediate dismissal, and I’d make damn sure they never got a job within the Kingdom of Steelshire at all.
The Royal Guards fell into lockstep behind me, two by two. The four of them followed me like they always did, out of the cabinet building and into the tinted SUV at the curb. The chill of the winter air didn’t bother me today, my blood rushing in anticipation of being back together with Maren. And soon, we’d be welcoming our child, the future heir to the Steelshire throne.
My hands extended to open the doors with magic, my fingers not touching the cold metal so I could slide inside the warm interior faster. Once I was secured in the back, the guardsretreated to the tail car, and I ordered the driver to bring me to the apartment building I owned, just down the street.
I could have walked it, the distance not terrible between the cabinet and where I had put Maren to live over the past few weeks, but since I had announced the impending birth of our child, I didn’t want to be bombarded with well-wishers, even with security warding them off.
In less than three minutes, we sat in front of the pristine, whitewashed building Maren would be leaving soon, and I hopped out, not waiting for the driver to open the door for me.
The concierge stood straighter when I entered with my key fob. The concierge bowed respectfully. I flashed him a smile, hesitating at the front desk for a moment.
“Have the movers arrived yet?” I asked, already sensing the answer.
“No, Alpha, not that I’ve seen.”
“You can’t really miss them,” I chuckled, heading toward the elevator again. “They’ll be double parked at the curb.”
I’d give them a call the second I got inside the apartment—maybe after Maren and I had a bit of alone time first.
Punching the button for the tenth floor, I leaned back against the silver railing and caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirrored wall. The sight of myself surprised me, but in a good way. My face seemed brighter, hazel eyes shinier.
This is also courtesy of Maren,I realized as the elevator came to a halt. I hadn’t looked so content in years, certainly not before kinghood had been thrust upon me without warning. I felt more relaxed in my bones.
As soon as the doors opened, I saw Drakias in his Royal Guards uniform at his station, next to the closed door of Maren’s suite.
Soon-to-be-former apartment,I reminded myself, elation pumping through my veins. I couldn’t wait to have her backunder my roof. Those weeks we had been apart had turned me into something I didn’t like, my moods darker and unpredictable without Maren. I never wanted to feel that way again.
Running a hand through my dark hair, I sprang out of the elevator and toward the door of the apartment, eager to get Maren packed and on her way sooner rather than later, with or without the movers.
“Everything okay?” I asked, pausing to speak with Drakias, who nodded once firmly.
“Yes, Alpha,” he conceded. “But the movers haven’t arrived yet.”
“I can see that,” I grunted, unimpressed. They had been so good at moving her in, but it appeared that getting her out was going to be a longer process. “Once they get here, I might have you stay and oversee the move. I don’t see the need for us to all sit around here.”
He offered me a look that spoke more than his lips. “As you wish, Alpha.”
