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I normally didn’t want to enforce stereotypes, but I cackled. “Oh, I did. I suppose I’m not a particularly good friend. I’m sure Seraphina will forgive me…eventually.”
“I’m sure. She’s endlessly kind that way.”
We both dissolved into laughter, which wasn’t exactly mature of us, but with the doom and gloom, the curse hovering above our heads, and the pressures from the royal family, it was nice to have something so silly and stupid to be gleeful over.
We lost a few minutes that way, and when we finally came down, my stomach was hurting, and I needed air. It wasn’t the normal way Kai stole my breath away, but I wasn’t complaining.
“You know,” I said, reaching out to take his hand in mine. “I—”
I cut myself off, and both of our heads jerked to the side as several sets of footsteps rapidly approached our door. That was all the time we had to react before none other than Duke Graham, the queen, and King Nathaniel himself burst in.
Oh, fuck.
Kai and I both jumped to our feet, hands dropping to our sides, but it was too late. They’d seen enough.
“You see, Your Majesties, your youngest was mistaken. Your son and the healer are involved.”
“Kai? I know you’ve had your dalliances, but why are you so invested in this… in this… lowborn?” She said it like it was a curse. I normally didn’t care much about money since the military mostly took care of all of my needs, but where did she get off?
“This isn’t just a dalliance,” Duke Graham cut in. “Your son and this orphan witch, who no one knows, are fated mates.”
It was like the world dropped out from under me. I wasn’t already on steady ground considering how they’d just burst in, but it was like suddenly there was nothing beneath my feet at all, and I was plummeting into panic.
We were really in trouble.
“How could you possibly know this?” The queen shrieked, as if she was in my head.
“I have it on good authority.”
“I’m going to need you to expand on that, brother.”
It was the first time the king had spoken since he’d entered, and my head instantly snapped in his direction. He and Kai did sound uncannily similar, which did weird things to my head, but there was something else there. Something… unsettling but familiar, as if when I looked into his eyes I saw nothing but a void where his soul was supposed to be.
“It’s all simple, actually. Your son’s been taking clandestine visits into the city that I found curious. It took some investigating, but I was eventually able to end up on the front steps of the enchantress Yvonne’s lavish home.”
“Yvonne? She’s one of our most powerful allies in the magic community. She’s been loyal to the royal family for the past hundred years,” the queen blurted, for once looking alarmed at the duke instead of furious at her son. “Please tell me you didn’t do anything to ruin that.”
I echoed Brielle’s shock in my own head. Yvonne? The Yvonne? I couldn’t imagine the weaselly, red-faced duke standing up to that tall, powerful woman, and looking like anything other than an ant.
Was she okay? If she’d given up any information about us, he had to have had at least something on her. I hated that she’d been dragged into my mess, and I felt like it was my curse going after her in revenge.
“I did what had to be done for her to reveal why she’d been meeting with your son.”
“You threatened her?”
“Of course not. She’s one of the most powerful enchantresses we know, and I’m uncertain if she can even be killed.” The queen and I let out a breath of relief. “I simply had my personal guard apprehend her wife while she was out to market and used that as leverage.”
My fists clenched automatically, and I felt Kai jolt beside me. His uncle had threatened Euthalia? Was he insane?! I had no idea how he was still standing, because I’d have assumed Yvonne would’ve come back and smote him the moment she knew her partner was safe. The duke was a much more formidable opponent than I’d given him credit for.
“You imprisoned the siren illegally?”
“It seems he’s been fostering a bond with this lowborn, likely so that once it’s full, he and his mate will be strong enough to unjustly steal the throne.”
“Why would I need to steal the throne?” Kai practically snarled. “I’m the heir apparent.”
But King Nathaniel’s empty gaze practically drilled into his son, like he could see right through the younger alpha. “Is this true?”
“It can’t be,” the queen said, suddenly sounding much less accusatory and more panicked. It served her right. She came in judging and yelling without thinking of what the consequences would be. “The healer is a witch. Hundreds have seen her powers. Shifters can only be fated mates with shifters.”
