Page 78 of Kingdom of Aramis

“And there has been no sign of the other missing children?” I ask, and they look defeated.

Mia shakes her head. “No. We’ve had our troops and the watch team turn the shifter and neutral zones upside down.”

“What about the human zone?”

Layla winces. “It’s a difficult situation. For us to search in the human zone, we would have to give the human authorities a reason why we need to. While they know that humans are missing, we are reluctant to share our theories with them. It may give them the excuse they need to start another war with us. As much as we coexist peacefully now, there has always been a divide born from necessity and no small amount of wariness despite the war being so long ago. I’m not sure separating the races was the best idea, because the same issues of jealousy still exist, but I don’t think we can allow it to stay in our hands any longer.”

“It might be more well received for you to ask, because you were so recently human that they may still see you as one of them, but I don’t think we can afford to wait. We need those children back, and we need to stop the influx of ferals,” Evie remarks, and Lucas nods, his expression the most serious I’ve ever seen it.

“The human authorities are going to put two and two together soon, and when they realize that all the missing humans have been seen in the neutral zone, they are going to blame us, and we could be on the brink of war again.”

My stomach lurches at the thought of war. “What about a tracking spell? Can we ask the witches for help?” I suggest. They explained that all four supernatural kingdoms have relationships, hence the ambassadors, but that they also tendnot to get involved in each other’s issues. “What if we asked the witch ambassador to help us?”

“Yes, I think that might be the direction we need to head in, but until you are crowned, we can’t appeal to them for help. We are in limbo until your mates appear and the coronation is official.” Mia bites her lip with worry, and I notice the other three rulers are also worried because none of my mates have presented themselves.

My attention drifts to Gracelin who is staring at me, and I wince internally. I know all I have to do is tell them about the mark on my back, and we can at least ease some of their concern, but call me selfish, because I still need a couple of days to wrap my head around this. If it happened the way it normally does, then I would be getting to know the marked men anyway before making my decision, just like Lucas did with his queens, so I keep my mouth shut for now.

Chapter

Seven

Colbie

The rest of the morning flies by, and it’s almost lunchtime when I remember a question that has been in the back of my mind since I found out that Violet is a fairy shifter.

“What’s the difference between a fairy shifter and a fae from the kingdom of Shayla?” I ask, interrupting Lucas who was telling me about the various trade agreements the shifters have with other kingdoms. “I always thought shifters were only animals.”

Evie’s eyebrows jump in surprise. “You know about fairy shifters? How?”

My eyes swing to Violet unbidden, and everyone’s attention follows my gaze. She swallows nervously, playing with a strand of hair that has fallen into her face.

“You’re a fairy?” Lucas sounds awed, and Violet shrugs uncomfortably.

“Yeah, but I had to promise my parents I would hide it when they agreed to let me attend university in the city.”

“Ugh, it makes me so angry that even amongst our own people, there are still prejudices against the humanoid shifters,” Mia growls, sounding much like the cat she contains within.

“Excuse me, you’ve lost me. Can someone explain what you mean? I thought you said you hid it because humans used to cut off fairies’ wings?” I ask Violet who winces slightly. I’m starting to get frustrated with everything I don’t know.

Layla rolls her eyes and huffs. “Some of the elite society shifters believe you are lesser if you don’t have an animal form, so fairies and merpeople are often shunned or disadvantaged, which is complete and utter bullshit. They are all still shifters with two forms, theirs just isn’t an animal.”

“And there are also the assholes who believe any of the equine shifters are lesser as well, and that they are prey animals as opposed to predators. That’s in spite of two of the equine species being magical and having powers, but they are also pretty, so how could they be scary? It’s all really stupid, to be honest. Prejudiced assholes exist in all societies, Colbie. Humans most definitely don’t have a patent on it.” Gracelin sounds disgusted, and I feel my own anger rise in sympathy.

“Did you say mer?” I ask, trying to wrap my head around everything. “And magical equines? Is that why I am a pegasus?” I haven’t really processed my three different forms yet. I am still coming to terms with being a hydra, let alone two others.

“Yes. The mer colonies keep to themselves and mostly live in the coastal region of the shifter section of Aramis.”

I try to picture the map of Aramis. I thought only the human settlements abutted the sea, but the shifter territory that is coastal is actually much bigger, I just hadn’t really paid attention.

“The difference between fae and fairy shifters is quite significant,” Violet explains. “We are good with animals and plants, but we don’t contain and control magic like fae do. Theyhave powers that allow them to conjure, control the elements, and more. Mer are much the same as fairies, as in they are excellent at controlling marine creatures but don’t have any inner magic either.”

“They are fierce warriors in and out of the water though. Bryson has a couple of them in his army,” Lucas adds. “I’ve always hated the stigma associated with mer and fairies. I’ve tried to include them in matters of the shifter nation, but I have been rebuked every time. There’s too much bad blood over our kingdom’s prejudiced history.”

My brain is running a million miles an hour. “What if we invite one of them to be the final member of the council? Surely that would go a long way in proving that we want them to be a part of shifter society. Hell, we could invite one of each species. Would it matter if we had seven or eight council members instead of six?” I ask my advisors, who all wear looks of great pride that make me feel warm and fuzzy. My body heats, and I feel a wave of magic much like the first rush that flowed through me as I stepped through the doors of the palace. I shiver as the mark on my back warms, and it’s all I can do not to wince with pain. What the fuck was that?

“Holy crap, what was that?” Violet is gasping, and pretty fairy wings have appeared behind her, fluttering like crazy. They are just like her namesake, a variety of purple hues, and are thin and translucent.

“Goddess magic,” Lucas says with whispered reverence. “Obviously she approves of your choices, Colbie. Well done,” he tells me, and I feel my cheeks heat with his praise.