Page 84 of Ashborne Forged

‘Stop choosing from fear. You know how to set that aside. You know how to meet these people in their cold, selfish places. Do it. But do it with the heart God gave you.’

I swallowed hard, then looked at Gil and Ronen. “I can do this. Just let me show him.”

“Show him what?” Ronen asked skeptically.

But Gil held eye contact.

“Show him he’s not the only asshole with a claim to Grace,” I said. And then smiled the way I knew would send the cold straight to a man’s testicles.

Ronen groaned, but Gil grinned back at me, shaking his head.

“Call me creepy,” he muttered.

In other circumstances, I would have laughed.

The moment we were allowed entry to the chamber, all I could see was Grace. I ran across the room to her, throwing my arms around her as she gasped and clung to me, her shoulders shaking silently with tears.

‘Shhhhh, don’t cry. We’ll figure it out. He’s not going to win this, Grace. I’ll figure this out.’

Someone cleared their throat fiercely, and Donavyn hissed at me. “Voski! The queen!”

It was physically painful to release Grace, but I would only give the queen reason not to help if I offended her, so I whirled, pulling Grace behind me, to join Gil and Ronen in a deep bow. Instinctively, I took a knee and clasped my hand to my chest.

“Please, Your Majesty, forgive me.” I was panting. Not from the run, but from the frantic fear coursing through me, and the rush at seeing Grace, and having her back within reach.

She urged us to stand, but ignored the other two, fixing eyes on me. I began to sweat.

“Yet another Furyknight who knows the forms. Interesting,” she said dryly. Adrenaline bolted through me, until I remembered, everyone in this room already knew of my Shadowfang work among the noble classes, and I breathed easier. But before I could find a response, the queen continued. “Another day we will discuss it, but for now, our time is short. I called you here because I want you to understand that I support your claim to Grace—and it is clear that Grace has no desire to leave you.”

She glanced down at my hand, where I’d twined my fingers with Grace’s the moment I was upright, and my mate now hugged my arm.

“Yes, Your Majesty, I—”

“Hush, there isn’t time. If you’ve moved in Court circles, then you know, status and influence are everything. It would appear—and I am about to confirm—that this contract is real, and under the royal seal. Which would confirm that the Lord Breckon does, indeed, have the ear of the king. If the contract is valid, I won’t be able to force him to leave Grace—”

“Please, Your Majesty, we are mates. This isn’t—”

She held up her hand and I cut off. Grace trembled at my side. My stomach churned.

The queen’s expression was stern. “I understand your unease. But if you are to remain in this chamber when the Lord returns, you must continue to adhere to the forms. Do not give Breckon further reason for irritation or pride.”

I blew out a breath and nodded. “I won’t provoke him,” I said hoarsely. “But please… Your Majesty, I am begging you… don’t let her go.”

She sat back in her chair, her expression tight. “I have no desire to do so. And you are here as part of my attempt to persuade our visitor to see things from another perspective. However, the only complete assurance that I can offer is that if he insists on taking her, I will bring her back. You have my word that I will return her at the soonest opportunity.”

“Soonest opportunity? After children?” I croaked.

“It could be years,” Grace whispered. Those words slid between my ribs like a blade.

The queen’s expression hardened. “You are both young—will still be young when she has provided—”

I leaned forward. “You’d sentence her to years of that man pawing her, treating her like a chattel, forcing himself on her. How can you condone that?”

Donavyn swore, and Gil and Ronen both hurried to my sides as the queen got to her feet and walked toward me, her expression stern to the point of cold.

As she reached my toes and glared up at me, I pulled Grace behind me. She wrapped her arms around my middle and pressed her face to my back, and it hurt. It fucking ached, because I felt her start to cry, even though she made no sound.

But the queen didn’t even flick her a look. “Donavyn tells me you’re trusted among your peers, and a man of great intelligence. And I observe, someone with experience dancing among the highborn. If you know what’s good for you, you will apply that knowledge.”