AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Glancing down at Thaddeus, June fought for the most unaffected tone she could manage. “The king has business to attend to and we don’t want to be in the way, so let’s go get some of those treats I promised you, okay?”
The prospect didn’t seem to excite Thaddeus as it had before. He seemed to sense the sudden tension.
Taking his hand, June lightly pulled him along.
* * *
“June.” Tristan caught her by the arm as she passed him on the way to her apartment. At his touch, her body turned unexpectedly rigid. He didn’t like the shrouded expression that claimed her features. “Let me explain.”
Gently, she pulled out of his grasp and gave him a formal curtsey. “It’s not necessary, Your Majesty.” Her cold reply was more terrifying than if she’d yelled in his face.
“June, wait.”
“I’ll race you, Thaddeus.”
Together June and the child sprinted down the balcony and Tristan watched her vanish into her apartment. He realized his mistake. He should have told June about Leanora, but it had never crossed his mind. He thought of Leanora as a possibility, not a certainty, so it had never seemed important. And whenever he was with June, he thought of nothing else but her. It was as if nothing else mattered in the world. Now he realized she would lay more weight on his relationship with Leanora than was warranted.
“Your Majesty,” Prince Gideon chided. “Are you more concerned with a human mongrel than your own kingdom?”
Tristan’s hand shot out and snatched Prince Gideon by the neck. “If I were you, Gideon, I’d be more careful with the words I choose.”
“Are you mad, boy? Get your hands off me!”
Instead, Tristan reared his fist back, ready to strike when his mother scolded, “Tristan! Contain yourself.”
He took in two large breaths and then dropped Gideon. The man stumbled back, furiously disgruntled. “This ghastly behavior is unacceptable. Especially if you intend to marry my daughter.”
“Daddy, please,” Leanora said, stepping forward. “You’ve done quite enough. It’s clear thekingcares for his human and it will not do to insult her. I’m ashamed of you.” Was Leanora subtly reminding her father of Tristan’s station?
Gideon stammered for a moment and then straightened his spine. “Your right. Please forgive me, Highness.”
“There now,” Leanora cooed sweetly, coming to stand between Tristan and her father. “Let’s move on. I believe you have a witch to interrogate. Would you like me to check on your friend and her offspring?”
Tristan continued glaring at Gideon, but Leanora’s words grabbed his attention.Her offspring?He imagined June plump and swollen with a babe, withhisbabe, and a confounding sensation fluttered through his stomach.This will be a funny story we can tell our kids.The idea had done funny things behind his ribcage.
“That isn’t her offspring. We found him taking shelter in a cave. His name is Thaddeus.”
“The missing child,” Orik said, nodding. “I figured as much. The lad is much smaller than I had imagined.”
Tristan turned away from Leanora and Gideon, facing Orik. “Send a messenger to inform his parents and escort them here to the palace to retrieve him.”
“Of course,” Gideon replied. “So was the child taken by witches?”
“We don’t know yet. He was very skittish. June gained his trust enough that we were able to bring him here.”
Leanora appeared relieved. At first Tristan thought it was because the missing child had been found, but then she placed his hand between hers and said, “So that explains why you would lower yourself to carrying them on your back. I respect your humility and generosity, my king.”
Appalled, he pulled his hand out from her grasp. Had she always been so cold? So haughty? Being with a woman like June, so open, kind and honest, without motive or schemes, made him recognize the condescension that plagued so many of his nobles, and the rapacious designs and chilling dispassion of Leanora and her father. It made him sick that he’d contemplated marrying Leanora just to project the image of power to his people. It was clear to him now that she had no compassion for those beneath her station and the match would no more benefit his kingdom than if he were to wed a doorknob.
Moreover, spending time with June was so easy and relaxing. So remarkably enjoyable. He never knew what the human would say or do, but whatever it was, it was true and from the heart. She didn’t simper or flatter or fawn all over him. That was all Leanora did, and there was nothing endearing about it. In fact, June openly challenged him, and he loved her all the more for it.
The thought froze him in place, his heart screeched to a halt. It took him a moment to remember how to breathe. Was it possible…? Could he truly be in love with June? He thought of her sweet smile as he’d held her in his arms. The teasing look she got when she was about to do wicked things to him. The way she planted soft little kisses on him when he pleased her. His heart squeezed from the truth of it.
She is my mate.
Leanora might be powerful and connected, but he was pretty sure she could never make him happy. Marrying her might have been the worst mistake of his life. And his people would have suffered an indifferent queen. They deserved better than that, than to be manipulated by a phony marriage of convenience.
So do I.
