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I silently willed her back, but after several minutes, she did not return, and I had no choice but to resume my royal duties and face the reality of my kingdom as I went to deal with my Council of Ministers.
* * *
I was beginningto get a headache with all the noise, the voices overlapping as one male outvied another for the floor.
“Isola needs more money than Candaline,” Sepher yelled out. “That should be the number one concern!”
“Isola? Absolutely not! Candaline is growing exponentially, and the plumbing system is a hundred years old. They’ve built ten new high-rise buildings this year, and the infrastructure needs some major revamping,” Yasmir bellowed over him.
I cracked down on the gavel when the court officer made no move for order, my gaze shooting daggers at everyone in view.
“Did you act like zoo animals when my father was on the throne, too?” I demanded, as I always did, relishing their looks of contrition when they reclaimed their seats. “Ironhelm is robust in resources. She has been for a long while and we will always allot the proper funding when needed. Why are we always having the same tired arguments?”
“Emotions are running high as we draw closer to your coronation, Alpha,” Hampstermeyer blurted out.
For as obnoxious as he was, I could always count on the Minister of Serafina to speak his mind. He was guileless.
“Why?” I laughed nonchalantly, even though the words troubled me somewhat. “Nothing will change once my title officially changes from prince to the Alpha King of Ironhelm. You’ve all called me king for over a decade as it is.”
Nervously, the ministers exchanged a look amongst themselves, and I leaned forward, sniffing the air to feel the problem. “Well?”
“Your union with the fae from Carrottrove, Alpha,” Hampstermeyer said, frankly. “We don’t know anything about her.”
I groaned, having predicted this already. My Council of Ministers had never faced big changes with any grace.
“I will have my queen well under my control,” I promised them. “And Ironhelm will run as she always has. Stop your fabricated battles and focus on the upcoming coronation. We have a party to plan, yes?”
“Hear, hear, Alpha.”
Slapping my gavel down, I dismissed the ministers and collected my tablet from the pulpit. The cabinet dispersed, and Ryland stepped to my side covertly.
“A word, Alpha?”
“Should I be worried?” I grunted, eying my long-time friend and confidant.
Ryland was technically not an official advisor, but he did have ears lower to the ground than most as the head of my Royal Guards.
Ensuring that we were alone, Ryland jumped into it without any preamble.
“The polls are in about the new queen, and they appear to be favorable despite the fact that no one knows much about her. I would recommend more PR for her, however. The numbers could be better.”
“That’s not what they’re making it sound like in here.”
“The numbers don’t lie. I know you don’t like to keep an eye on social media, but the territory is curious about Zephyrine of Carrottrove. No one can find much about her or her family, which makes her seem evasive, like she’s hiding something. It would be good to get her face out there.”
I balked at the notion. “What kind of PR?” I asked warily, the idea of exposing Zephyrine churning my stomach for reasons I couldn’t quite understand.
“Any kind, I suppose. We are aware she is from Carrottrove. What does she look like? They want to blend your faces together in apps and see what your children will look like.”
I fully shuddered at the disparaging thought, but Ryland shrugged. “This is the kind of stuff that’s on the public’s mind and should be addressed before the coronation. Otherwise, you’ll have tabloids digging through and finding unflattering angles to present.”
I gnawed on the insides of my cheeks, thinking of the unrefined noblefae I had on my hands. Zephyrine was hardly in a state to be making public appearances, but I could not keep her hidden forever, either. I thought about what she’d told me, her life in Carrottrove, sheltered and removed.
Ryland was right.
“She just got here. She’s getting used to the kingdom,” I said slowly, but an idea was growing on me.
“I understand that, Cade, but she’ll need to come out sooner or later,” Ryland pressed, losing all sense of formality now that everyone was out of earshot.
