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“It’s only fair to allow you some time to think about this change,” I said, straightening my tunic. “There will be many things to consider, most importantly the merging of two kingdoms if our relationship progresses into a union.”
“If?”mother echoed. “What do you meanif?”
“I mean that Zoei and I are reconnecting after years apart, and I don’t wish for there to be any external pressures on our relationship.”
“You’re giving up a courtship of five years with an extraordinary omega for anif?”Mother was aghast.
“There’s no guarantee in life, mother. Everything’s a gamble. And I’m placing my bets on Zoei.”
Mother’s annoyed pheromones assaulted my senses.
“I’ll leave you to your thoughts,” I said, turning to leave. “But I am happy to speak to you about this at any time.”
“Will you reconsider?” she asked, an unlikely note of hesitance in her voice. “Seems a pity to cast Cryssa aside.”
With one hand on the ring-shaped door handle, I glanced over my shoulder.
“You seem to like her very much, mother,” I said. “Perhaps you should think about courting her yourself.”
I doubted I had ever said something quite as snarky all my life, but found that I loved the look of shock on her face.
Before she could sputter through it, I shut the door behind me, breathing an immense sigh of relief. I knew from prior experience that the conversation could have gone much worse than it had. At least she hadn’t thrown her pearl-handled hairbrush at me this time.
“Good morning,” said the Alpha standing guard at the doorway.
I turned to him, flashing a smile.
“Good morning, indeed.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Zoei
“Trespassing is punishable by death,” I called out as I heard the telltale noise of moving brick.
“Oh, do shut up,” came the irritable response, bringing a spontaneous smile to my lips.
I would die a painful, disastrous death before admitting that I’d spent almost an hour in absolute silence, waiting for the sounds of Olympia’s arrival. I’d heard scratches outside the chamber a handful of times, and my heart had leapt to my throat in anticipation… But it had only been Cameron and Mama checking on me for the twentieth time today.
Purrscilla shifted in my lap, and I noticed her fur looked sparser than usual, torn away by my anxious petting. I quickly rubbed my fingers on the brocade sheets, ridding myself of the evidence of nervousness.
Purrscilla turned over to expose the scant tufts of fur on her belly. One cloudy eye blinked open, waiting to see if I possessed the foolhardiness to attempt a scratch to the forbidden area. When I didn’t rise to her bait, she relaxed, her body going limp.
“Why do you insist on using the passageways?” I asked as boots clicked on the hard stone floor. “I’ve already approved your visits to the north wing. You’re free to walk through our doors the usual way.”
Olly appeared at the top of the small flight of stairs, looking remarkably windswept. Her cheeks bore a peachy flush, and her curls had torn free of their braids. She wore a matching burgundy surcoat with her tunic, although both were cut off at the sleeve, leaving her arms bare.
She set a small satchel down with a thud.
“I don’t wish to explain my presence to anyone,” she said, unbuttoning the surcoat. “Especially not to your mother. Or Zavery. She hates me enough as it is.”
“Ah.”
The surcoat was hung neatly on a hook by the dresser; her boots placed next to my own.
“You look comfortable,” she remarked, turning to me.
“Comfortablewould be an overstatement,” I said, trying to move without upsetting the geriatric cat. “I’ve been in this bed for the better part of the day.”
