28. Hadriel

Chapter 28

Hadriel

N ow that the docks were open again and ships were coming and going, there was work to be done. I waved the report I'd just been handed. The royalty had made up some scare about a sinking vessel or some load of bullshit to then search as many people waiting for their ships as they could. They didn't find anything, though, and they couldn't detain the vessels any longer.

Fucking Granny! She was as sly as they came. I mean, fuck, there had been a trespasser in the castle, and I still had no fucking clue who it had been! In the last week I'd been busting my balls trying to work the gossip network, sharing everything I could think of, prying in any way I could imagine. I'd come across plenty of people that seemed like they'd had secrets, but when I'd hashed those out, it was stupid shit like cheating on their spouse or stealing from a merchant or raunchy thoughts about Granny's worker.

I needed to hit the taverns in the towns. Someone had to know something . I wasn't above bribing people.

In fact—yes. That would be my next tactic. Bribing.

Granny was not smarter than me. Her talents might reside in her cunning, but mine were in my ability to expose that shit. Her people had infiltrated this kingdom and were hiding in the shadows. I'd find them.

And while I was out there, I'd work on the problem of people still hating Aurelia. The queen had come around, thank fuck. After seeing Aurelia nearly work herself to death and hearing some of her awful stories, Finley had finally accepted what we'd all been saying.

But the general public were kept at a distance. Obviously, it was necessary, what with Granny's people lurking around, but it was still a problem. We needed to figure out a way around it.

"You were the cause of this, I know you were!" Liron cut diagonally across the hall, hitting several people with a large canvas, and stopped right in front of me.

I stuttered to a stop, rolling up the report and lowering it so that he didn't get the bright idea of trying to stick his dick in it.

"What?" I demanded, annoyed at his interruption. I was already late for the king and queen's meeting with Weston.

Liron held up the canvas, shoving it toward my face. "You did this! That woman has talent. You are killing her chances of doing anything with it!"

"What woman? What are you talking about? Get—" I pushed the canvas away a little so that I could see what he was talking about. Without a good reason to shoo this guy away, he'd just follow you, chattering the whole time. It was annoying as all fuck.

The canvas was alive with color. An abstract design in angles and lines filled the space.

"It's good," I said as each shape and color pulled my gaze around the canvas. "But what does it have to do with me?"

My words trailed away as I saw it, an angular dick jutting into the middle, disguised by the busyness around it until you actually made it out, and then there was no denying it. Near the tip was a collection of different colors in triangles, just as cleverly depicting a vagina.

I laughed so hard I wheezed, now realizing what he was talking about: Aurelia had drawn a dick into her design.

"If she had just taken this seriously, she could've gone somewhere." Liron shook the canvas at me.

I took it from his hands. "She's the beta's true mate and connected to two other kingdoms through magic or blood. She makes drugs and cooks like a goddess. I doubt art is the thing that would've gotten her ahead, you cumgoblin's wet dream."

I huffed in annoyance and continued down the hall with my new favorite painting. As I rounded the corner and nearly arrived at the stairs, a big shape caught my attention. The king was standing idle with the beta, looking at something farther down the hall.

It had better be a grizzly fight, because they should be in a meeting.

"What are you guys—" I caught sight of what they were looking at.

Aurelia sat on the ground with little Tabitha on her lap. Aurelia's hands were out in front of them, opened like they held a book, her lips moving and focus on her palms, as though reading. Tabitha was utterly engrossed, looking at the hands and then twisting to look up at Aurelia's face. Whenever she looked up, Aurelia would take a hand away and run it over the air, directing the little girl's gaze into the sky as though watching a painting unfold in front of them.

"Not that that isn't the cutest fucking thing I have ever seen," I said, watching Tabitha crack a wide smile and bend down, giggling, "but what is going on?"

"We can't get Tabby to sit still long enough to get through a book," Nyfain said, riveted to his daughter in the arms of a near stranger. Shockingly, the guy wasn't running down there, ready to tear off Aurelia's face. "She always wants to move. Yet here she is, in the lap of her new best friend, reading a book that doesn't even exist."

"Well... that's probably it, isn't it?" I held up the painting for Nyfain to take. "Aurelia is making it a lot more fun than some words and a picture. She's turning it into a live-action, imaginative event. She'd certainly know how. She makes the fucking stuff." I pointed at the canvas. "Check that out. Also, Finley is going to anger-fuck the shit out of you later if you don't hurry up. She wants to watch the trial runs of Aurelia's new product batch. She wouldn't let Vemar take it yesterday without someone on hand in case something went wrong, so we are going to do it tonight. Also, I need to head up a drinking session?—"

" We? " Weston cut in without tearing his eyes away from Aurelia. It was perfectly clear what he was thinking: he was ready for that to be their child.

"Yeah. You know, Vemar, me, Leala, no one else of consequence. By the way, Aurelia is going to be sick later. She'll be indisposed. Don't check in on her. Doctor's orders. Anyway?—"

"This is neat. Why am I looking at it?" Nyfain said, frowning at the canvas. "Actually, it would go in our sitting room. The colors match."

Fucking dragons were always very calm when there were giant problems and insurmountable odds. Was I the only one cracking up from stress? The fucking waterways were open again. Granny's people knew, without a doubt, that Aurelia was here. They'd either heard about her presence, witnessed the fail-safes helping people, or seen her in the towns—or worse, in the fucking castle. They'd be on their way to tell Granny right now . She'd be showing up to collect very soon . We needed to get into that meeting and talk about all this silly shit before the chance to stop it slipped away entirely. I'd made a good friend, and I would not see her taken back to that hell pit.

"No, probably not your sitting room," I said, feigning patience so that I didn't yell at him and get my arm ripped off. I mentally amended my previous statement: dragons were calm in a crisis until directly provoked. And I did not want to be the one provoking.

Belatedly, I noticed Cecil standing off to the side, looking quite impatient. It was clear he wanted Aurelia to go with him but was not brave enough to interrupt the princess when she was having fun, especially not with the king standing down the hall, watching.

What's his game? I wondered. He didn't tend to have secrets, but he'd been awfully secluded lately. Now he was getting the captive in person? Since when did he bother?

"Is that..." Nyfain looked closer, pulling me out of my reverie. He pulled it back to look farther away. "Is that a cock and balls?"

Crisis or not, I burst out laughing again, drawing the notice of several people, including Aurelia. She looked at Weston, her smile holding all kinds of messages, and then at the king, with probably no idea he was looking at her art. She pointed Nyfain out to Tabitha, urging the little girl to get up and go to her daddy.

Nyfain spat out a laugh and then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "This painting is hilariously lewd. It takes a while to notice, though."

"That's the beauty of it," I replied.

Nyfain passed it to Weston. "That shit is funny," he told his beta.

"No!" Tabitha shouted as Aurelia tried again to get the little girl to stand up.

"I don't see—" Weston huffed. "Ah. Clever. It's pretty well hidden." He turned to look at me then. "Did you do this?"

He passed the painting back to me. "No, actually. Your lady love did. Liron is pissed. He thinks I put her up to it."

Nyfain glanced over at Weston as Aurelia stood with Tabitha in her arms.

"A woman of many talents," Nyfain said.

"When you grow up with zero friends, you get good at hobbies." I beamed as little Tabby got closer. "Hello, sweet girl! Come here, come to Uncle Haddy!"

She didn't pay me any attention, not when her daddy was in her sights. She beamed at him, reached for him, and then thought better of it. Her little face screwed up in anger and she pointed at his face. "No!" Her babble was serious and commanding, and she was every bit her father's daughter.

Aurelia

"I really need to go get my clothes, or Cecil is going to pop a blood vessel in his face," I whispered to Nyfain when I approached. "I'm sorry, I tried not to touch her, but she tackled me."

"C'mere, baby girl." Nyfain reached for his daughter. She continued to point at him and opened her mouth to yell, "No," but he blew a raspberry against her neck and made her wiggle and giggle in his arms.

My heart squished. I'd never get over that big, fierce man so ardently loving his little princess. It was the sweetest, cutest, loveliest thing.

A tapping foot invaded the moment. Cecil was not holding it together well. He really wanted me to see those clothes.

I noticed what Hadriel held, though, and paused.

"Why do you have my painting?"

"Because you pissed off Liron, and I love it."

I turned my eyes skyward, my remembered annoyance flaring. "Yeah, he kept overexplaining like I was an idiot and then condescending to me. I got what I needed from him. I can go to the library for the rest. Sorry to say, but he's not worth dealing with."

Hadriel held up a hand. "I understand all too well, my love."

Cecil's foot was still tapping. Hadriel frowned as he looked that way.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," I told Cecil to keep the peace, catching Weston's eye and feeling the warmth radiating through my middle. He looked down on me, his eyes so soft, so deep.

"Hi," he said, his voice rumbling in his chest.

I smiled as I ran my hand up his chest and around his neck, angling up for a quick kiss. He complied, his lips lingering as I melted. The warmth overflowed, filling my heart and making my belly flutter once again. I'd never get enough of this alpha, I knew that now. I wanted each moment with him to last forever, each moment apart to be cut short.

"Hi," I murmured against his lips, wishing it was him I was handing a cute little girl to, watching as her daddy hugged his little princess close. Our little princess. "I have to go." I gave him one last kiss, my emotion throbbing within me. "I'll see you later, okay? I love you."

I turned to walk away as affection exploded through the bond. It took me a moment to realize what I'd just said, something I'd been feeling but waiting for the right time to say. It had just slipped out.

I faced him with what I knew was an oh, shit! expression, wondering how he'd take it. I'd just thrown it out there, in front of his king, in front of Hadriel—in front of the damn seamster, for fuck's sake!

His expression melted from stoic to soul-warming devotion. He reached for me, pulling me to him.

"Gods, I love you, Aurelia," he said before kissing me, fiercely at first, then backing off into a tenderness so sweet I wanted to cry.

I guess any time was the right time when your feelings for your mate could no longer be contained.

"Oh my—was that the first time you said it?" Hadriel whisper-yelled. "Baby girl," he said to Tabitha, "we are witnessing the first ‘I love you!' Oh my..." He waved air at his suddenly glassy eyes. Tabitha turned to grin at him. "Isn't this amazing? I love when beautiful couples with a lot of privilege and clout share their first, most intimate moments publicly. It makes me so happy to live in the castle."

I laughed against Weston's lips and then let him hug me, rocking me a little. Somehow, an audience was actually perfect. We'd gotten to know each other with an audience, fought in front of one, fucked in front of one... and were now officially in love in front of one.

"I love you," I whispered, glad to finally say it. To finally feel it. To have taken the fall and been held safe in the landing. "I choose you, every day, for the rest of my life. You're my forever."

I sealed it with one more kiss before I ripped myself away and went to Cecil, tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.

"If you take much longer, I die from boredom," Cecil groused, shooing me along.

I laughed, because that seemed perfect, too.

Hadriel

Cecil was all but sprinting. Why was the guy in such a fucking hurry? They were clothes. It wasn't like they would go bad.

"No, no." I pushed the painting at the king, then realized what I was doing. I nearly shoved it at the beta but figured he was just as scary since learning his mate's whereabouts had been officially confirmed, and decided just to take it. Cecil was hurrying Aurelia away. "Leala, hurry, catch up to them." I stepped in front of the king. "Start the meeting without me. I want to... check a few things out."

No sense in alarming them. Not yet. Cecil had never given me cause for concern before. I would hate to have him hung up by his toes for... whatever his secretive urgency with Aurelia was.

Shit. Was this a bad idea?

"No, is okay, we no need him," Cecil said. Leala hurried to catch up to them, clearly intuiting my concern. Her hand dropped to her whip.

"Yes, you do need me," I shouted, jogging after them.

After quickly stashing the painting at the bottom of the stairs, I climbed them and caught up with the small group. Cecil hadn't stopped, determined to hurry.

"What's up?" Aurelia asked, looking back at me.

I put on a cheery disposition. "Not a thing, my darling. Was that your first time declaring your love? I am gushing."

Her cheeks turned crimson, and a soft smile covered her face as she turned to continue up the stairs.

Leala put her hand to her heart. "I teared up just then." She paused. "No claim, though, huh?"

Aurelia shrugged. "He said we had to wait."

"Oh. Hmm," Leala said thoughtfully, indicating she didn't know why. "He probably wants to wait until the patrol is a little more settled with their new routines so he can take a couple days off to, well..."

Aurelia shrugged again as we reached the second-floor landing and headed toward the next set of stairs. Staff bustled by in a line carrying the new chairs for the banquet room. I grabbed Leala's arm to hold her back, allowing them to pass and putting a bit of distance between us and Aurelia so I could have a quick chat without losing sight of Cecil.

"What's going on?" Leala asked quietly.

"What's the deal with Cecil? Since when is he in such a rush?"

She dragged me forward through a break in the line. "I don't know. Seemed odd, so I thought I'd better come along. I can't imagine Granny got to him, though."

"Why not? She's got deep pockets. She'll probably pay better than the royals, and he'll be able to get out of here."

"He can already get out of here if he wants." She hurried us along, closing the gap between us and Aurelia. "He went through the curse. He witnessed the demon battle. He's seen the king, the dragons, and Weston's people all in action. Do you honestly think he'd stick out his neck and risk receiving their wrath? Finley alone would strip off his skin if he betrayed this kingdom. He's not that foolish."

"Well, someone sure is. How the hell else are Granny's people operating in the shadows? We have a loyal fucking kingdom, Leala. How are Granny's people functioning here?"

She didn't answer, her brow pinched in concern.

"Fuck this stress," I said as we reached the third floor—just in time to see Cecil's door shut. "Fuck!"

Leala reached it first, grabbing the handle and wrenching, clearly thinking it would be locked. It turned easily, though, dumping her forward.

"Keep calm," I whisper-yelled at her, taking a step up. "Don't alarm Aurelia until we know for sure something is going on. There's no telling what that mind-fuck magic will turn into."

Or what she would do. Or, hell, if she got scared, what the beta would do.

I missed the days when watching Aurelia felt easy.

The room was the same mess of color and fabric as usual. Cecil stood in the corner, bent over a table with a pile of clothes on it. Aurelia stood in the middle of the room, her hands on her hips, looking out the window dreamily. That woman's head was currently so far in the clouds she could easily be blindsided.

"How do you feel, love?" I asked as I edged into the room, commanding everyone's focus so Leala could poke around. The windows were all closed and latched, the room as stuffy as ever. We were the only four in the room; no one waited in hiding. "Are you desperately in love, or are you mating him for his gold? I get it. I'd mate that man for far less."

Leala slipped behind me, latching the door. Good thinking, just in case Cecil was the distraction.

"Why doesn't that make me insanely jealous when you say it?" she asked as silver glinted in Cecil's hand, catching my eye. He tossed it on the floor.

"Because you know I'd never be dumb enough to touch an alpha wolf, let alone your alpha wolf. Besides, he's much too headstrong—almost like a dragon, but more sane. My darling, talk to me. Tell me everything."

I meandered toward her, checking out the corner and not-so-absently kicking a pile of fabric. It gave way; it was a mess, not a hiding place.

"He said it"—she paused, clearly thinking back—"a week ago now, I think it was? He wouldn't let me say it back, and he doesn't want us to claim each other for some reason. Do you really think he's waiting because he wants a few days together for it?"

I fake sneezed just to turn my face away. I hated lying to her, but this was for the best. If the beta could practice that level of unbelievable self-control and refrain from claiming his true mate, I could keep my lips shut. "Definitely. He probably won't be fit for public. Much too possessive."

Leala quirked an eyebrow at me, and I bared my teeth in response. Yes, it was a stupid fucking lie, but Aurelia didn't know any better. Her gaping lack of knowledge about shifter life was a travesty, but for the present, I'd use it to my advantage.

"You made a big stink about getting her up here, but you don't have everything ready?" Leala tsked at Cecil, crossing her arms over her chest as she strolled along the windows, looking out.

I didn't know what she was looking for. Only fliers could get Aurelia out, and no dragon would be stupid enough to betray Nyfain and Finley.

Cecil ignored her, finally pulling out a monstrous pile of clothes, all in browns and beiges with one article of cream clothing.

"Ugh," I said, the pile stealing my focus. " That is your inspiration? The most boring, drabbest colors you could possibly find?"

He turned to me and held up a finger in warning. "You shut mouth, or I stick dick in it."

Leala spat out laughter.

"Chew bark," I told her.

She batted her eyelashes at me. "Swallow a thumbtack."

"You think this is boring, yes?" Cecil spread his arms for Aurelia. She looked between us all, wary. She didn't know what to say.

"That means yes," I helped absently.

Leala glanced back at the door before continuing her perusal. I kicked another pile of fabric or dresses or whatever it was. I had to say, I wasn't seeing anything.

"So boring I almost fall asleep making it." Cecil shook his hands at the sky. "But you were a captive, and now we want you to stay, but the kingdom hates you. What do we do?"

"Certainly not break it to me gently," Aurelia muttered.

He wanted her to stay?

Leala turned toward him slowly, her expression quizzical.

"You can't have nice things. You cannot do flashy. No. So we do boring, fine. Look the other way, people, don't notice me. That's what we do."

I couldn't fault his logic, but I could tell from his tone he wasn't done.

"But..." Cecil lifted one of the garments and held it closer to her.

But what?

Cecil's eyes sparkled. "If you look . . ."

She bent closer. "Are those...?" She started laughing. "You put dicks with wings on it."

"Drab chic , yes? That is what the little pencil-dicked critter calls it?"

Leala straight-up cackled. "He called you a critter!"

"Drab chic ," Cecil reaffirmed. " Drab with dicks. Yes? This is what works."

"Do they all have dicks?" Aurelia gingerly leafed through the contents of his pile.

"Not all." Cecil shook his head, showing some with other patterns, most fairly hideous, though I didn't totally hate the polka dots.

"Wait. Wait a minute." I tilted my head as I desperately tried to process this new turn of events. "First, I think I speak for all of us when I say that no, this is not what works. But..." I puckered my lips, looking around, wondering what sort of ass-backward situation I was in. "Did you practically drag her into this room to show her a bunch of heinous clothes with dicks in your haste to... help absolve her of her crimes in the eyes of the people?" I widened my eyes incredulously. "So you not only want to clear her name, but your plan to do so is to dress her in drab clothes with dicks on them? Am I getting that right?"

Cecil gestured at the clothes, his tone full of righteous indignation when he said confidently, "This is what will work for now. I do other stuff for later."

I lifted my eyebrows at Leala. Since when had Cecil given two shits about anyone? He'd never helped a soul in his life. Back in the day it had been because he was too busy surviving. Since the curse lifted, he'd been more focused on his job. Sure, he liked Finley and had made some great clothes for her, but he'd never practically dragged her up here by her hair with a half-baked plan to help her find her way.

Then again, Finley hadn't needed it as badly as Aurelia did.

"Just... so I'm absolutely clear." I chewed my nail, watching his every movement. "You are trying to help her by making her look ridiculous?"

He scoffed at me, his bushy eyebrows forming a V. "This is why you should stay to the chicken coops, yes? No vision. Useless. She is captive, okay? She has to fit in with the people. Be one of them. She's not royal, no. She just trying to get by, like them. Like us. These clothes, they will work."

I shook my head in bewilderment, turning to Leala and putting a hand on my chest. "Am I unpardonably jumpy, or is he nuts? Because I have a meeting to get to, and I don't want to leave you with any surprises."

"What surprise?" Cecil grumbled, approaching Aurelia with the first horrible garment to try on. "You find your small dick, that's the surprise."

"Both," Leala answered, giving me a small nod to release me.

If a dipshit like Cecil could fool me, it was no wonder I couldn't find any of Granny's people or learn her secrets. Or did he just confuse me? Either way, this was not my best moment.

I gave Aurelia a commiserating look before motioning at Leala. "I'm going to leave this to you. Use the whip if you have to."

I closed the door amid Cecil's protests and hurried to the place where I really should've been this whole time. At least I'd gotten to see a lovesick Aurelia for a bit. That had been sweet. She and the beta deserved this happiness. If I could only get my finger out of my ass and come up with a better plan than Cecil to ensure they kept it.

Down on the second floor, I headed to a mostly unused section of the castle, reserved for privacy when meeting with foreign leaders or dignitaries. There were no eavesdropping holes in the walls or drafty tunnels where someone might overhear what was going on.

The royals were present, along with Arleth, Hannon, Weston, and a still-very-reserved Micah. He and the king were not on good terms, but he was the commander of dragons. For now. He had to be in on this.

They stopped talking after I walked in. There were no staff on this side of the door, only a pitcher of water anyone thirsty would have to pour for themself. Until the door was clicked shut behind me and I had settled into a chair at the table, the king busied himself by shuffling some papers around.

"Micah, I'll expect a report when you've got the dragons better aligned with Weston's new strategy," he said, pulling a piece of paper in front of him.

"Yes, Your Highness," Micah answered, his tone flat.

"Now, Hadriel, this report you have," the king said, looking at me. "The findings are similar to my mother's, but with a lot more history. Who gave this to you?"

"I made friends with a sexually confused scribe while he was traveling. We've kept in touch. He has access to the archives."

Arleth flared her hands and sat back. "Then he would know."

"So, if I'm reading this correctly..." The king looked through the report. "At the time when Aurelia's mom would've been in the court asking for help, her father would've been four levels down from the beta, correct?"

"Yes." I entwined my fingers on the table. "He had more power but less experience than his superiors. His lower standing but stronger power made him perfect for seeing cases of suppression. She would've been directed to him, and given Aurelia's age and some guesswork, they would've been within five years of each other, give or take. Aurelia is beautiful, Eldric is still good looking, and her mom drew his notice, so she was probably also beautiful. A little proximity, and whoops! Banging, then baby."

Nyfain put his finger on the page. "It says here that he has two children. One is twenty-five, one is twenty-nine, and his current mate is the mother of both."

Weston tensed. "Aurelia tells it like her mom was in love and thought the relationship would go somewhere. If she knew he was cheating, she didn't pass the info on to her daughter. I'm not sure we need to mention that part."

"That woman has the most fucked-up life I think I have ever heard of," Finley said, "and my past is pretty gruesome. At least I knew where I stood. For her, the hits just keep coming."

"It's not any more fucked up than ours," Nyfain said. "All of us in this room have difficult pasts. She has been operating with incorrect knowledge, and the bad shit keeps piling up. It's why she belongs here."

"In a kingdom full of people who blame her for the drugs that killed their loved ones?" Micah quirked an eyebrow.

"We're working on rectifying that." Finley entwined her fingers. "We just need a good story to merge it all together. Bringing her here as a captive didn't help. It didn't set the right tone."

If the situation wasn't so serious, I might've injected a little humor by mentioning Cecil's plan...

Weston looked completely torn up. "I wasn't thinking."

"You were doing as you were told," she responded.

"I know. Like I said, I wasn't thinking," he growled.

A sizzle of power gave me goosebumps. The last thing we needed was the beta and the dragons to fall out and for the fairies or wolf kingdom to take both Weston and Aurelia. Vemar would go with them, and likely a bunch of wolves, too. This kingdom would go from the best to limping along. We needed to keep things together.

"Right. Fine." I shrugged, emulating nonchalance. "We have to spin a story. Whatever, we can figure that out. We do, unfortunately, have to mention to her that her father has a mate and two other kids, though. Can you imagine going over there to connect with dear old Dad and realizing you're the kid of the other woman? Not so awesome."

"Not so awesome, indeed," Nyfain grumbled. "It seems highly likely he is her father. He rose through the ranks fairly quickly and is only one step down from the beta. At that level, they don't challenge for placement. It's all about leadership and politics. Mostly politics."

"He is very politically savvy," Arleth said. "He's the protégé of the current beta, who is now up in his years. When the current beta steps down, which really could be any time now because he's having health issues, Eldric is all but assured the position of beta, defender of the throne."

"My rank," Weston said.

"You share your rank with a dragon," Arleth countered, "in a small and previously hobbled dragon kingdom. We are a young kingdom, since we have been reforged. Eldric, once ascended to the position of beta, will hold more clout because he is in a longer-running, prosperous kingdom. Your power, and previous second-in-command position in the Red Lupine kingdom, is the only thing that gives you anything close to a level playing field when it comes to status."

"Our kingdom will mature," Nyfain said.

Arleth nodded. "In time."

"It's more prosperous than theirs," he replied.

She tilted her head. "At present. As I said, it is a young kingdom. The trick isn't gaining income in one ruler's reign. The trick, as the late king proved, is keeping it over time. The Flamma kingdom has shown its resilience. Our kingdom has not."

"And why does any of this matter?" I asked, utterly lost.

It was Finley who explained, as she was better at breaking it down in layman's terms.

"They are considering Aurelia's possible status. It is based on her blood, and we must consider the various factors that may tempt her over to the Flamma kingdom."

"Oh." I laughed. "She won't give two shits about status and clout and whatever else. Not two shits! But did you see the bit about his kids? Their mother is powerful, their match was a great one, and yet both kids—a girl and a boy—have only about half, maybe three-quarters of his power."

"Aurelia will have more than him, plus fairy magic." Nyfain looked at his mom. "Her blood will build her status and her power will solidify it. Not to mention, she is one half of a true mate alpha pair. If she stays with us, that is worth a lot."

Finley clasped her hands and leaned forward, bowing her head. She was not great at hiding her emotions. Something was up. I was dying to know what it was, especially given the way Nyfain's brow furrowed with whatever he was ignoring through the bond. Forget anger-fucking tonight; they would full-on rage-fuck.

"Speaking of the fairy blood," Arleth said. "What do we know?"

Weston leaned to one side and pulled something from his back pocket. He pushed it toward the royals, and I could tell he really didn't want to.

"My people intercepted Calia's note. We're going to have trouble with the fairies."

My fucking heart dropped so fast it nearly punched my dick.