Page 15 of The Shattered Kingdom
“Of course it is,” Mason says. “Queen Gitta ordered a restructure after King Malcolm was murdered. She didn’t like our enemies knowing the ins and outs of the property.”
To Lill’s credit, she doesn’t visibly react to the mention of the king’s murder. I wonder if she blames herself. She shouldn’t, but she was a child and they often can have a warped sense of reality and responsibility.
Mason resumes his infuriating tour, speed-walking us around the property and pointing out the important buildings. He doesn’t give us enough time to look around and explore, and I’m getting the impression that he’s intentionally making it as confusing as possible.
This is the worst tour I’ve ever been on, and my mood sours with every passing minute.
It takes almost an hour before we return to the royal housing area, and the second I spot the secluded wooded walkways, I storm forward. I have a headache, and I need space.
Chapter Six
MASON
LILLY BRINGS HER hands to my waist, and I bite my tongue so hard it bleeds. Her fingers are cold as she slips them underneath my shirt, touching my bare skin.
I fight the urge to flick her away.
It seems I’m not making enough attempts to hide my emotions, as she lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. Abby’s always giving me the same noise, and I’m growing sick of it. I’m a prince and a shifter. People don’tsighat me.
It doesn’t bother me so much when Abby does it because she’s a human and, if I’m honest with myself, I deserve her irritation. Lilly should know better.
“Mace.” Lilly’s glancing between my eyes and my lips, but I’m not going to kiss her. “You’re punishing me for something I didn’t do. Not intentionally. I understand this isn’t an ideal situation, but we’re mates. I’m trying, and I’m only asking that you do the same.”
My mate? She’s a dirty fucking liar is what she is. I don’t know what kind of magic she’s using to make Kie feel the mate bond—it most definitely doesn’t belong to the faeries—but it doesn’t work on shifters. I feel nothing when I touch her. She isn’tour mate.
I can’t let her know I realize that, though. Lilly’s playing a dangerous game, one I’m determined to understand. I figured it would be easy to pretend I feel the bond, but it’s significantly more challenging than anticipated. I hate her touch, and she’s going out of her way to be close to me.
Lilly slides her hands up my waist and to my front, resting her palms on my chest.
I’ve always known that I would eventually have to let a woman touch me, but I didn’t realize just how dirty it would make me feel. It makes my skin crawl, and I fight the urge to shift into my animal form and put a protective layer of fur between us. The urge is becoming harder to control, and I’m nervous that I soon won’t be able to contain my instincts.
The bathroom toilet flushes, and I tense as I wait for Abby’s inevitable return. She refuses to leave Lilly and me alone, which is ideal. I don’t trust the faerie’s intentions, and I intend to keep a close eye on the human. Her loitering makes both tasks easy.
Lilly notices the way I shift, anticipating Abby’s return. “You and Abby seem to have quite a…” She pauses, thinking through her following words. “Tumultuous relationship.”
I suck my cheeks into my mouth, not wanting to discuss my relationship with the human. I feel guilty about how I treated Abby, but I already apologized and there isn’t anything further to do. She’s chosen not to forgive me, which I grudgingly accept, and that’s all there is to it. I won’t beg for her forgiveness. I’ve never done so before, and I will not start today.
I’ll learn to live with the guilt. It occasionally steals my breath and makes my palms sweat, but I’m confident the intensity will lessen with time.
“It’s tense,” Lilly continues. “Would you like me to talk to her for you?”
Why is she offering this?
I shake my head. “No.”
Abby finally enters the room, capturing my full attention. I’m becoming increasingly nervous regarding the safety of the human. I don’t know what Lilly is capable of, and until I do, I refuse to leave them alone. Abby needs my protection.
She eyes Lilly and me, her gaze lingering on Lilly’s hands on my chest, before she looks away and steps into the kitchen. The urge to brush Lilly away intensifies, and I let out a quiet breath when she retreats on her own. She was on me the second Abby left the room, and I’m relieved she’s pulling back now that the human has returned.
The front door opens, and Kie comes sauntering inside a moment later. He glances around, taking in everybody’s position, before shutting the door behind him. I can tell he’s pissed by the tenseness of his shoulders and the furrow of his eyebrows. There’s also the fact that he’s openly glaring at me.
“Where have you been?” The question is directed toward me.
I was supposed to meet with him and the council almost an hour ago, but I chose not to go. I intended to, but the women took forever to get ready. I managed to make up the lost time on our tour, but then I couldn’t bring myself to leave.
Kie turns toward Lilly. He’s trying his best to act casual, but I notice the stiffness in his movements. He’s fallen victim to the pseudo bond, but I can tell he feels a wrongness with it. He hasn’t said as much to me, but I can read between the lines.
I want to tell him it’s fake, but I worry he won’t be able to maintain the charade.
