Page 41 of The Shattered Kingdom
He leaves a thick smear of blood behind, but the cut on his palm already seems to be healing. I continually forget just how fast faeries and shifters heal. It’s a lot to get used to.
What would it take to kill Mason? Stabbing him in the chest didn’t work, and he healed quickly after having his guts practically spilled in the forest. My knee has yet to recover. A small scab remains, and I’m tempted to peel it off so it scars.
I want a physical reminder of what Mason did to me, and I want Mason to remember every time he sees it. Kie, too.
Mason rises, saying some final words in the foreign language. Anox and the other council members bow again, but Kie doesn’t.I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, so I default to copying the council members.
“No,” Kie murmurs. “We don’t bow to Mason.”
“Why?”
“As his mate, you’re his equal. As for me, I just have personal feelings against it.”
Good to know.
Mason climbs out of the pool, his gaze meeting mine as he slips his socks and shoes back on. The council members bow again. It’s getting repetitive. If they’re upset about his position as king, they don’t show it.
Is this how the faeries are going to treat him now? They were more than comfortable showing their contempt when they believed he was a prince with no real power.
“Is that all?” I ask.
Kie nods. “What else did you expect?”
“I’m not sure. More flair, maybe.”
Mason clears his throat, I suspect holding back an amused chuckle.
“I will have this recorded immediately into our texts,” Anox says. “I will see you at Her Majesty Queen Gitta’s observance shortly.”
Right. His reminder has me falling silent, and I stare at my feet as Kie and Mason guide me out of the room. Kie waits until we’re outside before speaking.
“Do you have a speech prepared?” he asks Mason.
Mason curls his fingers against my lower back. “I do not.”
I’m not surprised to hear that.
Chapter Fifteen
ABBY
THE GARDENS ARE beautiful. The particular one I’ve been brought to is hidden within a circular wall of tall bushes, and it’s filled with shrubby trees, stone paths, and fountains. It makes the gardens of Versailles look like a playground.
It’s shaping up to be a beautiful day, too. The sky is clear, and there’s a slight breeze.
The barrier of giant hedges provides surprising privacy, and lining them are tall, stone vases, all filled with blooming flowers. I’ve never seen such vibrant colors. There are only fifty or so faeries within the small area, but what appear to be hundreds are waiting on the hill beyond the gardens.
It feels like every pair of eyes is on me, but I hope that’s just my paranoia talking. They’re most likely looking at Mason. He’s their new king. Their newshifterking.
The quiet murmuring within the garden falls silent as we enter. Then the faeries bow, bending lowly at the waist and parting to reveal a stone slab.Fuck no.The queen has been wrapped in thin brown cloth, her body covered from shoulder to toe, and she’s been laid on the large stone slab in the garden's center. I’ve never seen anything like this, and I avoid looking too closely at her form.
The faeries continue to part, and Mason and Kie shift to stand on either side of me. I would love nothing more than to linger behind, but I’m not granted that opportunity. I’m guided forward, toward the stone slab and the body on top of it.
Her Majesty is gray and waxy, clearly dead. I’ve been fortunate enough never to see a dead body before today. My grandparents had closed caskets, and all my childhood pets were put down at the vet’s office and cremated. I wasn’t involved.
Kie steps ahead of me, and I linger behind with Mason as he bends over the slab and whispers a few words too quiet to hear. Does he not have the opportunity to see his mother privately? That’s awful.
I stare at my feet, giving him privacy, even if the faeries surrounding me don’t offer the same courtesy. Only a minute or two passes before Kie returns to my side, and Mason takes his turn. He says a few quiet words before turning and facing the crowd.
