Page 85 of The Shattered Kingdom
He’s such a liar. He’s been with plenty of women, but I like pretending they don’t exist. I’ll never meet any of his lovers, and he’ll never meet mine. The lie is harmless, and we both know it.
There’s a sharp knock on the front door. I’d bet money it’s Anox, or a guard sent by Anox, to remind Mason of his council meeting this morning. It’s enough to ruin the mood, and I let out a quiet sigh as Kie and Mason snap into work mode. Their teasing smiles disappear, now replaced with stern expressions and purposeful movements.
Here we go.
Chapter Thirty-Two
ABBY
KIE SLIPS HIS hand into mine, his bare palm pressing against me. He’s not wearing his gloves, and he’s openly touching me. He’s making a statement.
Mason should be well into his council meeting by now, and he will approve Anox’s request to have me formally titled. It’s a terrifying thought, one I’m not ready for. I’m not what the faeries want in a queen, and I’m okay with that. Zaha must have picked me for a reason, though.
Kie brings me to his office, and I sit on his oversized couch. I’m nervous and antsy to meet with Jackie, and I instinctively rub a hand over my chest. I still feel phantom pain from when the faeries tried to kill me, and it’s giving me anxiety. I’m scared they’re going to try again.
I don’t want to die.
I’m sure Kie and Mason are also eager to resolve this issue. It’s been days of hovering, the pair not letting so much as five feet of distance come between us. I have to practically beg to shower alone.
There’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Kie says.
The door cracks open, and a guard I don’t recognize pops his head inside. His gaze lands on me, then shifts immediately to Kie. Has he already heard about me being Kie and Mason’s mate? I doubt it will take long for word to spread once Mason gives permission.
“Jackie just entered the grounds,” the guard says. “Shall we permit her entry?”
“Yes,” Kie says. “Ensure she’s escorted directly here. I don’t want her wandering around.”
The guard nods, his gaze briefly flashing toward me before he leaves, shutting the door behind him.
“Do you think he knows?” I ask the second we’re alone.
“Most definitely.”
“Do you think he’s upset?”
Kie frowns, lacing his hands together on his desk. “Most faeries will be disappointed, but I anticipate the guards are quite fond of you. You’ve calmed Mason considerably, making working here less…well… less dangerous.”
I still remember how Mason attacked that guard on my first day here. It was violent and abrupt, and I can only imagine the terror the guards felt whenever the shifter was near. Mason’s an asshole through and through. Maybe that’s why he’s so protective of his. He identifies with it.
Kie leans back in his chair. “You’re going to be a queen. Queen Abigail Williams. It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
I agree. I want a gold scepter, one with a ruby on top. I bet Kie and Mason could procure one for me. I’ll carry it around everywhere I go. I’m not going to be a good ruler, I’m fully aware of that, but I still want to be remembered for something. Being known as the human queen who carried around a scepter would be kind of fun.
“It’s a good thing you’re here,” I admit. “The faeries wouldrevolt if it were just Mason and me. They like you. They respect you.”
Kie gives me a forced smile. They respect him, but it still might not be enough. They don’t believe he has any control over Mason. There’s a good chance they’ll revolt after learning their queen consort is a human.
“I—” I start. “I’m sorry Zaha took your title from you. You’d make a wonderful king.”
Kie shrugs, glancing away. “I don’t need to be a wonderful king.” There’s a nervous energy to his words, like he’s afraid of my response. “I just need to be yours.”
He whispers the last part, and his violet eyes flicker anxiously in my direction. It makes me wonder. Everything he’s ever cared about has been taken from him—quite publicly, too. That’s enough to make even the most confident person insecure.
“Kie.” I swallow past the lump in my throat. “You—”
Kie shakes his head, turning away from me just as Jackie pushes open the door. She welcomes herself inside, confidently stepping into Kie’s office as if she’d been here a million times. She probably has.
