Page 43 of Suspicions on the Stage
“Well, he has a lot of latitude to do whatever the hell he wants in the name of keeping me safe. Because we’re friends, he tells me more than any other bodyguard for the crown would ever tell their charges. I’ve kept him my whole life because his loyalty hasalwaysbeen to me, not the court. But… the traumatic incident caused a rift that put a small gap in that tightly bound trust, and ever since, he occasionally goes off on his own when he’s working things out.”
I shake my head. “That explains the night he was attacked, but not tonight. Why would he go rogue today?”
“That’s a good question, but not one I have an answer to,” Liam says with a rueful expression. “He wasn’t bent out of shape at the dorm, but for our inability to figure out who or what had been there. That was a shared frustration, though, and it had nothing to do with the thing that’s a sore spot. At least, not that I know of.”
“He doesn’t have to tell everyone everything, Li, but he can’t disappear with no word,” Morgana says quietly. “Even if he hatesme, the entire family can’t be worrying that your friend is being attacked or hurt again with no way to prevent it. Whatever his damn ‘thing’ is, he can’t just flit off again, or he’s going to answer to me. And it won’t be pretty because I’ve been far too lenient as it is. This is about all of us, not just his damn allergy to me.”
Good for her. She should give that dick a piece of her mind, especially since I’m doing my best to fix my mess—or trying to.
“Mascushla, you’re right. I agree one hundred percent with that assessment. I’m just… I don’t understand why he’s ignoring me completely.” Liam’s brow furrows, and he adds, “Normally, if he’s off on walkabout, he will at least text back that he’s fine and will return in a specific timeframe. This is odd, even for him, but I do not sense that he’s in trouble.”
“Not helping, Prince,” I say as I take in the worried expressions of the others. “I know you don’t mean to make the situation worse, but knowing that he’s not in danger but is still giving us the finger is salt in the wound.”
Lucas sits up, putting his elbows on his knees as he leans in. “Right. Do we need to go hunt the fucker down? Because I’m game. I don’t like my people looking like they’re waiting for a call from the po-po or the coroner. It sucks all the fun out of Taco Night.”
Slade laughs softly, and the bear dips his chin as my roommate beams at him. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Lucas. But… we’ve all been drinking. No one’s really drive-ready.”
“I can help with that!” Feeling useful again, I hold up a finger as I head to the cabinet of supplies he and I stowed here after Liam assisted with the magical bubble around this haven. “It’s not something we like to do all the time because you feel like atrained seal, right? But most magic users can whip up an alcohol, speed up enchantment with little effort. Should edge the buzz out pretty quickly.”
It occurs to me that the Prince knows this, but when everyone looks at me happily, I note the subtle wink he gives me—I guess he’s rooting for my comeback, too.
Nice.
rescue
MORGANA
Iggy actuallydidhave something that cleared our heads—damn near instantly, even—and I used that clarity to get myself prepared for whatever the fresh hell we’re going to find on this search. That fucking dragon, like my ex, might be the death of me. I swear to all the gods and goddesses that I’m going to go on an all-out rampage if he doesn’t get his shit together. Magnus’s bullshit for years and the eventual conclusion of our emotionally abusive relationship have lowered my threshold for bullshit fromdragonsto nil.
Even sober, there’s a non-zero chance I’m going to deck the asshat when we find him.
“Morgana?”
Turning at the sound of Slade’s voice, I wipe the angry expression off of my face, and give him the smile he deserves. “Yes, darling?”
The gorgeous siren pauses when I respond, ostensibly gathering his thoughts before he speaks. I like that he’s so emotionally intelligent and thoughtful, no matter how fraught the situationis. It’s unusual in our world, and with ghosts of my past creeping in, he’s not wrong to be cautious. His eyes meet mine again when he is ready, and he speaks in a soft tone. “I know you’re mad at Kaspar and believe me, it has justification. But Liam is also right about how people can be driven by unhealed wounds unconsciously, and perhaps… we should give him a breath to explain when we find himbeforewe project that fear and fury on him?”
Damn this beautiful boy for being so fucking smart and kind at every turn—unfortunately for me, he’s also correct much of the time as well.
“I know you hate hearing that, Lady M, but the pretty boy is right,” Lucas says as he comes up behind me to wrap his arms around my waist. His chin settles on my shoulder as he continues, “I want to give the fucker a nut shot, too, but… I’m pretty sure Li wouldn’t struggle to hold him accountable so much if the thing that hurt them wasn’t bad.”
I look over at my prince, watching him and Iggy have an animated discussion about the benefits of developing a brand, marketing strategy, and sales plan for his miracle tonic. The professor looks shocked and humble as my mate talks about investing, which is quite attractive on his normally haughty face. “You’re probably right, Lucas. And you, too, Slade. I have a…trigger… with dragon misbehavior that I need to manage more vigilantly if our family is ever going to work.”
Slade walks closer, pressing against my front and rubbing his cheek on my other shoulder. “Indeed, you do, but that’s something we all have to learn. Controlling our soft spots, I mean, not disliking dragons on principle.”
I chuckle, shaking my head at his explanation. Leaning into Lucas for a moment to rub my cheek on his, I bask in the feel of them surrounding me. I’m being encapsulated in their warmth and support so completely that my soul just…settles. It makes me sigh happily and close my eyes to absorb the feeling for a few moments, then I murmur, “You’re welcome to join us.”
My words stop the business conversation immediately, and Liam rushes over to take a place at my side so he can put his arms around Slade on one side and Lucas on the other. I move my face to kiss his lips lightly, and he beams. “I’ll never turn down an opportunity like this,mo theaghlach álainn.It’s too perfect for words.”
Slade turns pink at his statement and I feel Lucas’s dick pulse against my back. My other mates like my royal mate claiming them, and that makesbothmy gargoyle and my gorgon happy. They spread that joy like golden magic in my veins until I sigh again. Then I realize Iggy is standing alone, looking unsure, and a bit dejected, though he’s keeping his eyes away from us to hide that fact. The mage is trying, and I noticed it tonight, even before he gave us his miracle cure.
While he needs to fix his shit with my siren, he doesn’t deserve to feel excluded.
“Iggy, come over here and seal this side so we’re all together. I think some bonding before we head out might help us keep our cool. Don’t you?”
His eyes widen as he nods, then scrambles over to us, fitting himself on the opposite side of Liam. Carefully, he puts his arms around my two boys, mirroring the prince as he looks at me with a spark of hope in his gaze. “I’m honored.”
“Just keep showing me that you want to be part of our family—a real, honest part—and you won’t ever be left in the cold, Ignatius,” I whisper. “That means doing the work to gain everyone’s trust and respect… even love, if they so choose. It’s a commitment.”
