Page 6

Cedric Raine

“She’s going to be fine.” The healer gets to his feet, looking exhausted. “Let her sleep for a while and then continue to feed her in small amounts throughout the day.”

Harriet shoots me an angry look before saying, “She refuses to eat small meals.”

I already know why that is; she doesn’t have to rub it in. My voice is hard as I tell Pat, “I’ll make sure she eats them. How much time will it take for her to heal?”

The older man runs his hands over his face, clearly drained from all the healing energy he just spent.

“I can’t say. The damage to her stomach lining is extensive. I could say weeks, and I could say months. I could even say years. It really depends on her. The constant stress isn’t helping. I wish she would come to me when she’s in pain so I can give her some healing tea, but the queen doesn’t like to share her problems. Harriet, I really think you need to keep a close eye on her. If you sense any discomfort, I’ll send one of my assistants with some herbs. Just make her a cup of tea with them. They’re anti-inflammatory. They should help her.”

“So, she’s going to remain sick for a long time?”

Healer Pat gives me a sharp look. “The queen is not sick, Your Majesty. She’s injured. All injuries need time to heal. If only she were allowed that.”

Another accusatory look toward me, and I snap. “Well, I didn’t shove the food down her throat.”

“You didn’t have to put her in a position where she felt forced to eat.” Pat frowns. “The wounds on her back are going to take some time, as well. I’m trying to draw the wolfsbane out of them, but it’s easier said than done. Can you give me a minute, Harriet?”

He waits for her to leave the room before turning to face me, disapproval written all over his face. “The queen’s body bears marks of abuse. Constant abuse over the years. I would not be surprised if the abuse started during her childhood. I don’t know what her family did to her, but she needs to heal. She’s too frail, and if her health doesn’t improve, she will not survive for much longer.”

My jaw tightens. “What’re you saying?”

He lets out an uneven breath. “The North has harsher living conditions than the Eastern Kingdom. She isn’t accustomed to such cold weather. She needs heat. She needs to be warm. Make sure she’s not exposed to the cold more than she has to be, and if you can, tell her to surround herself with things she likes. Sometimes the desire to live can do wonders for the healing process.”

“The desire to live?” I ask slowly, trying to comprehend what he’s saying.

“I’ve been in her room, Sire. I’ve talked to her. It is my opinion as her personal healer that the queen seems to be focused on surviving rather than living. She doesn’t consider the castle her home. Given the circumstances in which she arrived, I can understand that, but if you want her to live, then give her a reason to. Otherwise, you will be looking for another queen very soon.”

Having had his say, he leaves the room. I look at the unconscious figure on my bed, feeling a stab of guilt. It is followed by mild annoyance.

This woman is becoming more of a handful than I realized. If I had known she would cause me this much trouble, I wouldn’t have brought her here. Folding my arms across my chest, I sit near the fire, watching her. Her chest moves up and down in rhythmic breathing. Harriet has never raised her voice at me, but ever since I put her in charge of Leanna, she has become quite defiant. What is it about this woman that has my own people turning against me? Do they not remember that she is the enemy? So she’s had a tough life. Who hasn’t?

They all expect me to feel sorry for her. I don’t.

But as I watch her sleep, I’m reminded of the way she snapped at me. She tries hard to control her emotions, but she’s not as successful as she would like to be. Provoke her in the right way and she hisses like a little kitten who has not yet learned how to bite. That glitter of anger in her eyes is amusing. I want to see it again. Normally, she looks composed, restrained. It’s hard to read her. But if I push her enough, she does show her teeth, and my wolf likes it. For the first time, I find myself in agreement with it about her. She’s far more interesting when I manage to provoke her.

And it’s not like she’s completely without a spine. She was willing to face off against me to protect those maids of hers. I didn’t agree with her, but she did have a point that they were her servants to punish as she saw fit. I’m not about to interfere in the running of this place. It is the queen’s duty to oversee the castle’s internal affairs.

But Harriet and the healer want me to coddle Leanna. I’m not going to do it. If they want to coddle her, they can go ahead, but I have better things to do with my time. She’s a grown woman. She should know how to look after herself.

“Eat a damn meal if the healer tells you to,” I mutter to myself. “How hard is it to follow instructions?”

Of course, she was following instructions. Mine.

I try not to think about that.

I recall the scars on her back that I saw last night. I know she’s not of royal blood. Even if she were an illegitimate daughter, she would have the same mark on her wrist as those of royal blood. She doesn’t, so the fact that she has the same features as the princess is simply a coincidence. But how did Princess Vivian discover her existence? And why has Leanna been brutalized like this?

As the princess’s substitute, she should have been looked after. The new clothes she chose today in front of me today were tasteful, choices I would expect from an actual princess. Her manner of speaking and the way she carries herself have not escaped me. No one could ever say that she is not Princess Vivian.

Leanna.

Harriet calls her by her true name. I saw the way my mate’s eyes softened when Harriet used it. For a moment, she looked soft and approachable. She looked happy. Did I ever see her happy before then? Even when she sits alone in the garden, she never smiles. She looks like she’s carrying the burden of the world on her shoulders.

“I don’t know what I like. Nobody’s ever asked me before.”

What kind of statement is that? Everybody has something they like.

“Like you and the other inhabitants of this castle, she too believed that I needed to know my place.”

If Princess Vivian were not dead, I would kill the woman myself.

The thought startles me. If the princess were alive, she would be the one I’d be mated to. But the idea of being linked to that woman, with her cold eyes and haughty airs, makes me shudder. If it had been her who had been harassed by the maids here, she would have ordered them to be executed. I can believe that about her. But my fated mate has a soft heart.

“It won’t serve you here, though. The Northern Wolves don’t respond well to kindness,” I say quietly into the silent room.

The door opens, and Harriet enters. She’s carrying a small packet in her hand.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“Herbal tea. Healer Pat gave it to me.”

She stares at me expectantly, and I give her an irritated look. “What now?”

Turning frosty, she asks, “Shall I take the queen back to her chambers so that you can sleep peacefully?”

I bristle at her tone. “No, you shall fucking not.”

Her eyebrows shoot up at my words, and I look away, refusing to feel guilty for my vulgar language.

Harriet, however, is in a mood that is rare for her. “Then, where will Your Majesty sleep?”

“On my damn bed,” I say irritably.

She lowers one brow. “Are you sure you will be comfortable there?”

“Harriet!” I snarl. “I get it. Now, lay off me.”

My wolf does not like the defiance coming from her. She may have raised me, but I am still her alpha and her king.

“Very well. I shall retire for the night, then.”

“Wait,” I call out, stopping her in her tracks. “Why is Leanna’s room so bare?” I asked my mate that question yesterday, but I feel I may get a better answer out of Harriet.

She doesn’t look at me. “She doesn’t want to decorate it. She thinks it’s not her room.”

“What kind of stupid excuse is that?” I growl. “She’s living in it, isn’t she? Therefore, it’s her room.”

Harriet looks over her shoulder at me before suggesting, “Perhaps Your Majesty should remind her of that. She seems to think she has no place in this castle and is simply a prisoner here.”

“Well, she’s not wrong,” I mutter. “She is a prisoner. A political one.”

Harriet’s eyes flash at me, and she says through gritted teeth, “Will there be anything else, Sire?”

“No.” I have a feeling she’ll have something to say to me if I utter another word. As she reaches the door, though, I tell her, “The Eastern Kingdom’s palace was very colorful. Give Leanna something to do aside from work. Tell her to decorate this castle.”

Harriet now turns to face me. “Decorate the castle?” She’s looking at me as if I have suddenly grown two horns on the top of my head.

“Yes,” I growl. “What’s so hard to understand?”

“How do you want it decorated? For an event?”

“No. Just put in some color.” My eyes flick toward the still figure on the bed, and my voice lowers. “And tell her that I dislike Princess Vivian’s taste.”

Harriet stares at me for a moment, and for the first time in two weeks, I see a small smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Very well. There may be hope for you yet.”

The last part is whispered and, I’m sure, not meant for my ears. But I’m not going to argue with a woman who once used to whoop my ass. I throw some logs into the fire after she’s gone and wonder what I’m trying to do. Decorate the castle? I’m acting as if I care about the woman sleeping in my bed.

Well, it’ll give her something to do, I tell myself. Stripping off my shirt, I climb into bed beside my mate. Carefully, I rearrange her in my arms. She’s asleep and won’t know. This is just to make sure she doesn’t get cold during the night, I justify to myself.

But as I bury my face in her hair, I remember the salty scent from last night. I’m sure she had been crying.

Foolish woman.

I throw my leg over her hip to make sure she doesn’t go anywhere.

My attention is drawn to the garden outside my office window.

What is that woman doing now?

She’s hunched over by the side of a tree in the most unladylike position, digging. My eyes narrow as I watch her look around in a suspicious manner before she continues whatever she is up to.

“Did you hear me, Cedric?”

Edgar’s voice brings me back. “What?”

He gives me a strange look. “I was asking if you have decided what to do about the full moon.”

For a moment, I gaze at him uncomprehendingly, and then it hits me. “What kind of question is that?”

He clears his throat. “Given your disposition toward the queen, I want to know whether you envision having a child with her this year or not.”

“That was the plan, wasn’t it?”

I turn my attention back toward the woman in the garden. Has she lost her mind? If she wants to have a hole dug, why isn’t she asking one of the gardeners? Why the hell is she doing this herself?

“Look, whatever is out there is far less interesting than what I’m trying to say to you,” my friend snaps at me. He walks around the desk to see what I’m looking at, and before I can stop him, he manages to catch a glimpse.

“Is that Queen Vivian?” he mumbles, shocked.

I shove him away. “Mind your own business.”

“I’m trying to, but you’re completely distracted by her. What is she doing?”

“Beats me.”

“So, go ask her.” Edgar scoffs. “What is she trying to do, dig her way out of the castle?” He snickers as he says it, and when I give him a level look, his laughter fades.

“For someone who is supposed to be my advisor, you sure do lack the right amount of brain cells.”

“You’re just as curious as me. Go find out what she’s doing so we can all move on with our lives.”

“Worry about yourself,” I say darkly. “Let her do what she wants. Now, what were you saying?”

He gapes at me for a full ten seconds before rolling his eyes. “Fine. It’s your problem, not mine. The elders want to know whether you plan to have a child by next year. What do you want me to say to them?”

“Tell them to stick their noses where they’re needed. It’s not their business when I fuck my mate.”

“Well, they’re making it their business,” Edgar retorts, “and you better give them an answer before they start pestering the queen. You already know how they feel about her. They’re not going be very nice to her.”

I glance at him, my tone calm. “If anyone approaches the queen, execute them. Lop off a couple of heads, and the rest will fall in line.”

Edgar shakes his head. “Since when have you become so protective of her?”

I feel annoyed at this. “I’m not protective of her. I just don’t like the elders poking their noses into my business. And they have no reason to talk to her. You give them my message.”

He sighs. “Fine. But I’m just asking when you’ll be ready to…you know.”

I give him a hard look. “I’m not going to have this conversation any longer. Do you have anything useful to say to me?”

He checks the paper in his hand and rolls his eyes. “Not really. The full moon is in a month.”

That catches my attention. “I thought it was in two weeks.”

My wolf has been drawn to Leanna, and I assumed it was because of the coming full moon. I sensed my own shift in behavior toward her, and I thought it was the effects of that, as well. As the full moon grows closer, fated mates who have yet to share a mating mark always grow a little possessive of each other.

“No. I checked.” Edgar shakes his head. “It’s in one month. Anyway, I have to go. Rothan wants my help with arranging security for when the village artisans arrive.”

I nod approvingly. Leanna has taken my order from last week very seriously. She has approached different artisans in the nearby villages to help decorate the castle. It took me by surprise because I thought she would go for renowned artists. Instead, she’s recruiting local talent. This means more jobs for the villagers, and they’re over the moon about it. The attitude of the castle’s staff toward Leanna has significantly improved, as well. She has gone from being the enemy to being a benevolent queen. There have been several maids who have asked Harriet to let them assist the queen, but each one has been turned down. It seems the newly positive sentiment isn’t returned. Leanna doesn’t trust them. She’s kind to them, but trust has to be earned, and my people are aware of that.

I guess I was wrong. Kindness does speak to Northern wolves.

“What has she ordered?”

“Tapestries for the hallways.” Edgar looks impressed. “I thought she would make up the castle like the Eastern Kingdom’s palace, but she’s putting a different spin on it. The Eastern palace was so colorful that it was almost blinding. The queen is using colors like ice blue and silver here. The carpets are being laid out tomorrow. Heated ones. There’s a local witch who’s going to help with that.”

I blink. “She got a witch to help out? They never offer their services to us shifters.”

“I don’t know if she negotiated something with her or what.” Edgar glances toward the window. “You’ll have to ask her. She looks quiet and unassuming, but she’s a force of nature. Everybody’s anticipating how the castle will ultimately look. You can sense the excitement both in the villages and within the castle.”

I feel a strange emotion inside me. I didn’t realize that the castle was so drab that the idea of adding some color to it would get everybody all worked up. Have I not been paying attention to my people?

“Anyway.” Edgar eyes me. “What about Bella?”

My voice turns icy. “What about her?”

“Are you really planning to continue with this? Stripping her of her authority was a harsh move.”

“She’s lucky she’s not in a dungeon. She overstepped her bounds, and she knew what she was doing,” I say coldly. “She humiliated my mate. Regardless of my relationship with Leanna, Bella acted out of spite and jealousy. She had no right to do so. She’s gotten too cocky. I had to bring her back down to Earth.”

“You never plan to reinstate her, then?”

I study him. “She knows what she did, Edgar. I warned her, but she thought she would get away with it. She challenged my authority. I’m not about to let that go.”

My friend nods seriously. “She’s pretty upset about it, but you’re right. Despite beating herself up over it, she still hasn’t apologized to the queen.”

“She’s too prideful,” I mutter.

“Perhaps.” He checks the time. “I have to leave. Maybe you should go see what your mate is up to. If anybody else sees her, they’re going to start wondering if she’s lost her mind. What is she digging for?”

“Stop worrying about her and worry about yourself. Don’t you have better things to do?” I scowl at him.

“Fine. Don’t bite my head off.”

Once he’s gone, I sit down at my desk and try to get some work done. However, every few minutes, my eyes wander toward the window. What is she doing? Maybe I’ll just go see. If she’s trying to find an escape route, I’ll have to tell her that’s not the right spot to dig.

After making my way downstairs, I head outside. It’s cold. But then, it’s always cold. As I approach my mate, however, I see that she has taken off her jacket. A growl builds in the back of my throat.

“Why aren’t you wearing your coat?”

She nearly jumps in fright. “What?”

“Your jacket, Leanna. Why did you take it off?”

Grabbing it from where she has tossed it on the ground, I pick her up by her arm and begin putting it on her.

She struggles against my grip. “I don’t need it.”

“The healer said you’re not supposed to get cold. Why is it so hard for you to listen to instructions?”

“Let go of me!”

She’s trying to pull away, but I’m determined to get her into this coat and zip it all the way up.

“Why are you such a bully?!” she suddenly bursts out, pushing me away, her cheeks flushed from the cold and her eyes glittering.

“Bully?” I echo, my eyes narrowing. “Since when have I bullied you? You’re not supposed to be out in the cold.”

“I am minding my own business,” she snaps, and I see her try to regain composure.

Lately, it’s been harder for her to maintain that cool facade around me. Probably has something to do with the fact that she wakes up in my arms, all tangled up with me. I refuse to let her go back to her room. She clearly doesn’t know how to look after herself, and I have no plans of searching for another queen anytime soon. Leanna has been resistant to the idea of sleeping in my bed, but she’s slowly getting used to it. I’ve also begun to notice that she is getting a little mouthy around me. That part, I like. I have no use for a weak mate. Leanna has a spine, and it’s starting to show a little bit.

“What are you doing digging out here? Where are the gardeners?”

“They don’t know how to plant this.”

She’s holding the packet of seeds I gave her two days ago. Her eyes filled with shock when I handed them to her and told her that I specially requested them from the king of the Human Wolf Kingdom.

“They will if you tell them.” I cross my arms over my chest, and when she leans down to resume her work, I snarl. “Don’t even think about it. I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you into the castle if I have to. Get somebody to do this for you.”

“They’ll ruin it.” She’s beginning to get upset now, and my wolf stirs, not liking the look on her face.

“They are gardeners.” I try to speak patiently. “This is their job. This is what they are trained to do.”

“I know how to plant these seeds. You can’t make the holes too small or too big. They have to be the right size, and the right distance from each other, and around the right tree.” She begins to babble, and I can feel myself getting a headache.

Annoyed, and seeing no other way out of it, I roll up my sleeves and crouch down to the ground. “Fine. You tell me how to do it. I’m sure I have enough brain cells to follow your instructions.”

Cheeks turning red, she stammers, “Y–You can’t dig. You’re the king.”

“And you’re the queen,” I retort. “And you’ve been digging out here, looking like a fool. What if somebody saw you?”

I see the shame in her eyes and instantly regret the harshness of my tone. As soon as I do, I catch myself and feel a hint of irritation. Since when do I care how I speak to her?

She picks up a book that has been lying on the ground. “Two more handfuls. It has to be seven inches deep.”

“How do I measure?” I look at her. She immediately hands me a ruler, and I stare at it. “Have you been carrying that around?”

“Yes?” she answers cautiously.

I give her one last look before proceeding to dig the hole.

“You have to make it even.” She’s looking over my shoulder, and I get my hackles up.

“Let me do what I’m doing.”

“But you’re not doing it right,” she complains.

I look over my shoulder at her, incredulous. “I’m on the ground, digging you a hole, and all you can do is criticize?”

She flushes. “Well, no. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then just shut up and let me do this.”

She stops nitpicking, but I can feel the anxiety pouring out of her from behind me. All I’m doing is digging in the dirt, yet it’s the most stressful thing I’ve done all day. It almost feels like she can’t wait to yank me away and start doing it herself. My brows knit together when I feel her breath on my neck. Lifting my head, I nearly slam it into her chin.

“That’s enough,” I snap. “Go over there.”

“But—”

“Go. Before I shift into a wolf and take a big bite out of you.”

She scurries over to where I’m pointing. Clutching the book to her chest, she shoots me hateful looks. The queen can sulk. I’m beginning to wonder where the meek woman I first met has gone. She’s gaining confidence day by day. Is it because she feels safe here now? Is that it? Or is it something else?

As I scoop out more mud and try to meet my mate’s expectations, I wonder what I’m doing. This is the same woman I swore to ignore and stash in a corner of the castle, isn’t she? Why am I out here digging a hole in my garden for her?

I have better things to do with my time.

However, no matter how much I try to convince myself, it doesn’t stick. A few minutes later, I find myself saying, “See? It’s done.” When she doesn’t move, I sigh. “You can come over now.”

She practically races toward me and begins to inspect my creation. Much to my surprise and utter indignation, she takes the ruler from me and measures the hole.

“If you don’t put that thing down, Leanna…” I begin, threateningly.

She quickly drops it. “It’s fine. Now, you just have to dig six more holes around the tree.”

When she gives me an expectant look, I scowl at her. “Six more holes? Does it look like I have the time for that? Get the gardeners to do it!”

“But you did it perfectly.” She looks anxious. “They’ll ruin it.”

It would take a bigger man than me to admit that her words have my wolf huffing in pride. However, I get to my feet. “No. I’m not here to waste time, and you’re coming inside with me.”

She studies me. “I can do it myself.”

The idea of her staying out here and digging holes has me grinding my teeth. “Fine. Just go sit somewhere.”

To my surprise, she actually listens. It takes me an hour to dig all the holes. Finally, I watch her plant the seeds and splash some water on them before covering them with the dirt.

“We can’t give them too much water. We’re just supposed to water them once and then see if they grow.”

“What’re you going to do with the plants if they do grow?” I ask, wiping my hands on my trousers.

She gives me a hesitant look. “I was thinking the farmers could grow them, and the vegetables could be sold to the Eastern Kingdom and within the Northern Kingdom. It would help utilize these lands that are wasting away. This is a very popular vegetable among the wolves in the human world. I’m sure the wolves on this side of the Veil would also enjoy them.”

“How do you know they’re popular on the other side of the Veil?”

“I visited the wolf kingdom in the human world once, in place of Princess Vivian. The king was very kind to me. He noticed my interest in all kinds of different subjects and gave me a large selection of books to read.”

My brows lift. “Are you talking about Erik?”

She nods.

“You seem to like him.”

She looks down at the botany book in her hands. “I like learning. The only books I was allowed to read in the castle all belonged to Princess Vivian. King Erik let me read about things that I actually found interesting.”

A sudden wave of jealousy makes me scowl at the book. “Are you in touch with him?”

She looks taken aback at my question. “Why would I be?”

Her innocent question makes me realize that she didn’t understand what Erik was trying to do when he presented her with those books. He saw what she liked and then gave her a gift of it. It was a declaration of his intention to court her, if I’m not mistaken. The poor bastard must have been baffled when she never reached out to him after her visit. I don’t know whether to feel pity for the poor fellow or annoyed that he managed to get her attention.

Dodging Leanna’s query, I ask her, “Did you like visiting the human world?” I don’t know why I’m so curious about her trip there. It’s bothering me.

She nods, and I see her smile slightly. “My last day there, King Erik took me to a beach.” Her face lights up at the memory, and I find myself staring at her, at the way the corners of her eyes crease. “We went at night, and the water glowed. I later found out that it was a special form of algae. I’ve never seen such a thing in the Eastern Kingdom’s waters.”

“We have something like that here, if not better,” I scoff. I don’t know why I feel the need to one-up Erik, but the idea of Leanna being impressed by that king doesn’t sit well with me. “I’ll take you in a few days. Now, go inside. It’s too cold for you.”

She hesitates. “You should take Bella.”

I blink. “Bella?” I stare at Leanna, bewildered. “Why the hell would I take Bella?”

My mate looks anxious. “She would appreciate it more.”

My eyes narrow into tiny slits. “Why would she appreciate it more than you would? And why the hell should I care what she appreciates?”

I see the flicker of doubt on her face. “Because she’s your lover?”

For a moment, I just gape at her, the idea so ludicrous that I don’t know what to make of it. “Bella, my lover? Are you drunk?” I demand. “Where the hell would you get such an idea?” When she doesn’t answer, I take a deep breath, and my voice becomes dangerously soft. “Was it from her?”

She simply presses her lips together.

My face goes slack.

I am going to kill that woman.