Page 5

Chapter Five

Colbie

T he palace corridors are quiet this early in the morning. It’s a large structure broken up into separate wings. The main wing contains the kitchen, offices, ballrooms, dining rooms, and a variety of different rooms for social events and business, as well as the central shifting chamber where they took me to shift yesterday. The wing where my room is has the royal family living quarters. Along with Violet and I, Gracelin and her family, Gretchin, and Watch Team One, Lucas and his wives have suites. The wing on the opposite side is where the councilors and their families live, as well as General Bryson and his family. Talon’s new bond group will be taking up residence as well once their final security clearance comes through. I don’t actually like how close the council is, but apparently it’s how it has always been.

I’m mulling over the awkward and uncomfortable breakfast interaction when we reach the same conference room we were in yesterday. We take seats around the table, and Lucas waves his hand in my direction.

“Right, let’s start with any questions you may have this morning,” he suggests, and I take a moment to gather my thoughts.

“I have so many, I don’t know where to start. How about we talk about the breakfast debacle? There is no way I want to spend the next forty years dealing with that crap. What are my options?” I ask, referring to the incredibly painful interaction.

“It is your right as queen to choose a new council if you are inclined, and I have to say I don’t blame you,” Lucas explains. “Like Mia said, we were blindsided when the former royal refused to counsel us when she was forcibly retired against her wishes. We learned after we took over that she was constantly pushing to change to a hereditary crown, but thankfully, the council was too scared of the goddess to vote with her. They were mostly a new council back then. Vallen is the son of the king before her, and they came around to her way of thinking by the end of her reign and have been pushing hard for it during ours. We shut down so many of their suggestions.”

“She didn’t want to give up the role, despite the goddess’s rules, so instead of helping us, she left us flailing. None of us are from what you would call high shifter society,” Evie explains, and Violet gasps.

“Really?”

Evie gives her a smile of understanding. “Yes. Mia and I came from small shifter villages much like yours, but Layla lived in the city, and again wasn’t from the acceptable social circles.”

“My father is a professor at the university, and my mother is a hairdresser. Both still live in the city in the house I grew up in. I tried to convince them to move into the palace, but they decided they were happier where they were. We still see them regularly. I’ll introduce you to them next time they are here for a visit,” she tells us.

“None of us are stupid, but we blindly trusted the council, thinking they had our best interests at heart, and while Emmett and Audrey do, the others made it clear very quickly that they are only out for their own gain, but by then, it was too late. We learned how to deal with them through sheer stubbornness.”

“So how does it work? How do I appoint a new council?” I lean forward, eager to hear the answer.

“You can announce that the positions are open and ask for applications, or you can ask people you trust to be on your council.”

Before I can ask Lucas another question, the door slams open, and Gracelin hurries in, taking a seat and breathing heavily like she’s been running. “Sorry I’m late. Archie had a tantrum when he wasn’t allowed to have breakfast with you. It took me this long to get him to calm down and off to school.”

I smile as she speaks. “Does he go to school in the palace? Like, does he have tutors?”

She shakes her head, laughing. “No. He goes to one of the local elementary schools. The social interaction with other kids is good for him, since he gets spoiled by all the attention from his grandparents and the palace staff.” She mockingly glares at her parents, but I can tell she isn’t upset.

“Smartest kid in the whole school,” Lucas boasts, and I can’t stop my own smile. He reminds me of my grandpa, except, you know, he looks forty and is hot.

“Now, did I hear you telling Colbie about those assholes on the council? I can’t believe they crashed breakfast. I’m so glad Archie was hungry early this morning and had breakfast with his nanny. Could you imagine if he talked about Colbie being his sidepiece and said something to Councilor Mason while his wife was there?” Her cheeks pinken as she laughs awkwardly.

“I would have paid to see something like that.” Lucas slaps his hand on the table, laughing wholeheartedly.

“We were just telling Colbie that she doesn’t have to accept the council in its entirety or any at all really, but we suggested she keep Emmett and Audrey, since they do have the shifter nation as a whole in their best interest,” Layla explains, and their daughter nods.

“Yes, both of them have been assets, even when they haven’t always agreed with decisions you’ve made. The rest of them are a waste of space, only out for their own interests. I agree, you should get rid of them, and they certainly don’t usually come for breakfast. That was them flexing their proverbial muscles.”

“But I don’t know any shifters. What if I get rid of them and the ones who apply are worse than the ones who are already in the positions?”

“Dad and the moms will guide you,” she says, but then smirks. “Or you could ask all four of them to fill the vacant roles,” she suggests, and I feel a glimmer of hope.

“I can do that?” I look at the four rulers who are staying suspiciously quiet on the subject.

“Yes…” Lucas sounds reluctant to answer, and then I realize something.

“Oh, you are probably looking forward to your retirement, right? I’m sure you have better things to do than spend the next forty years advising me.” I feel a pang of disappointment, but I completely understand. I’ll probably feel the same way when it’s my turn to retire.

Mia scoffs. “Are you kidding? It doesn’t look like either of our other two children are going to give us grandchildren anytime soon, and the thought of being idle makes my skin crawl, but we didn’t want to influence you in any way. This needs to be a decision you make yourself. Personally, I would be happy to join the council, and it isn’t uncommon. Emmett is a past king, and Audrey is one of his queens. The other three decided they were happy with their hobbies, but those two have always enjoyed the political intrigue that comes along with being on the council, and their vast knowledge and contacts are invaluable. They also coordinate the liaisons for the other kingdoms. You will meet them at the coronation. Each kingdom has an ambassador who lives in the palace. They are mostly figureheads, but they help with any problems we may have with any fae, witch, or vampire who visits our land.”

“They weren’t at the ball last night?” I ask, unable to recall being introduced to anyone other than shifters.

“No. Our retirement is also a chance for other kingdoms to appoint new ambassadors. They will be presented by the rulers at the coronation when they come to pay homage to the new shifter queen,” Lucas answers, leaning back in his chair. “I, too, would be happy to be on the council if that is your wish.” His eyes sparkle with excitement, even though he keeps his expression neutral.

Evie wrinkles her nose. “I mean, I guess we could be persuaded to join the council. What do you think, Layla? Ready to commit another forty years to the shifter nation?”

Layla sighs heavily. “I don’t know if it would be a good idea for all four of us to be on the council. The public might consider it manipulation if all four of us are on it. I think Mia and Lucas should, and you should choose two others. Evie and I will always be around to give advice.”

“Yay! That means you won’t have to move out of the palace and our family can stay together,” Gracelin cheers.

“Of course, I’m sorry, I never thought about it in that way. You and Gretchin will be staying since you will be my secretary and advisor, and her my bodyguard, but your parents would have left. That was thoughtless of me. I don’t like the idea of splitting a family apart,” I apologize, thinking back to the snide remark from the council about me not having any family or mates yet that they know of—not that I would like my mother here, and I am super thankful she’s still human. I wonder what happened to Lucas’s family

She shakes her head. “It isn’t a big deal. Their new home wasn’t going to be too far away, but I know this will make Archie happy.”

“What will the two of you do?” Violet asks the two queens, sounding curious.

“Nag Gracelin for more grandchildren.” Evie grins at her daughter who rolls her eyes.

“It isn’t like we’re aren’t actively trying,” she grumbles, and Lucas grimaces while his wives laugh at him.

“Shifters don’t conceive easily?” I ask, and Layla shakes her head.

“No. It took all of us almost twenty years to get pregnant with our three, and we haven’t had any since.”

“Supernaturals have long lives, so I think it’s a way of keeping the balance. All supernatural races are the same. We were lucky to have Archie so soon,” Gracelin explains.

“But General Bryson and Sable have three children who are closer in age. There’s less than ten years between Hunter and the twins.”

Mia smiles and nods, but there’s an air of sadness to the smile. “Yes. Dragons have it a little easier. Dragon females lay eggs, unlike a normal shifter pregnancy, and they will incubate the eggs for a period of time. The children are born dragons but shift quickly, and they don’t shift again before the age of mythical maturity. It keeps them from becoming menaces. Not all eggs are fertile though. Sable was incredibly lucky, but more often than not, it’s heartbreaking for the dragon parents because the eggs never show any sign of life.”

“What about bond group relationships with multiple mates? Will the female have a child for each mate?” Of course I’m curious given my new mate status, not that I’ve shared it with them yet. Gracelin smirks before quickly smothering it so her parents don’t get suspicious.

“Ah, bond groups are a little different. For groups like ours, where there is one male and multiple females?—”

“Which is very uncommon compared to multiple male groups,” Evie interrupts Layla, who narrows her eyes at her. She winces and apologizes, gesturing for her to carry on.

“As I was saying, bond groups like ours only require the male to inseminate the female once, whereas other bond groups need all parties to participate in the insemination process to achieve a pregnancy.”

“Let me get this right… I supposedly have six mates, and all of them need to participate if I want to have children?”

“Yes, all males need to make a deposit at the bank, so to speak, if you want to have a child.” Mia struggles to contain her laughter as she confirms what they said. I feel my cheeks heat as I blush furiously at the thought.

Mia thankfully changes the subject before this becomes more uncomfortable than it is. “But having six mates is unheard of. I checked the historical records, and there has never been a ruler with so many. I’m not sure what it means, to be honest, and whether or not we should be worried about why the goddess deemed it right for you to have so many.”

There’s a pregnant pause as I see everyone mull over the implication in their minds. My own nerves cause butterflies to flutter in my stomach, but I ignore them for now. I have so much to learn.

I desperately try to come up with something else to talk about that doesn’t revolve around me fucking all six of my mates at the same time. “I know shifters can’t interbreed with humans, but what about interbreeding between kingdoms? Is that a thing?” I ask, voicing another question that has been nagging at me.

Everyone turns to Lucas. I get the feeling that I might have just asked a sensitive question. He sighs, and I can’t help but feel a little guilty.

“Officially, no. Or as far as the humans are aware, there is no intermixing of the supernatural races, because that would lead to even more turmoil between us. Though wildly discouraged, there is intermixing between the species, but most individuals who end up pregnant from an interspecies relationship or choose to marry someone from another race end up being ostracized by their family, so there was a need to create a sanctuary for them to live and thrive without being persecuted. There is an unofficial fifth kingdom that exists for these outcasts. They are not ruled over by a goddess, and they are led by a royal family that has familial succession.”

“What species are the children born from such unions?” I ask, unable to contain my curiosity despite not knowing if that’s a polite way to ask this question.

“Most of them will take after one parent, but sometimes the more powerful traits from both parents will come through as well,” Mia explains. “It’s one of the main reasons they were shunned. Jealousy is a powerful motivator, and some of the crossbreeds are very powerful.”

“Chaos Kingdom likes to pretend the rest of us don’t exist. They are a kingdom of misfits who are happy to remain in their own little world. Their kingdom isn’t on any official maps, but if you look at a map of the kingdoms, all of them are linked by the Mysola Desert. It’s always been no-man’s-land because nothing survives there—or that’s what humans have been taught. In actuality, that’s where the Chaos Kingdom is, and only the outer rim is desert to discourage visitors. All of the other kingdoms touch its borders, and there are ways for people to come and go, but they are known to very few. It discourages people from being tempted to visit. Works for both our population and theirs.”

“Despite the fact that most of them are rejected and disowned by their families, the outcast kingdom is actually treated as a fun vacation destination because it’s dedicated to indulging in your greatest desires and vices. It’s kind of hypocritical to be honest, but it’s how they make money. They have an amazing beach resort town, as well as a sinful central city with any kind of entertainment your heart could desire. If you want to party and have a good time, Trisa is the place to do it. The shifter nation has a floor of rooms in one of the hotels where it sends its bond group to… well… bond,” Gracelin says, sounding excited. “It’s where I became pregnant with Archie after a wild weekend with Adam. There’s something about that place that lets all your troubles float away. It’s awesome, and most of the younger generation doesn’t abide by that interspecies breeding crap. Who cares who you love?”

I rub a hand across my face, my brain hurting from all the information I absorbed today. My gaze goes to my friend, and Violet looks as uneasy as I feel about this conversation—she won’t meet my eyes. I will have to corner her sometime later and ask her for her input. I can see she isn’t going to say anything for now.

“What is our relationship like with that kingdom?” I ask cautiously, not sure I can handle any more bombshells.

Layla waves a hand. “It’s fine. We leave them be, and they leave us be. We do trade with them. The Chaos Kingdom is also a veritable goldmine for precious gems, and allowing them to control them keeps them out of trouble. Plus, I’m sure they’ve gathered enough blackmail material to make even the most aggressive person tame. We have a good relationship with the new king. His grandfather was an asshole though.”

“Could the outcasts be the source of the ferals and also be responsible for Archie’s kidnapping?” I ask, grasping for straws since we really don’t have any good leads.

“No, I don’t think so. They know that if we choose to invade, their odds aren’t good,” Lucas replies, but he rubs his chin thoughtfully. “I could probably reach out to my contact and ask him to check it out though.”

“By contact, do you mean…” Before Layla can finish her question, there’s a knock at the door, and one of the palace staff members wheels in a cart filled with coffee, tea, and a variety of snacks. Although breakfast wasn’t all that long ago, my stomach rumbles at the sight of the pastry-laden gift from the kitchen. I must take a moment to pop in and talk to the kitchen staff and ask them if I can use it occasionally. Baking has always been a stress reliever for me, and I don’t see my stress levels reducing anytime soon.