Page 57 of Night’s Fall (The Four Realms #1)

“We represent this realm, and its values,” Queen Calisa put in. “ Think how Sky’s Edge is perceived. The vast majority who live in the Edge are probably very lovely people. But their current king is a deviant and a tyrant. So the beings who live there are colored by his brush.”

I set my teacup in its saucer and put it on the table, saying, “ I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

“And straight up, after we’ve had the throne for forever ,” Aleece began, “it would suck if we were the ones who let it come to nothing.”

I smiled at her. “ I hadn’t thought of that either.”

My head tipped to the side and my smile became private when my beast and I felt them coming near.

Both women looked beyond me, but I knew who was entering the room before I twisted to peer over my shoulder.

Aleksei and his dad were walking in, King Fillion’s gaze on his wife, mine was on my mate, his was on me.

I started to stand, but the king said, “ Please , please, stay comfortable,” before he bent to kiss his wife’s cheek.

When he arrived, my male touched his mouth to my lips.

My beast wiggled.

His flexed.

Gods, they were so cute together.

Aleksei reached out, taking a little iced cake, greeting his sister and mother before he lounged in the couch beside me and popped the cake in his mouth.

I took him in.

This was a new Aleksei . The prince of the realm who was perfectly comfortable eating a tiny cake, slouched on a sofa that was also probably a priceless antique, this sofa in a massive palace.

It was hot.

He turned his head, caught me staring at him, and his eyes changed.

And now he was hotter.

“Enjoy tea?” he murmured.

“Yes,” I replied, still sitting primly, because the king and queen might be his mom and dad, and they would be my mother- and father-in-law, but they were still my king and queen.

His gaze raked the length of me, the look in his eyes deepened, and it took a lot not to visibly shiver, or alternately throw myself at him.

“If you two would stop having eye sex across the table from us—” Aleece began.

My head whipped her way, and I felt my cheeks warm.

“Aleece!” Queen Calisa snapped.

Aleece ignored her, grinning at us and finishing, “ It’d help a lot with my sudden urge to vomit all over the tea service.”

“Our children, Fillion ,” the queen complained.

King Fillion , however, was studying his watch unit.

He looked to Aleksei and nodded.

Aleksei straightened.

Oh boy.

“Your parents are at the guard terminal on the mainland,” he said quietly.

Dang, heck, dang, and farg .

“What’s this?” Queen Calisa inquired.

“Aleksei and I have granted the Makepeaces an audience,” King Fillion explained.

“You’ve done what ?”

The ice in her words frosting the entire room took my mind off the decision I no longer had any time to procrastinate in making and brought my attention to her.

“Dearest,” the king murmured.

“Why wasn’t I informed of this?” she demanded.

“It’s not a formal visit,” the king explained. “ We’ll speak to them in the receiving room?—”

“You will do nothing of the sort,” the queen snapped. She clicked open a handbag tucked at her side, pulled out a Palm , glared at the display and instructed it, “ Comm Dita .”

“Caly,” the king clipped.

I felt Aleksei’s mouth at my ear. “ When we discussed giving them an audience, I explained things to Dad . My guess with Mom’s reaction, he explained them to her as well.”

I wasn’t sure I understood what was going on, outside the fact they knew of my history with my parents, something I didn’t know how to feel about it, but I didn’t have time to figure it out.

“Your majesty.” A voice came from the queen’s Palm .

“There are beings at the guard terminal. They’re expected. When they arrive, take them directly to the throne room.”

“Caly!” the king bit.

She didn’t miss a beat and kept issuing orders. “ Two chairs at audience distance. Do not offer them refreshments.”

“Yes, your majesty,” the voice replied.

“Tick me when they’re settled,” the queen said.

“Will do, your majesty.”

The queen tucked her Palm back in her purse as the king blustered, “ This is precisely why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d horn in just like this.”

She took a sip of tea and, completely unperturbed, replied, “ You know me so well.”

“They’re Laura’s parents,” the king stated. “ We’re meeting them like civilized beings in the receiving room.”

“The receiving room is for honored diplomats,” she retorted. “ Elected officials. Nobles of good standing. It is not for the likes of those two beings .”

I was suddenly feeling a lot, but I didn’t have time for that either.

“What’s this about?” Aleece asked.

“You will come with us,” the queen told her instead of answering. “ United front.”

On the words united front , Aleece gave Aleksei big eyes.

“It’ll be Aleksei and I ,” the king stated.

“It will be all of us, Fillion . All of us . And you know why,” she retorted.

Aleksei took my hand before he said, “ Laura has yet to decide if she’ll join us.”

“Pish,” the queen returned. “ She will stand with her family.”

Stand with her family .

Oh yeah.

I was feeling a lot.

Aleksei’s voice was inflexible when he started, “ Mother? —”

“She’ll stand with her family, son,” she repeated.

“I’ll go,” I said softly.

And I would go because, one day, I was going to be Queen Calisa .

One day, I was going to stand for the values of this realm.

No, I already did.

I couldn’t hide from this. I couldn’t let others face it for me.

I had to stand for myself.

If this family intended to stand for me, I would stand with this family.

Aleksei’s hand squeezed mine.

“You don’t have to, darling, no matter what my mother says,” Aleksei assured.

I looked to him. “ I’ll go, honey.”

His study of my face was a veritable examination, and I knew he wasn’t certain of his conclusions when he asked, “ Are you sure?”

No, I was not.

Though, I also was.

I nodded.

“If you’re uncomfortable in the slightest,” the king said, “you shouldn’t go. Or if you feel uncomfortable while it’s happening, you should feel free to leave.” He looked to Aleksei . “ Comm Allain . Tell him to wait outside the door. If Laura needs to leave, he can escort her to your suite.”

Aleksei pulled out his Palm .

“I’ll be fine,” I asserted.

The king sat on the arm of the sofa by his wife, his focus on me.

“ My dear, there will be many times in the service of the throne you’ll be uncomfortable.

When some old windbag has your ear and doesn’t want to give it up and you can’t get away.

When some pompous ambassador pontificates ad nauseum, and you don’t agree with a single thing he says, but you have to keep your mouth shut.

When some aristocrat gets on a tear of self-aggrandizing, and all you want is to tell him to be quiet, but you cannot.

However , this is not one of those times.

” He peered down at his wife. “ And no, Caly . I don’t care what protocol dictates.

These beings aren’t meaningful. If she wants to leave, she’ll go. ”

“I didn’t say a word, Fillion ,” the queen replied. “ Goodness , of course, if she wants to leave, she’ll go.”

Aleksei and Aleece were exchanging meaningful glances, but my parents were right then being processed to enter the castle (whatever that entailed, I’d ask Aleksei later).

I needed to focus on the fact I was going to see them for the first time in over a decade, that they probably weren’t expecting me, and the reason they were here was because I’d landed myself the mate to end all mates, so they were probably going to ask for something.

I also had to focus on the hope that Aleksei wouldn’t go back on his assertion he wasn’t going to literally tear them apart.

“We should address what has so far been left undiscussed,” the queen declared.

I pulled myself out of my thoughts and focused on her.

“Timothee and Errol ,” she went on.

Oh dear.

The king seemed to tense. Aleece was gazing with great interest into her teacup. Aleksei sighed.

“First, our apologies to you, Laura , for how terribly they’ve behaved in your presence. Twice ,” she said.

“Family is family, these things happen,” I replied.

“They do, but the apology is deserved, nevertheless,” she returned.

I nodded.

She looked to Aleksei . “ Your father and I have spoken to them. They understand you have our full support. As I can never predict their behavior, I can’t say how they’ll react.

I do know both of them have kept to the Palace , because Timothee is sequestered here, but even Errol has done the same.

It seems Timothee is sulking, but I have hopes that Errol is considering the error of his ways, and I have further hope for good things. ”

“Perhaps they’re not too old to learn,” the king murmured.

“They’ll have to be, because they have no choice,” Aleksei stated.

Aleece was watching me with unhidden curiosity mixed with concern.

I smiled at her, though I wasn’t sure how effective my smile was.

I became sure when her concern visibly deepened.

The queen lifted her hand and looked at her watch.

She then lifted her head and said, “ Your parents have arrived.”

Ugh.

Here we go.

Dang.