Page 44 of Obsessively Yours (Fae Kings of Eden #2)

44

Roman lay under his and Violet’s bed with his wife tucked safely in his arms. “I don’t need to hide under here,” she insisted with care, as if dealing with a feral beast. “I’m okay.”

The day’s events played in a loop in his head, fueling his scattered emotions. He could feel that Violet told the truth, her emotions twisted up but not overwhelming like his.

He’d lifted Violet’s limp body off the ground and taken her to a healer. They’d cleaned up her head wound and waved something under her nose to wake her up. After they’d assured Roman at least ten times she’d be fine with plenty of rest, he’d carried her home and slipped them both under the bed.

“Open the bedroom door,” War rumbled.

“How did you get inside the bunker?”

“Your mother let me in. Open the door.” A moment passed, then, “Let me in or I’ll break in,” the beast warned.

Roman sighed. “War’s here. I need to let him in or he’ll—” No sooner had the words left his mouth than the tigon barreled through the bedroom door, splintering the wood. “Break the door down.”

War growled and padded across the room, and Violet laughed. The bed skirt ruffled, and War’s paws and nose appeared under the edge of the bed.

“I need to see her,” the beast insisted. “You should have made the beds higher.”

Roman kissed Violet on the forehead. “If he doesn’t see you in the next five seconds, he might rip the bed apart.”

Violet giggled and scooted out from under the bed. By the time Roman had joined her, she had her arms wrapped around War’s neck. “I’m okay.” She pulled back and kissed his cheek. The tigon purred and nudged her cheek with his nose.

Never had Roman seen a creature jump higher than War did when Babs came racing into the room. The tigon abandoned Violet, bounding onto the bed with a biting growl. The vicious little hen waddled as fast as her stick legs could carry her into Roman’s arms.

He picked her up and pet the top of her head, smiling as she burrowed into his chest.

Violet tilted her head back to stare up at War from her position on the floor. “Don’t worry, big guy. I’ll protect you.”

“The only thing you’re doing is climbing into bed,” Roman interjected.

Violet used the bed to stand and pointed at him. “You’re covered in blood, and I’m covered in dirt. We both need to bathe and eat before you tie me to this bed.”

He lifted a brow and grinned as a pretty blush spread across her face.

“I’m leaving,” War grumbled and jumped off the bed. He nudged Violet once more, then disappeared through the broken doorway.

Violet bid him goodbye and held out her arms for Babs. “You need to rest too. You’ve had enough excitement for the day.” Roman had examined the hen for injuries earlier. Other than her ripped skirt and missing bow, she was fine. He trailed after Violet to Babs’ coop and helped her lock the escape artist inside.

* * *

Roman held Violet’s hand as they stepped into her parents’ cottage in the warrior compound. Meri and Edgar sat on either side of Vivian on the settee in their front room, speaking about something Roman couldn’t make out.

Roman’s father, who led interrogations, had released Vivian earlier after gathering all the information she had on the rebels and their base. She’d claimed Titus had moved them to a remote village she’d never heard of on the southwestern side of the kingdom where his parents lived.

Unbeknownst to her, it wasn’t a village at all, but a rebel camp with small cottages and a training ground. Everyone knew to keep quiet around her and had hidden anything identifying them as rebels.

For over a year they’d fooled her, and when Titus had started to pull away from her, she’d followed him to see if another woman held his affections. Instead, she’d overheard him with his father and confronted him.

She had no information on the other rebel factions, and the beasts War brought had left no survivors to ask, but it was safe to assume the beasts had taken out a large chunk of the rebels from different areas of the kingdom. They’d succeeded in coming together for an attack but hadn’t counted on the beasts turning on them.

Roman’s men would head out for the rebel compound tomorrow. With luck, Marissa would be there, too. At Violet’s insistence, the woman had disappeared. Until they located her, they’d put a warrant out in every village in the kingdom.

Meri’s tear-stained face raised to Roman and Violet. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For sparing her. We know you were within your rights to execute her.” Her throat bobbed.

Vivian’s jaw flexed, her eyes downcast.

Roman tipped his head toward Violet. “Thank her. Had it been up to me, her head would be on a spike.”

Everyone in the room stared at him, Meri crying out, and Violet gasping. “Stop that,” his wife chided. “He’s joking.”

No, he wasn’t, but he’d let her believe what she wished.

Edgar tracked Roman’s movements across the room as he and Violet sat down. The general knew Roman well, having trained him since childhood. Roman recognized the man’s knowing look.

Violet pulled her shoulders back and straightened her spine, looking every bit the queen she was. “We came to discuss Vivian’s fate.” Vivian stiffened, and her parents exchanged a look, but no one dared interrupt the queen. “You will leave the Tropical Kingdom indefinitely.”

Vivian stared down her sister. Roman expected hatred or anger but found resignation.

“You may visit, but only with written consent. When you wish to visit, you will send in a written request. We will not deny you, Viv, but you will need permission so we can send you an escort.”

Vivian remained silent, and Roman sensed his mate’s trepidation. Having authority over people did not come easy to her yet.

“This is not to punish you, Viv,” she said softly. “It is for your safety. Residents of a small village attacked me because they thought I was you.”

Vivian shot to her feet. “What?”

Roman stood and moved in front of Violet. “Sit down.”

Vivian glared at him and lowered herself into her seat. “I wouldn’t hurt her, I just—I didn’t know.” She swallowed and looked at Violet. “I’m sorry. For everything.”

Roman sat down and snaked an arm around his wife’s waist. Violet leaned into his side for comfort. “I know, and I wish things could have been different between us.”

Vivian leaned back and rested her head against the back of the settee to stare at the ceiling. She whispered, “I wish the gods had bonded him to you first. What was the point?”

“The gods know what they’re doing,” Meri said with unwavering certainty. “Fate cannot be questioned or fought.”

Vivian let out a hollow laugh. “That’s easy for you to say. You weren’t duped. Your heart wasn’t shattered into a thousand pieces.”

“I was,” Violet snapped. “My heart was broken, but not only by Titus, by you, too.” Roman fought the urge to wash her mouth out with soap for reminding him she’d once loved another. “Fate doesn’t force you to act a certain way. That was your choice, and now you must deal with the consequences.”

Silence.

Violet stood. “I would like to have dinner with you all before your departure,” she informed her sister. “We are not close, and have not been for well over a decade, so I’ll not pretend to be now. But I do love you, and I only wish you the best.”

Vivian’s eyes searched Violet’s before she nodded slightly. “I love you, too.”

* * *

War and Roman strolled leisurely behind Violet and Slayton as Roman dismally watched Slayton help the queen gather flowers. It should be him holding her basket, but she’d complained that she’d had no time with Slayton since her return.

“You cannot kill him,” War informed him unhelpfully.

Roman glared at his familiar . “For now.”

Violet and Slayton stopped to pick another bundle, and War plopped down on his hind quarters. “Everyone knows you like the man. Why do you deny it?”

Slayton sniffed a flower Violet held out for him and sneezed. Roman grinned. “Where’s the fun in that?” He considered the tigon at his side. “The beasts from the forest, the ones who fought for us. How is that possible?”

War cocked his head to the side, piercing Roman with his unusual eyes. “Why do you think the gods gave royals familiars ?”

Roman’s brows drew together. “Companionship and protection.”

War made a snorting sound, and Roman scowled. “You think the gods sent us to be your friend?” He had. “We are protectors of the kingdoms, just as royals are. In times of need, we can connect with every animal in our kingdoms and call on them for help.”

Roman scratched his jaw. That couldn’t be right. “Not every familiar is derived from the fae lands. The Mountain King has an owl.”

If tigons could roll their eyes, War would have. “The gods give every royal a familiar they need. For whatever reason, the Mountain King needed an owl. You needed me.”

“To protect Violet,” Roman said more to himself than War. “Only a beast of your caliber could have saved her from the rebel attacks.”

Roman swore War puffed out his chest. “You are correct.”

“Why don’t familiars tell the beasts not to attack normal people? And why didn’t the rebels just glamour themselves and run?” Roman mused. He had a million questions.

“Animals are wild. We do not disrupt their nature unless absolutely needed,” War explained. “When called upon to protect, they can see through their enemies’ glamour.”

“Roman!” Violet shrieked. Had he not felt her excitement through the bond, he would have thought something bad happened and killed Slayton on reflex.

He and War started toward the other two. “What is it, princess?”

She waved a solid pink flower proudly in the air. “I found one.”

He had no idea what she was talking about but smiled anyway. “It’s beautiful.” Slayton held out the basket, but Roman plucked the flower from his wife’s hand. “I’ll carry it.”