Page 24 of The Forsaken Heir

AURELIUS

O ver a dozen memos and reports were spread out on my desk, each one about our family’s magical wellspring.

It was nowhere near as big as the one up north, but still significant.

The problem was, if we used it too much, the magic would be depleted to an extent we couldn’t allow.

It was partly why our partnership with the Hikshil tribe was necessary and important.

Even the Hikshil tribe couldn’t replenish the magic.

Not really. Rumor was they were somehow tied to shifters, dragons in particular.

My grandfather had told me once that if dragons ceased to exist, the wellsprings would dry up immediately.

He’d said that our race simply being on Earth would keep some of the springs active, regardless of what the humans did.

The wellsprings had formed eons ago, when humans had barely learned to scratch crude markings on cave walls, and were filled with the ancient magic of the earth itself.

No one quite knew the origins of it, but what we knew for certain was that the world had at one time been much more magical.

Creatures of night, dream, and legend had walked the land.

The wellsprings fed the genetics and ancient spells that had created shifters.

From the moment humans began to form their own magic with technology, it had begun to deplete.

First fire, then the wheel, and after that, an entire litany of advancements that caused the magic to fade.

Whether or not my grandfather had been right, all we could do was protect what was left and be good stewards of the gift the world had given us.

Hopefully, the wellsprings wouldn’t cease to exist completely.

“Your Highness?”

I glanced up to see Titus standing at the door.

“Yes, Titus?”

“We’ve received word from the Hikshil tribe. You asked to be notified the moment we heard.”

Straightening my chair, I nodded. It was as though fate had heard my thundering thoughts and sent a message. “What did they say?”

“They say they accept. They will be here, and they’ve agreed to tour our wellspring. They’ll notify us when they find a date that works with their schedule.”

“ Yes ,” I grunted, pumping a fist in victory. “This is great, Titus. Does my father know?”

“Yes, Highness. He was the first to be told.”

“Fantastic. Thank you, Titus.”

He bowed as he left, and I basked in the good news.

I’d first mentioned the matriarchs of the tribe visiting during my ambassadorial trip.

Having them here as honored guests and showing them our wellspring was sure to strengthen the bonds between us even more.

There had been rumors for years that the Laurents and other wolf families had been trying to make inroads with the Hikshil as well as other minor fae tribes.

The last thing we needed was them turning their backs on us for a better deal with the wolves.

My good mood soured at the thought of the Laurents.

I still couldn’t get Elle off my mind. Not only her, but the shit way her family treated her.

It made no sense to me—or my father, for that matter.

How could they turn their backs on such an amazing woman?

She was beautiful, smart, charismatic, and funny.

Any family would be blessed to have someone like that in their ranks.

In a pack, family was everything . Even that asshole Benedictus hadn’t cut Vincent from his family, even though he wasn’t exactly what he’d wanted in a son.

He wasn’t nice to his son—not in my estimation anyway—but there was love there, and he still kept him around.

In fact, Vince was still in line to lead the Beatrix family whenever his father stepped down or died.

As much as Benedictus looked down upon his son’s perceived shortcomings, I knew for a fact that if something were to happen to Vincent, Benedictus would move heaven and earth to protect or save his eldest child.

Yet Elle’s family couldn’t even be bothered to have her around?

Glancing at my phone on the table, I waged an internal war with myself before succumbing to my baser instincts.

I snatched the phone up, then like a sixteen-year-old human boy, searched to see if Elle had any social media accounts.

Some might call it cyberstalking, but I called it research.

I found who I thought was her when I discovered a page packed with pictures of a sewing shop, intricate needlepoint work, and embroidery.

There were also a few funny memes and a scant few photos of her with an older woman.

Seeing her smiling face in the photos actually made me more irritated at her family than before.

“You look mad.”

I flinched in surprise, and found Vincent sitting opposite me.

“Holy shit , Vince,” I gasped. “You scared the hell out of me. How’d you get in here without me hearing or smelling you?”

Vincent shrugged noncommittally. “You were really focused on whatever you were looking at. What the heck is it anyway?”

My first instinct was to hide the phone, shove it away, and lie. Instead, I told the truth. “I was searching for Elle online. Just…I guess, I wanted to see her face again.”

My friend nodded, as though he’d expected that response. “She’s pretty cool. I like her.”

“Yeah, I do too, Vince. I’m gonna miss her. Weird, right? I only knew her for, like, a day and a half.”

“Nothing weird there,” he said and started snapping the rubber band on his wrist, popping it at odd intervals. “You like what you like.” Then, doing what he always seemed to do, he took the conversation in a one-eighty. “I heard the fae are gonna visit. Is that true?”

Frowning for a moment as I tried to readjust to the change of subject, I nodded. “Yeah. I got word about ten minutes ago. How’d you hear?”

“People don’t really notice me,” he said. There was no sadness or bitterness in his voice. It was simply a statement of fact. “At least, they don’t if I’m quiet. I heard Titus telling your dad while I was having breakfast.”

“Yes, well, it’s good news for us. We’ll need to make sure everyone on the estate is prepared for them to arrive. The Hikshil tribe is…” I paused, trying to think of the most diplomatic way of explaining. “They’re a bit different from us.”

Vincent nodded, not making eye contact with me, as was his typical way of conversing. “I’ve read about them. Never met one before, though. That’ll be neat, right?”

“I hope so. In fact, I hope they enjoy themselves. I know your father feels nothing but disdain for them, but the fae of that tribe may very well be the best partners we could hope for.”

Vincent grimaced in distaste. He always became uncomfortable when talking about his father. He was stuck in the strange limbo of hating the man yet still wanting to make him proud.

“Dad doesn’t like anyone who isn’t a picture-perfect dragon shifter. If he had his way, humans, wolves, and fae would all vanish. He was not happy to see Elle here yesterday.”

I recalled the way my father had chastised him in front of half the nobles of court. It had been all I could do not to slug the man in his smug face when he’d called Elle a mutt.

“I wonder what Elle would think about the fae,” Vincent said. “If she’s been away from the shifter world for so long, I bet she’s never met them either.”

I leaned back in my chair. “True. She’d probably like them.

You know, they don’t have alphas or kings or anything like that.

Their leaders all rise up through good deeds and sacrifices they make for the tribe.

It’s mostly a matriarchal society too. She might find them strange, though dragons may be even more strange to her. ”

“I’m hungry,” Vincent said, again altering course at breakneck speed. “I’m gonna get a snack. Do you want anything?”

I chuckled. “No, buddy. I’m good. Thank you.”

“See you later,” my friend said and stood to go.

“Bye,” I said, but he’d already rounded the corner.

I gazed after him, wondering for the millionth time just how his mind worked.

Nothing about his abrupt departure would have seemed odd or ill-timed to him.

I wondered if he’d ever find a partner who would love him for who he was.

It made me sad to think that he might end up alone forever because our society was so rigid and unyielding when it came to people who didn’t fit into a perfect little box.

That thought sent my mind spiraling toward Elle again.

Sitting here in my office wasn’t helping.

I needed a change of scenery. Maybe I’d have better luck concentrating in the library.

I gathered the reports, then headed downstairs.

The house was more vibrant than it had been over the weekend.

Many more of the noble families had envoys here at court.

I cared little for all of that. All around, people stood in corners and alcoves whispering.

Deals being made, alliances formed, alliances broken, plans and schemes being hatched.

It had been like this for hundreds of years, and would probably continue for hundreds more.

Still, I took no part in it unless absolutely necessary.

As I strolled the halls, people called out greetings to me.

For the most part, they simply wanted to make a good impression on the crown prince, but more than likely, they hoped I would deign to stop and talk with them—perhaps bring them into my inner circle. All I gave in return were polite nods.

If I’d hoped to find solace and peace in the library, I was deeply mistaken. Benedictus Beatrix stood by a wall of bookshelves, a group of men around him. They grew silent as I walked in, their eyes locking on me as I entered.

“Ah,” Benedictus said, reserved haughtiness on his face. “The prince graces us with his presence.”

“Good day to you, Lord Beatrix,” I said, keeping my voice even and polite.