Page 1 of The Shattered Kingdom (The Cursed Kingdom #2)

ABBY

ARE THEY GOING to kill us? I assume not, considering Lill is Kie and Mason’s mate. It’s a discovery I didn’t expect, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. I’m avoiding thinking about it at all.

I walk beside Lill, my hand brushing hers. Her skin is cold, but the knowledge that she’s alive brings me so much comfort. I spare her a glance, my attention captured by her gaunt cheeks and hollow violet eyes. She looks exhausted, and I can only imagine how hard my disappearance has been on her.

Kie and Mason walk ahead of us. They’re both equally stiff, their movements just a little too purposeful to look natural. Both men are tall, but Kie’s leaner form fits in amongst the faeries. Mason looks like a bulldozer. He stands out, clearly not one of them.

Their dark hair doesn’t help. Kie’s short black hair sticks out like a sore thumb against the sea of white blonde, as does Mason’s dark brown strands. If it weren’t for Kie’s violet eyes and pointed features, I’d question whether he’s actually a faerie.

Mason could never pass for one. I’ve not met another shifter, but I can tell he’s one through and through.

Queen Gitta trails behind us with two of her guards. I can’t see her, but I can feel her presence.

Do they intend to lock Lill and me up inside that damned bedroom again?

We round a corner, one I vaguely recognize. The outdoor corridors separating the buildings are nearly identical, though, so maybe not. The walkways were beautiful in the light of day, but it’s a different story when the sun is down.

The large, butterfly and vine covered trellises overhead are suffocating. It’s too dark to see the details, and the sound of thousands of beating wings is unnerving.

We pass through a courtyard containing a large fountain, one with several women standing around it. They openly stare at us, their curious gazes darting rapidly between Kie and Mason before shifting toward me and Lill. Then they land on Queen Gitta and quickly dart away.

Her Majesty insists on following us back to Kie and Mason’s home, probably to ensure Lill is locked away to her satisfaction. Mason accused Lill of murdering Kie’s father, of murdering the faerie king. That’s not to be taken lightly.

I still don’t believe Mason’s accusation, and I glare at the back of his head as we reach the small courtyard that separates the royal housing area from the remainder of the property. The walkways are open past the courtyard, no stifling trellis overhead, and there are no faeries lingering about.

Even Mason seems to relax as we find ourselves alone, his tense shoulders dropping and his gloved fists unclenching at his sides.

I hate to admit that Mason looks different when freshly changed and showered.

He seems less wild, less dangerous. I’m not quite so afraid he’s going to shift into his animal form and tear out my throat at a moment’s notice.

I grab the rolled waistband of my pants and pull them up, the fabric too loose to remain in place.

While Mason dressed himself in a perfectly tailored, expensive-looking shirt and pants, he gave me lounge clothing.

They’re oversized and sloppy, and the well-dressed faeries with whom we’ve had the misfortune of crossing paths must think so little of me.

Hopefully Kie’s shirtless and unshowered appearance distracted them.

If not, then Lill definitely did. She’s so visibly thin and sick, and she’s wearing Kie’s shirt.

She wouldn’t need to wear it had Kie done a better job watching over her.

He may not have approved the whipping, but it happened on his watch.

The thought of one of those faerie guards tearing off Lill’s shirt and hurting her has bile rising up the back of my throat, and I do my best to push the mental image of her bloodied skin and pained screams aside. I can and will fret over her later.

The royal houses are nestled inside a wooded area, and we weave through small paths lined with several trees before reaching Kie and Mason’s home.

The single-story brick building doesn’t look very royal, which I assume is purposeful.

They probably don’t want their home to be easily identifiable.

It would make it too easy for somebody to break in and murder them.

There’s a smaller house beside theirs, and Kie guides us toward it.

Four steps lead to a small porch and a dark, wooden front door.

I thought he was bringing us to the house he shares with Mason, but I won’t complain about having my own space.

This house looks easy enough to escape from, assuming Lill wants to.

I have no idea what to think or how to feel about the mate bond she supposedly feels with Kie and Mason, and she might decide it’s best to remain here.

It’s one of the many things we need to discuss.

“The guest house?” Queen Gitta asks the question, her voice loud as it travels from behind. She doesn’t sound pleased.

Kie nods, then runs his fingers through his hair. The dark strands are knotted from our time in the forest, and he grimaces as he looks at Queen Gitta over his shoulder. His gaze briefly flashes toward Lill and me, but it doesn’t linger.

I shift my focus toward Mason. The shifter hasn’t spoken in several minutes, which isn’t unusual. Still, I don’t trust it. Zaha has decided that he’s to be king, and I can only imagine the thoughts running through his mind right now.

He’s going to side with the shifters and destroy the faeries. I just know it.

I hope to be present when Queen Gitta finds out.

I don’t appreciate how she had me brought to the meeting hall, throne-room area, nor do I appreciate how she looks at Lill and me with such open disgust. We didn’t ask to be brought here, and despite the rumors that have spread regarding Lill’s involvement in the king’s murder, she was just a child.

There’s no way they’re seriously going to accuse a seven-year-old child of murder. That’s unbelievable.

Even if Lill did do it, there must be more to the story. Children don’t just murder people.

Queen Gitta clears her throat. “Lillian and the human should be housed somewhere with—”

Kie interrupts. “Lillian is our mate. She will not be treated as a prisoner, and the guest suite is highly guarded.”

“Then you should at least consider putting the human in—”

Mason spins, piercing Queen Gitta with his signature blank stare. “The human stays with us.”

The human has a name. It’s annoying that nobody seems keen to use it. I understand the faeries don’t think highly of my kind, but to disregard me so openly is just plain disrespectful. For a species of beings who pride themselves on their grace, they’re sure fucking rude.

Queen Gitta doesn’t react to Mason’s stare or tone, at least not outwardly. She appears utterly unaffected, which I’m sure infuriates the shifter.

“That’s not your decision to make,” she says. “Kieran is—”

This is my time to shine. “Kieran isn’t anything.

He agreed to give his title to Mason in exchange for Zaha stopping the growth of delysum.

” All attention shifts to me, and when neither Kie nor Mason dart forward to snap my neck, I continue.

“Zaha’s original plan was for Kieran to lead the faeries, Mason to lead the shifters, and for their mate to unite them, but that plan went to shit when Mason’s parents abandoned him.

Zaha doesn’t believe the faeries need three rulers, and she’s decided that Mason is the best option. ”

I’m fighting back a smile by the time I finish explaining this particular nugget of truth.

Queen Gitta is red in the face, the elegant queen finally giving a reaction.

I chose to keep this information to myself when Queen Gitta tried to humiliate me earlier.

I wanted to keep my cards close to my chest, but there’s no point.

Lill has been discovered, and it seems Kie and Mason don’t intend to kill us. There’s no reason for me not to overshare.

Queen Gitta takes a second to collect herself, smoothing down her black dress before tucking a strand of white-blonde hair behind her ear. Her gloves are black, and she clasps her hands politely in front of her waist. This appears to be her go-to stance.

“Is this true?” she asks Kie.

“Yes.”

“And when were you planning on informing me?”

“Soon.” Kie shrugs, the action oddly informal. He’s comfortable around his mother, despite her title of queen and her haughty attitude. “After dealing with Lillian and Abby.”

Queen Gitta’s throat bobs. “Your coronation is to be held three days after your return, Kieran. That is what we promised our people. This is an immediate issue I should have been informed of directly upon your return. ”

I’m not a massive fan of Queen Gitta, but she makes a good point.

Kie and Mason pretend to be in charge, but she’s the acting ruler.

They should’ve gone to her first and let her decide how to handle the issue, but I’m glad they didn’t.

Lill wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to touch Kie had he not decided to interrogate her first, and I don’t even want to think about what her future would hold if she didn’t have the security of the mate bond behind her.

I doubt Queen Gitta is above torture. The guard felt comfortable whipping Lill, so the action must not be foreign here. If things were left up to Queen Gitta, there’s a fair possibility I’d currently be in the cells alongside Lill.

Queen Gitta sucks her cheeks into her mouth. “We should continue this discussion in private.”

Her two guards are pretending not to be listening, but I’m sure they’re tuned into every word. I’m willing to bet money they’re going to be spreading the information I shared as soon as they can. The details I provided Queen Gitta are juicy, too juicy not to share.

Neither Kie nor Mason respond verbally to Queen Gitta, but they both turn around, facing forward, and resume walking toward the guest house.

The wooden steps are sturdy beneath my feet, and they creak slightly as Kie pushes open the front door and steps inside.

Mason quickly follows, and I find myself holding my breath as Lill and I enter.

I’m scared—I’m willing to admit that to myself—and I inch closer to Lill as we crowd together in the small foyer.

Queen Gitta enters behind us, then shuts the door. There are no guards present, but they’re not needed. Lill and I would never stand a chance against two powerful faeries and a shifter, especially given Lill’s current physical state.

The magic that floats through the air will heal her, I know it will, but it’s going to take time. I hope not too much. I trust Lill with my life, but I’d feel better if she had her regular faerie strength and powers available.

The house's layout is nearly identical to Kie and Mason’s, but on a smaller scale.

The foyer opens immediately into the living room, and there’s an oversized couch filling most of the space. There’s no fireplace, though, which is a shame. I love fireplaces.

Beyond the living room is a wall of windows, but it’s too dark outside to see the view. I doubt it matters. The windows are likely reinforced, and if not, I’m sure Kie will use his magic to ensure they can’t be opened. Escape won’t come via the form of a window.

The kitchen is on the right, and on the left is a hallway that I assume leads to bedrooms and bathrooms. I eye the wide island separating me from the kitchen, debating whether or not searching for another knife is a good idea or a suicide mission.

I highly doubt Mason will take kindly to me stabbing him twice.

“Don’t even think about it.” Mason’s sharp command is startling. His green eyes are too bright, almost like he’s recalling me stabbing him with fondness. He’s fucking mad. “I allowed you your one strike, but it won’t happen again. What you do to me , I’ll do back to you .”

Is he threatening to stab me? I take in his wild, brown hair, crazy eyes, and slight smirk. He most definitely is.

Kieran shifts, crossing his arms over his chest. If he’s angry about me spilling the details of his conversation with Zaha, he isn’t showing it. He looks generally annoyed, his lips pursed and posture tense, but that’s how he looked even before I opened my mouth.

He’s probably relieved I took it upon myself to speak up. I saved him the trouble.

Does he believe the accusation Mason spewed earlier? Does he genuinely believe that Lill murdered his father? It’s absurd.

Lill shifts her weight from foot to foot, her shoulder brushing mine.

I have so many things I want to tell her, but I’d prefer to wait until we’re alone to inform her of her mates’ behaviors these past few days.

They treated me like shit and tried to gift me to a god, and I’m going to make sure she knows it.

She should know who her mates are.

Then she’s going to tell me every detail about her childhood. She’s neglected to share some vital information, and I’m done being left in the dark. I deserve some damn answers.

“I won’t lock you up,” Kie says, finally breaking the silence. “But know that we will be alerted the moment you set foot outside.”

His threats mean little to me.

Lill nods. “Okay.”

Kie continues staring at her, not responding. I’m pleased he isn’t paying me any mind. I’ve never liked his attention.

Besides, Mason is giving me enough to last a lifetime. The shifter is openly staring at me, and I can’t recall the last time he blinked. He’s probably upset I’m brushing shoulders with Lill, and I hope he doesn’t become protective over her.

What does a protective shifter even look like? Will he try to pee on her? Maybe hump her leg like a rabid dog? Neither would surprise me, but she’s my friend before she’s his mate. If he wants her attention, he can get in line. The mate bond can eat dirt.

Silence continues to stretch between the five of us, and it’s beyond awkward.

Mason is the one to break it with a low, gruff order. “Explain.”

He’s talking to Lill. I can’t fathom whom else he’d be speaking to. Surely, not Kie or Queen Gitta. Or me. I’m just the lowly human here.