Page 13 of The Shattered Kingdom (The Cursed Kingdom #2)

ABBY

I’VE FUCKED UP. I’ve fucked up big time.

Does Mason know I’m here? He has to know I’m here. He can probably smell me, or maybe he can hear my panicked, uneven breathing.

I press my back against the bathroom door, my heart pounding as I listen to him through the wall.

He’s been watching me like a hawk these past few days, and I never imagined he’d return to his home after meeting with Kie.

He’s going as far as to sleep on the couch outside Lill’s and my bedroom, for fuck’s sake.

The guards who linger around the royal housing area weren’t paying attention to me, and Mason and Kie’s house was just a few doors down.

How could I not snoop?

If I’m going to be stuck in the faerie realm for the indefinite future, I might as well use it to my advantage. I planned to search through Mason’s things and find leverage to use against him. It was a foolproof idea.

My pulse skyrockets as Mason’s footfalls near the door I’m hiding behind, and I hold my breath until he retreats. He’s pacing, probably upset about something. He’s going to murder me. He’s going to rip out my spine and leave me to bleed out on his bathroom floor.

What are the odds he comes in here? Too high to leave to chance.

The only way out is through Mason’s bedroom, and the window above the walk-in shower is too narrow to fit through. It’s also high on the wall, and I’m not sure I can do the pull-up required to escape.

There’s a cabinet underneath the sink. It’ll be tight, but I think I can fit inside. It’s my only option.

I’m careful to keep quiet as I open the cabinet door and peek inside. There’s a ton of stuff in here, and I grimace as I slide Mason’s products aside. How many grooming items can one person possibly need?

“Fuck!”

Mason’s sudden shout has me flinching, and my heart stops as one of the bottles tips over. I dart forward to catch it, but I’m not fast enough. Mason’s pacing comes to an abrupt halt the second the bottle clatters against the bottom of the cabinet, and I hang my head. He heard.

The bathroom door slams against the wall with a loud bang, but I’m expecting it.

I remain where I am, not having the courage to face Mason.

Instead, I shut the cabinet door and press my forehead against it, waiting for death. I can only hope it comes quickly. When several seconds pass and my head is still connected to the rest of my body, I accept defeat and face Mason.

He’s not pleased. He’s glaring daggers at me, his gloved hands clenching and unclenching as I rise to my feet.

I imagine he doesn’t enjoy people sneaking into his room and going through his things, but it’s not my fault I wasn’t stopped.

You’d think that as the crowned prince and soon-to-be king, his home would be better protected.

Mason blinks. “Why?”

He steps farther into the room, and I curl my fingers around the sink as I try to think of an excuse. Anything will do, but nothing comes to mind.

“I wanted to go through your things,” I admit. I’ve never been a good liar, and I don’t see the point in trying. “I don’t trust you, and I wanted to see what I could learn.”

“Oh?” Mason quirks a brow. “And what have you learned?”

“Nothing useful.”

I only had a few minutes to explore before Mason came storming into his bedroom, and other than the copious amount of hair products hidden beneath his sink, his room is void of personality. I suppose that’s what I learned about Mason. He’s bland.

Bland and boring, like unseasoned chicken.

I did find one item of interest, but I won’t mention it until I need to.

“Sorry to hear that.” Mason doesn’t sound the least bit sorry. The corner of his lip curls. “I’ve learned something quite interesting about you this morning."

He sounds proud of himself, and I don’t like it.

“And what’s that?” I ask.

Mason reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a piece of red lace. It takes approximately half a second to realize it’s a pair of underwear dangling off his finger, and I scrunch my nose while I wait for him to explain.

Are they his? Maybe Mason has a thing for wearing women’s underwear.

“Are you poor?” he asks instead.

“What?”

Mason tosses the underwear toward me, and I clamp my arms to my sides. I’m not catching them. That’s disgusting.

The lace hits my stomach before landing on the floor by my feet. I peer down at the fabric, still confused, before sucking in a shaky breath when I spot the branded tag on the back. I highly doubt the small boutique I purchase my lingerie from exists in this realm.

My heart pounds as I snatch the underwear up off the floor, anger mounting as I come to the horrible realization that they’re mine. Fucking Kie. He went through my dresser drawers when Zaha brought us to the human realm, but I didn’t realize he’d stolen anything. I should’ve known better.

I don’t understand why they’re in Mason’s possession, though, or why he’s carrying them around in his back pocket.

Mason points toward them. “The fabric quality is poor, and I’m concerned you’re impoverished. Are you?”

It takes several seconds for me to work up the strength to speak. “Why do you have these?”

Mason shrugs. “I was flirting with the idea of keeping them as a memento of our time together. Maybe wearing them for the council members who insist on probing up my ass. I haven’t decided.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be.”

“Lill’s my best friend,” I say, “and your mate. You shouldn’t be walking around with my underwear in your pocket.”

It’s beyond inappropriate, and I won’t stand for it. Mason shifts his weight from foot to foot, visibly contemplating, before speaking.

“She’s not our mate,” he says. What the hell is that supposed to mean? “Lilly’s using some sort of magic to trick Kie. I don’t know how it works or why she’s doing it, but I’m certain she isn’t our mate. ”

That’s simply not true. Lill wouldn’t lie about that, especially to me. I’ve seen how she talks about Kie and Mason and how desperate she is to make their bond work. She may be lying about a few things, but not that. I don’t believe it.

“I’m telling the truth, Abby.” Mason steps toward me. “Lilly is not our mate. I feel nothing when I touch her.”

Nothing? That’s just not possible. Lill and Kie clearly feel something when they touch one another.

“Have you considered the possibility that it’s you who's broken?” I snap. “That maybe Zaha decided to punish you and take away your mate?”

Mason nods. “Yes, I did, but I still feel a connection with Kie. Lilly is lying to us, you included.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “And why are you telling me this?”

“Because I feel inclined to be honest with you, even when that includes telling you things I shouldn’t.” Mason scowls, running his fingers through his hair.

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I don’t particularly enjoy it.”

“Yes, you do. Touch me.” The words are out of my mouth before I truly register what I’m saying. “With your skin. Touch me.”

I have suspicions.

Mason gulps, shaking his head. “No. Don’t ask that of me.”

I don’t see why I shouldn’t. He’s obsessed with me, and if Lill isn’t his mate, then I want him to touch me.

I want to confirm that I’m not his mate.

If Lill is lying, which I’m still doubtful of, she and Callie must have ulterior motives.

Maybe those motives included me. Perhaps they came to my town and Lill befriended me because I’m Kie and Mason’s mate.

I reach for Mason, fully intent on taking matters into my own hands, but he snatches my wrist with his gloved hand before I make contact.

“I’ll break your wrist,” he threatens.

“No, you won’t.”

Mason tightens his grip, trying to scare me. It doesn’t work, and he awkwardly releases me after a second. I attempt to touch him again, but he snatches my wrist once more. He doesn’t break it, even when I try for the third time.

“Enough!” Mason hisses. “You’re being inappropriate.”

I bark out a laugh. “ I’m being inappropriate?” I can’t believe he’d even say that. “You’re carrying my lingerie around in your pocket.”

Mason’s left shoulder rises in a halfhearted, lazy shrug.

“Why won’t you touch me?” I ask.

Mason retreats into the bathroom doorway, putting space between us. “Because Kie’s hoarding purple, plastic tiaras, and I’m searching for places to hide your cheap, scratchy underwear.”

His admission is unspoken, but I hear it loud and clear. He thinks I could be his mate. I’m not the only one with suspicions.

I cross my arms over my chest. “If you think I’m your mate, you should touch me and prove it.”

A part of me is terrified that he might be.

“And what if you are?” Mason asks.

I don’t know.

“Are you prepared to live permanently in the faerie realm? Are you prepared to be a queen?” Mason hammers me with questions I don’t have the answer to.

“Are you prepared to love us? Because that’s what would happen.

Once a mate bond is triggered, it’s all-consuming.

You’ll beg for me, you’ll beg for Kie, and you won’t be able to stop it. ”

Kie and Mason kidnapped me, threatened to murder me, and then tried to gift me to Zaha. Begging them will never happen, mate bond or not.

Mason licks his lips and peers down at me, and I look away when his stare grows too intense.

“Why do you think Lill is lying?” I ask. “ If the bond were fake, that doesn’t mean she’s responsible. Have you considered the possibility that she’s being tricked, too?”

“She didn’t return when Callie died,” Mason says.

“If what she says is true, why remain hidden in the human realm? You may not like Kie and me, but we aren’t unreasonable men, nor are we malevolent leaders.

We don’t punish children for the actions of adults, and she knew that.

” He throws his hands in the air. “We were best friends! Lilly was my best fucking friend, and she chose death over me. Why?”

I gulp, not having a good answer. I haven’t thought of that.

“She couldn’t have known she wouldn’t be punished,” I say. “Callie probably told her she’d be killed or imprisoned for treason.”

Mason shakes his head. “That’s not it.” He sounds confident, and a tiny, minuscule piece of me believes him. “I think she knows something, and she’s scared of us finding out what it is. Maybe Callie told her something before she died, or maybe Callie is still alive. I don’t know.”

Why are they so convinced Callie is alive? She’s dead. I know she’s dead.

“And why shouldn’t I tell Lill everything you’ve told me?” I ask.

Mason darts forward, snatching my underwear out of my hand. My jaw drops as he shoves them into his back pocket, not the least bit embarrassed of himself.

“You’re not going to tell her,” Mason taunts. What makes him think that? “Deep down inside, I know you believe me. It’s written all over your face. You’re guilty, probably because you already suspect she’s keeping secrets.”

Mason steps aside, moving out of the bathroom doorway. I ignore the hint to leave.

“If you gave us some time alone, I could speak to her,” I say. “She’ll tell me the truth.”

“No.”

“Ple—”

“No.”

I sigh. “Mason, I—”

“I said no .”

“Fuck you.”

I push off the sink and storm toward the doorway, done with this conversation.

Mason doesn’t try to stop me, and in a fit of anger, I throw my bare hand toward his face as I pass by.

It’s a sad attempt to touch him, and Mason doesn’t even flinch as he grabs my forearm and pulls my fingers out of his space.

“I hope you’re my mate,” I spit. “I’ll never forgive you and Kie for what you two did to me, and I’d enjoy making your life miserable.”

Mason releases my arm, his expression a cool mask of indifference. “If you were my mate, you wouldn’t have a choice. The bond would drive us together, and you’d be helpless to stop it.”

Mason has no idea how petty I can be. My ability to hold a grudge is unparalleled.