Page 3 of The Shattered Kingdom (The Cursed Kingdom #2)
KIERAN
I SLIDE MY thumb down the side of my drinking glass, wiping away the condensation. Mason sits to my left, his plate of food untouched. Why isn’t he eating? It’s unlike him, and I shoot him a sideways glance before directing my attention toward Anox.
As the council leader, the faerie elder sits at the head of the table opposite my mother. He’s wearing traditional faerie robes, the thick, brown fabric wrapped tightly around his torso and draped over his arms. It’s an outdated style, which is likely why Anox prefers it. He wants to stand out.
“This is unacceptable,” he says, looking between me and my mother. “This decision cannot be made without council permission.”
Lady Cassandra makes a quiet noise of agreement, and Lord Bishop quickly does the same.
They don’t like Mason, and they make no attempts to pretend otherwise.
I eye Lady Cassandra, noting she’s chosen to wear her long white hair down this evening.
The casual hairstyle is unlike her. I assume it’s a result of how quickly this meeting was called.
Lord Bishop is also dressed down. He’s traded his usual formal attire for a dark linen shirt and black pants. His short white hair is even mussed, not slicked back as he typically prefers.
I’ve never held him in high regard.
I hoped he’d come into usefulness with age, but he’s yet to make a valuable contribution in the thirty-four years he’s been alive. If it weren’t for his family title and influence, he’d have been removed from the council years ago.
I might see to it myself when I—when Mason—takes control.
“There must be something we can do,” Anox continues. He turns toward me. “Did Zaha seem open to compromise?”
I raise my glass to my mouth, letting my mother take charge of this conversation. I have no problems leading council meetings, and I’ve begun doing so with increasing frequency as my coronation approaches. Still, my mother insisted we meet with the council immediately. She can handle this.
She smacks her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Zaha doesn’t compromise, and we shouldn’t risk angering her by trying. Delysum has been a growing problem for years, and if Zaha has agreed to halt its growth, we aren’t in a position to risk anything more.”
She’s right. The shifters have been cultivating the plant for too long, and it’s only a matter of time before they use it against us.
We’ve prepared for it as best we can, but there’s little we can do to defend ourselves.
Delysum reacts violently with magic, and despite the thousands of hours of research we’ve poured into it, we’ve found no way to combat its devastating effects.
Lady Cassandra straightens up, preparing to speak.
“I agree with Her Majesty. Prince Kieran made an agreement with Zaha, and we must honor it.” She frowns, her violet gaze settling on Mason.
“We’ll have to be delicate in our announcement, and we should push back the coronation. Weeks, if we can manage it.”
“No,” Anox says. “Pushing back the coronation will be seen as hesitance. People will speculate that we’re looking into alternatives, and the shifters will sink their claws into that weakness. The coronation should continue as scheduled.”
Mother nods. “I agree. Kieran?”
“Yes. We shouldn’t postpone the coronation.” I drag my thumb through the condensation of my cup again, smearing the buildup. “What do you think, Mason?”
He’s being largely ignored, and while that isn’t unusual, it will only spell trouble. Mason is intelligent, and he holds grudges. He notices the subtle snubbing of the council members, and if they don’t adjust their attitudes accordingly, it will only make the transition period harder.
Mason blinks, his expression perfectly composed. “I agree.”
“Of course he does.”
The snide remark comes from Lord Bishop, who quickly sinks into his seat when he notices the several sharp looks shot in his direction. The council members may not speak directly to Mason, but they remain respectful. They know better than to start a war with their future king.
Mother clears her throat. “We should sleep on the news and reconvene tomorrow morning.” She turns toward Mason and me. “Would you care to share your other news?”
“There’s more?” Anox sounds exhausted.
I feel the same.
Mason takes it upon himself to answer. “We’ve found our mate.”
“The human you were spotted parading around the property?”
“No. The faerie.”
“What faerie?”
“The human led us to her. Lillian Collins.” There’s a collective intake of breath as Mason shares her name. “Kie found her in the human realm, and the bond has been triggered.”
Lady Cassandra shifts nervously in her chair, and Lord Bishop gapes with wide, shocked eyes. Mother and Anox are the only two who remain composed.
“She…” Anox visibly hesitates, then continues. “Lillian Collins, as in the young girl who was accused of murdering His Majesty?”
Mason nods. “That’s the one. We haven’t spoken with her yet, but we intend to do so as soon as this meeting is finished.”
“We wish to be present while you speak to her,” Mother says. “I’m most interested in hearing her side of the story. We know Callie was sharing information with Alpha Theon, and I suspect she manipulated her daughter into giving my husband the delysum-infused tea.”
That’s not going to happen. I have my suspicions regarding Lillian and her mother, but she’s my mate. She’s weak and so visibly frightened, and I won’t allow her to be interrogated by the council. Mason and I will speak with her privately and decide which details to share.
“No,” I say. “Mason and I wish to speak with her alone. We will relay any important information to you.”
I pause, waiting for my mother or the council members to argue, but my decision is met with quiet reluctance.
I’ve been taking charge of the council these past few years in preparation for my ascension, but I wasn’t sure my authority would remain intact after they learned of the deal I made with Zaha.
“Kieran…” Mother starts.
I meet her gaze, unwavering in my position. She must sense it as she falls silent.
“We can’t possibly announce that a shifter is taking the title of our king and that Lillian Collins is to be our queen,” Anox says. “It’s too much too quickly. We should keep your matehood quiet until the news of Prince Mason’s ascension has settled.”
That’s not a bad idea .
“People have already seen her,” Mason points out. “They’re going to wonder who she is.”
Anox dismissively waves a hand. “That’s fine. Say she’s a woman you encountered during your travels. Give her a fake name and say she’s a trusted friend. You don’t need to share the entire truth.”
I grimace. “I publicly referred to her as Lillian.”
“That’s not a concern,” Anox says. “I’ve met several Lillians throughout the years, and not once did I suspect they were Callie’s girl.
She was, what, seven when she and her mother vanished?
It was twenty years ago. People stopped searching for her long ago, and most assume she’s dead.
I highly doubt anybody will recognize her, and if they do, we’ll deal with it. ”
I release my glass and turn toward Mason, trying to read him. Shifters are notoriously territorial over their mates, and I’m treading carefully. He may not want to lie about Lillian. His lips flatten together as he stares at his untouched plate of food.
“Very well,” he eventually says. “Are we done here? It’s late, and I haven’t slept in a real bed in days.”
At least he had the opportunity to shower. That’s more than I’ve been given. I smell like shit, and the fresh shirt I threw on before coming here isn’t doing much to hide my stench. It’s a painful mixture of sweat, river water, and the dirt I haven’t been able to wash out of my hair.
Anox shakes his head, then rises. The other council members, and my mother, are quick to do the same.
“We can continue this discussion tomorrow morning. As Her Majesty suggested, we should sleep on this information.” He shifts his attention to Lady Cassandra and Lord Bishop.
“I expect you to arrive tomorrow prepared with ideas. Enjoy your nights.”
The room quickly empties. I remain where I am, hoping for a moment alone with Mason. We need to speak with Lillian tonight, and I want to ensure we’re on the same page before facing her.
It appears I’m not getting that opportunity, though. Mason’s out of his chair in a heartbeat, and he spares me one fleeting glance before storming out of the chamber room and down the wide corridor that leads outside.
Wonderful.
I debate calling him back, but I decide against it.
Peace will make this transition easier. I’m the only person in this kingdom who can get through to Mason, and I’ll need to act as a buffer until he’s adjusted to his new role.
It shouldn’t be too hard. He may have originally been given the title of prince as a formality, but he’s received the same education and training as me.
We attend the same meetings, and while we’ve historically filled separate roles and responsibilities, he should be familiar enough with mine to jump into action. He has no other choice. The coronation is in three days.