Page 4 of The Shattered Kingdom (The Cursed Kingdom #2)

ABBY

THUNDER RUMBLING BESIDE my ear drags me into consciousness, and I let out a quiet groan as I plant my palms beside my shoulders and push up off my stomach. I’m in a bed. It’s comfortable and warm, but it’s not mine.

Lill lets out another loud snore, her right cheek pressed into a pillow as she sleeps beside me. That explains the thunder.

I push myself up further, looking around.

I’m in one of the spare bedrooms in the house Kie and Mason stuck us inside yesterday.

How did I get here, though? I’m positive Lill and I fell asleep on the couch last night.

We lay side by side as I told her about my time in the forest, not leaving out a single detail.

I want her to know exactly who her mates are, but I’m known to drag out a story and we fell asleep as I neared the end.

Lill must’ve woken me up and forced me to come in here.

It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.

Lill and I are underneath soft, beige sheets, and I carefully slide them off myself as I take in the room. There’s a window to the right of the bed, but the curtains are drawn shut. Sunlight seeps in from the edges, though. It’s morning.

Across from the bed is a short, wide dresser. There’s a bright- blue vase, a shallow bowl, and a stack of decorative books placed on top. I don’t waste my time admiring them. Above the dresser is a tall mirror, one I avoid looking at as I head toward the cracked-open door.

It leads into the hallway, and I peek to ensure the coast is clear before fully stepping out of the bedroom. I close the door behind me, wincing as it latches with a quiet click. I don’t want to wake Lill.

I’m not foolish enough to attempt an escape, not when we’re being so carefully watched. Besides, Kie knows where I live. Even if Lill and I did manage to escape, there’s nowhere for us to go. It’s a sobering thought.

I need weapons.

Mason’s pants threaten to slide down my hips as I head toward the open living area at the end of the hallway, and I frown as I yank them up my waist. What are the odds Kie and Mason will supply me with fitting clothing? Hopefully, Lill’s bond with them will afford me some liberties.

I make it two steps into the living room before freezing.

There’s a man on the couch—an oversized, unwelcome man.

Mason sits up with a jolt as I step into the room. His hair is frazzled and his torso bare, and he blinks up at me with wide, green eyes before turning and grabbing his discarded shirt and gloves from the coffee table beside him.

Did he sleep here? Why? I wish he’d make himself scarce, but I suppose I should get used to seeing him around. I’m surprised he didn’t wake Lill and me up and demand answers when he and Kie returned from the meeting with the council last night.

Mason tugs on his gloves before slipping his shirt over his head.

“Why are you here?” I ask.

“I like to keep an eye on things.” His voice is rough with sleep. Gravelly.

I snort. “You like to keep an eye on your prisoners .”

The only response I receive is a blank stare. I’m half-expecting him to deny it and say something about Lill being his mate and it being his job to protect her, but he does nothing of the sort. I’m not surprised.

“Lill likes to sleep in,” I say, jerking my thumb toward the hallway. “So don’t wake her up.”

Mason frowns but still doesn’t respond. I don’t take his silence as an agreement, and I subtly widen my stance. I’ve stabbed him once, and despite his threats, I’m not afraid to do so again.

“I’m serious, Mason. Leave her alone.” I hope he hears the threat in my tone.

“I know you have questions, but Lill’s been sick for a long time and she needs rest.” Mason cocks his head to the side.

I continue speaking. “And I’m not telling you a damn thing about anything, so don’t try me.

You can talk to Lill when she wakes up.”

It’s Lill’s story to tell, and given the severity of the accusations, I’m going to let her tell it as she sees fit. I’d hate to misspeak and get her into trouble, and I’m sure Mason will have a billion follow-up questions I don’t have answers to.

“Is the council upset that Kie agreed to make you king?” I ask. I’m eager to know. What I wouldn’t give to have been a fly on the wall for that particular conversation.

Mason takes a moment to respond. “I wouldn’t say they are pleased.”

“Good.” I look around. “Where’s Kie?”

“I anticipate he’ll be here shortly.” That’s not an answer. “He disagreed with my decision to sleep here last night,” Mason continues. “He thinks I should have left you and Lill alone. Something about privacy. I didn’t listen.”

Why is he telling me this? I shift my weight from foot to foot, my eyes darting toward the kitchen.

I’m hungry, but I don’t want to leave my spot.

I’m protecting the hallway leading to Lill.

Objectively, I know I don’t stand a chance should Mason decide to push past me, but I at least hope the ruckus would wake Lill and warn her of the approaching shifter.

“I’ll have food delivered later today,” Mason says. “We weren’t exactly expecting guests.”

“What’s the process of rejecting a mate?” I’m asking for Lill. I know her, and she would never be interested in men like Kie and Mason. She has standards, and she doesn’t date losers. That’s precisely what Kie and Mason are.

“There isn’t one. Mate bonds are for life.”

I hate the connection they have to Lill. I hate what that means for her. I doubt Kie and Mason will be willing to let her leave, not with the cursed bond between them. They’re going to lock her up here. She’ll never see the light of day again. Metaphorically.

My shoulders roll forward. “Are you sure?”

If there’s a way to reject and destroy the bond, she’ll want to know.

Mason nods. “Yes.”

That’s not the answer I was hoping for.

How many humans know about the faerie realm? Is it treated as some secret shared only amongst the wealthy and powerful? That wouldn’t surprise me. Humans are notoriously stingy with their information.

Mason clears his throat. “I suppose I should apologize.” He supposes ? How kind of him to take that under consideration. “I’m sorry for how we treated you in the forest, and I hope you know it wasn’t anything personal.”

He must be joking.

“It sure was personal to me,” I spit, unable to hold back my anger. “You treated me like an animal. You degraded me in more ways than I can count, and your half-assed apology means nothing to me.”

Mason snaps his jaw shut with a quiet click . I’m glad to finally have his silence, but it only lasts a second. “How long have you and Lilly known one another?”

There he goes calling her ‘Lilly’ again. Something about it makes my blood boil, and I hold back a snarky remark. I’m not going to answer his questions. If he wants to know about Lill’s and my relationship so badly, he can ask her himself.

I’m just about to tell him so when the quiet creak of a door fills the silence and Lill steps into the hallway.

She looks better than she has in years. There’s life behind her violet eyes, and she’s not wearing the expression of complete exhaustion I’ve grown familiar with seeing these past few years.

I love to see her improvement, and I can’t wait to watch it continue.

“Good morning,” she murmurs as she brushes past me into the living room, her gaze darting between me and Mason. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes,” Mason answers for us. I would have given a different answer.

I cross my arms over my chest, then drop them and yank my pants back up my hips. I’m curious to see how they act around one another. Mason is prone to violence and threats—at least, he was with me—but we’re not in the forest anymore. We’re in the heart of the faerie capital, and Lill’s his mate.

Mason rises from the couch as Lill shuffles toward him. She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, her violet eyes flickering over the length of his body. I remain rooted to my spot, watching their every interaction. I need to see it, even if it makes my stomach churn. I don’t approve.

“I hope you’re prepared to explain yourself,” Mason starts. “ Do not think Kie and I will let the mate bond distract us from your actions.”

I resist the urge to scoff. I’m not sure why I expected him to ask how she slept or how her back feels. I gave him more credit than he deserves. Mason’s continually falling short of my expectations. Kie, too.

Lill’s throat bobs. “I wouldn’t expect you to.” She looks around the room, falling silent. This is so fucking awkward. “I’m prepared to speak with the council whenever you are.”

It’s weird seeing her speak so comfortably and confidently about the faeries.

I know she’s one of them and spent the first several years of her life here, but I think of her as human.

I keep expecting her to be as confused and overwhelmed as I am, but that’s clearly not the case.

She may not know everything, but she knows a hell of a lot more than I do.

“No,” Mason says. “Kie and I wish to speak with you privately, and we’ll decide what information to relay to the council.”

Lill nods, and after a tense second, she reaches for Mason’s hand. It’s an innocent enough gesture, especially considering they share a mate bond, but Mason pulls away like she’s poison. It’s a dramatic response, and Lill recoils with a wince.

If I had to guess, I’d say it’s because Mason’s never experienced intimacy, even something as innocent as handholding. He was abandoned by his parents and made to grow up in a kingdom of faeries who hate him. I bet he’s never even been kissed.

Fucking loser.

I bet he lies awake at night thinking about his first kiss, probably nervous he won’t be any good at it.

“We’re mates, Mace,” Lill continues. “Does that upset you? You used to talk nonstop about how excited you were to find your mate. Has that changed?”