Gryff shakes his head. “No, I overheard him talking to one of my mothers about you a few years ago—something about being grateful the new king wasn’t as big of an asshole as the previous one, but he wasn’t sure if his new liaison wasn’t going to be one.”
I feel Titus shake with what I think is amusement if the twinkle in his eye is anything to go on.
“Yes, I’m sure he still feels that way.”
“What does the Chaos king want with us?” I ask him, and he turns those stunning pale green eyes my way. He seems to be looking directly into my soul, but without seeing the rest of his face, I can’t even begin to guess what he’s thinking.
He shrugs elegantly. “That isn’t for me to say, but I can assure you he means no harm. A ruling royal from one of the other nations hasn’t set foot in Chaos Kingdom before.” He slides his gaze to Gryffin. “Though that isn’t the case for you, is it, princeling? You and your bond mates have made use of our delights a few times.” Gryffin scowls but doesn’t deny it. Titus returns his attention to me. “My king is a curious male with many secrets. I’m sure he is just extending the hand of hospitality. He will put you up at the castle, you can speak to him, and then you can continue on your way, but it could be you find exactly what you are looking for when you speak to him,” he says vaguely before turning his attention to the window, like being in our presence doesn’t concern him one bit.
The tension in the vehicle is stifling. My mates are on high alert, and my creatures are bristling with agitation, but it’s not aggressive agitation—it’s curiosity and no small amount of lust. They are attracted to this male and curious about how he can be so relaxed surrounded by all of us. I squirm in my seat, unable to keep still, and try to distract myself by watching the scenery go by. I know I’m not fooling anyone. I bet my mates can smell exactly how I’m feeling. Brodie smirks at me with knowing eyes, and Liam alternates between glaring at me and the male beside me. I bet I’m going to get an earful when we’re finally alone. I do appreciate his restraint though. When I catch Gem’s gaze, his face is pensive as he glances back and forth between the two of us. Hunter, Gryffin, and Micah all watch Titus closely, but I think the three of them are having a telepathic conversation as well. I’m sure they will fill me in if it’s anything I need to know.
“The Chaos king’s assassins always wear those cowls and hoods when out in public so no one can ever identify them,” Gryffin whispers quietly in my ear, but I don’t doubt that Titus can hear him. I don’t know what crossbreed he is, but all supes have good hearing.
“So what kind of half-breed are you?” Brodie asks bluntly, and although I was just thinking something similar, I scowl at his lack of tact.
“Brodie,” I hiss, “that isn’t polite. You shifters hate it when people ask you the same thing.”
“Aren’t you a shifter as well, Your Majesty?” Titus drawls calmly, ignoring the tactless wolf.
I startle at his question but feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “Yeah, but it’s new for me, so I don’t care if someone asks me what I am.”
“So what are you?” He leans forward slightly with anticipation, but before I can answer, Hunter growls.
“That information is need to know only at the moment, and you don’t need to know.”
Titus waves a hand, casually dismissing the dragon. “Oh, I already know. Quite the special little cupcake, aren’t you?”
My mouth drops open in surprise, and my mates’ animals all respond with aggression, the limo filling with growls and rumbles.
“How do you know?” Micah asks, reaching for a knife sheathed on his thigh.
“Uh-uh, I allowed you to keep your weapons in a show of good faith. Stabbing me now would go badly for everyone.” Titus’s tone is deadly, and I reach over and place a hand on Micah’s, halting his movement.
“It’s fine. He’s an assassin and spy, and for all we know, Lucas told him.” I narrow my eyes on the assassin who gives me a slow wink. I’m almost certain he’s grinning beneath his face shield.
The tension in the vehicle is still high, and the silence we’ve drifted into is stifling as the desert soon gives way to a lush tropical oasis. I lean forward in my seat to get a better look out the window. Exotic palms and bushes dotted with a flower I don’t recognize line the streets and gardens of the residences we pass. Cute little cottages and family homes spaced far apart to give everyone a sense of privacy soon give way to a denser area. Apartment buildings, shops, and entertainment venues are in abundance, and the streets are full of people socializing and having a good time.
“What time is it?” I ask Titus. I know we left Zalfari around eight, and we walked for at least six hours to get here, as well as the stop we made at the hot springs, plus we’ve been driving for half an hour.
“It’s almost five in the evening, just in time to have dinner with the king,” he replies, pulling a cell phone out of one of the numerous pockets in his uniform. He sends a short text message as the buildings give way to more lush tropical land, and we pull up to a large set of closed gates. Guards exit a nearby gate box, both armed and wearing severe expressions on their faces. Titus merely lowers the window, and once they catch sight of him, they melt away, and the gates open.
“They can’t even see you beneath that getup. You could be anyone,” Gryffin points out, and Titus chuckles.
“I can assure you they know who I am, and no one would dare try to impersonate me or my four brothers. They would find themselves on our bad side, and that is never good.”
“You’re that confident?” I ask.
“The Chaos king’s assassins get whispered about in all corners of the kingdoms. He probably has the right to be that confident,” Micah says flatly.
Before anyone else can say anything, the vehicle pulls up in front of a lavish palace, and it’s at least the size of the one I now reside in. Steps lead up to double doors with guards standing on either side who are also fully armed. Neither of them move a muscle as the vehicle comes to a stop and the driver jumps out and opens the door for us. We climb out, and once again, we find ourselves surrounded by the rest of Titus’s team, who have piled out of the other vehicles.
“Is this all really necessary?” I ask, waving my hand at them. “We came along peacefully.” I narrow my eyes on the assassin. “And if you know what creature I am, you know I could have shifted and killed every one of you within seconds.”
“But could you have? You are still new to all this, and I’m sure you haven’t had a lot of opportunities to practice shifting. We could have put bullets through all of you in the time it would have taken you to change.” He stares at me, his gaze calculating, and I have the urge to rip that fucking mask off his face so I can see it.
“Maybe, but I guess we will never know,” I taunt him. “Unless you’re scared that you don’t actually have a chance against us, which is why you need all of this backup. The great Chaos assassin is scared of a bunch of shifters and their new, inexperienced queen.” I smile widely, and his body stiffens as he clenches his fists. Typical male. Have a go at their skills, and their pride overshadows any common sense.
He waves a hand, and his team stops in their tracks. “But, sir,” one of the females starts to argue. His head swings toward her, tearing his gaze from me, and she blanches at whatever she sees. Nobody says another word, and they make themselves scarce. I’m sure there is a barracks around here somewhere just like at the palace in Aramis.
