“You know a lot of supernaturals, especially the wealthy and influential, are not going to be thrilled that all four kingdoms have rulers so closely linked to the Chaos king. They are going to think he will be able to manipulate them,” Micah points out thoughtfully.
Loki shrugs, but the goddess shakes her head. “He will not be the ruler who will see Chaos Kingdom into the future, though I don’t doubt he will continue to guide the one who will.”
Loki narrows his eyes and growls at the goddess. “What did you do?”
She winces. “There is a fifth child who has been raised by a woman in the Chaos Kingdom. You will step down, and she will take your place.”
He stiffens and jumps to his feet. “What do you mean? I have not had a relationship with another woman in years. Not since…” He trails off, and the goddess nods, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Not since you thought you found your mate, but she turned out to be someone else’s. I know. I’m sorry we did that to you, but we masked the mate bond for all of you so our plans could move forward. We needed you to do what we required without the burden of guilt. Both Camila and Wyatt are your mates. She was already pregnant when they met. They have been raising the child together.”
Loki looks furious. “Why? I did everything you asked for. I gave up my chance to be a father five times over for all of your machinations. When is it going to stop?” I hear the anguish in his tone, and I can’t help but feel a sense of kinship for this man. These goddesses have been manipulating all of us for too long, and he got the worst of it.
“I’m so sorry, Loki, but now you get your reward for having served us so well,” she says as she stands, affectionately cupping his cheek, and my eyes widen.
“Did you and him…” I trail off, wondering if my father has a relationship with the goddess, but they both blanch.
“Hell no!” he exclaims vehemently. “They are like annoying, interfering older sisters.”
“We each have our own mates. They just choose not to get involved in our kingdoms,” she tells us, and I heave out a sigh of relief. I’m not sure why, but the thought of them together felt wrong.
“We will unmask the bond as soon as the other queens are all in place,” she assures Loki. “I’m sorry you have to wait a little longer, but use this time to build relationships with your other daughters. All of them will venture to the Chaos Kingdom for this news. You will send out your other assassins and have them bring them here,” she explains.
Titus, who has been quiet this whole time, frowns thoughtfully at the king and goddess. He opens his mouth like he’s about to ask a question, but his phone pings, alerting him to a message. He looks at it before slipping it into his pocket then stands up. “Ah, it seems the final player has arrived. I will escort him in,” he says, and without waiting for a response, he puts his hooded cowl back on and disappears in the blink of an eye. My mouth drops open.
“What was that?” I point at the now empty space.
“Titus’s fae genes give him the ability to sift,” Loki says absently, lost in his own thoughts. It looks like our family is having bombshells dropped on all of us today.
“Sift?” I ask, not familiar with the term.
“It’s like teleporting. They move through ley lines, which run through each of the kingdoms, allowing them to travel long distances in a blink,” Gem explains.
“Who is here?” Hunter asks, smoke drifting from his nose as he looks between the goddess and the king. I can feel his agitation and worry that we are going to be ambushed with something else.
“If I had to hazard a guess, it would be Colbie’s final mate,” the goddess replies absently. She’s still watching Loki carefully, like she’s expecting him to explode at any moment.
“Nox?” Gryffin asks, looking toward the door. “But he isn’t Colbie’s final mate. One is still missing.”
“No, there isn’t,” the goddess retorts, her eyebrows rising with surprise. “They are all gathered here now. Once she seals the bond with the last two, she can return to Aramis and finally claim the crown and face anyone who may challenge her.” Aramis’s words send my mind reeling. If what she is saying is true, then that means the assassin is my final mate.
ChapterThirty-Six
Colbie
“But… that would mean…” Before Brodie can say his name, Titus returns, and he’s accompanied by none other than Nox. He blinks unsteadily but recovers quickly then looks around the room. The pleasant albeit polite smile that is on his face drops, and he gapes at me in shock.
“Colbie?” His gaze shifts to the men around the room before settling on King Loki and Aramis.
“Your Majesty.” He bows his head the smallest amount before glaring at him. “I was under the impression you were bringing me here for a job offer, not to ambush me with a past I have worked hard to put behind me.”
Ouch. I flinch at his words, and he must see the reaction, because he shakes his head at me.
“I meant about being a shifter, not being with you,” he explains in a hurry, and I keep my face neutral, even though I am desperate to grab hold of him and never let go.
“It’s one and the same really,” I tell him flatly before switching my attention to the other asshole in the room.
“Were you ever going to tell me?” I ask him, and his eyes widen ever so slightly. If I wasn’t looking for a reaction, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.
