This had nothing to do with my Fae-spark, either.
This was all my own emotion.
As if I had been given a gift I hate but am upset if someone tries to steal it from me. I didn’t want the bloody shifter king, but now that he was my soul mate, I was the disgusted owner of all things…King Athon? What was mine was mine, even if I loathed it?
This revelation made my head spin in crazy circles.
I gagged a little, bile rising in the back my throat. I stuck my pink tongue out and choked on air. “I might be ill. Something is not right with my brain.”
King Athon’s head was now cocked in front of mine, watching me carefully, his brows drawn close together in deep thought—no longer only in anger.
“And you have obviously injured your eardrums beyond repair. What do you have handled?” Bishop whispered extremely slowly.
“The challenge. She believes she has a plan to witness the challenge,” King Athon growled under his breath, already knowing my answer.
He stood up to his full, intimidating six feet, six inches of height. Those pure black eyes gauged my features carefully as he knocked Bishop’s hand from his shoulder, his blink ever so gradual when my shoulders instantly relaxed.
I clenched my fists at my reaction. This was unseemly.
Couldn’t the Fae just fix this mix up already?
Bishop choked on a laugh. “She thought she’d be able to sneak in? That is ludicrous.”
“She did manage to penetrate our city,” King Athon answered after a long moment, finally turning his regard to the shifter next to him. Then the tiger inside him growled menacingly. “How in the Fae fuck did the guards miss a royal landing their Fae-gift here? I want their positions moved around. They’ve become sloppy with their current duties.”
I scowled at his bare chest, not looking him in the eye.
I’d take any elf I hated over the shifter I hated before me.
Feeling possessive about an elf would be natural.
How I felt about this shifter wasnot.
“I’ll have that taken care of,” Bishop rumbled. He waved his hand at me, almost smacking me in the nose. “What do you want me to do with this issue?”
If thathandcame close to me again, I would sever it from his arm. My lips tilted up at the edges at that satisfying thought, even if I was unable to look my horrible soul mate in the eyes. The ugly part inside of me, that tiny kernel of possessiveness, warmed to the idea.
I stepped closer to Bishop. I smiled sweetly at him.
King Athon grabbed onto my right bicep and jerked me away from his stupid friend, keeping me right against his side with a bruising grip. His pure black eyes caught mine against my own wishes, and he snapped a warning, “Behave, elf. Or I’ll send a messenger to your father and tell him where you are.”
“Fuck you, shifter,” I whispered so quietly only the three of us would hear. I ignored Bishop’s instant, furious scowl at my retort, and I tried crossing my arms the best I could with the shifter king not releasing my bicep. “Thisisme behaving.”
King Athon quirked up one black eyebrow. “Try harder.”
Bishop dipped his head in front of mine, his mouth opening.
Malicious glee filled my mind, my fingers twitching.
My soul mate knocked his friend’s face back fast, growling softly, “Bishop, find a trustworthy guard to take her to my personal study.”
Bishop’s brows crinkled in confusion. He stated slowly, “All right. But she really shouldn’t speak to you like that, no matter who she is.” After a silent moment, he turned to do as ordered, walking away from us with an aggravated gait.
King Athon and I didn’t move.
I tapped my fingers against his massive hand as he still gripped my bicep, digging my fingernails into his flesh with every tap. I lifted my gaze sluggishly to his, undeniably ashamed for even asking this, I demanded under my breath, “How close are you two?”
“Not as close as you’re so obviously thinking right now, so calm yourself and do as I say.” King Athon squeezed my arm even more fiercely when I flat out dug my fingernails into his flesh, cutting his skin—making him bleed like he hated. His warm crimson blood wet the tips of my fingers. He bent and pressed his mouth against my ear, his hot breath fanning my skin, and growled in fury—so damned quietly, “Don’t test me right now, elf. I will lay you out flat. Today is not the day to rile me after you kept me up all damned night.”
