But I did read the page where it lay open.
A lone sentence was shown…
While a ruler’s weakness and strength lie in what they cherish most, a ruler must protect their people against any foe—even those they worship.
The original shifter may have been too prideful in nature, but I agreed with him on his thoughts here.
I stepped away from the sacred shifter journal, vigilant to not bump the glass casing. The last thing I needed was to wreck something so precious to the Shifter Kingdom.
I ran my hands over the rock walls, probing for the caster-spelled area. Solid stone pressed against the pads of my fingers on the entrance wall, so I moved to the side wall where his desk was placed to face the balcony. The rock spikes here were firm to the touch, too, so I ran my palms along the back wall, studying each section—these werelongdamned walls.
Centered right between two large stone bookcases, my right hand fell into a void, passing through the rock spikes.
My lips quirked up at the edges.
I moved over and patted all around, discovering the caster-spelled space was the size of a massive door. With extreme care, I stepped through the fake wall, my feet testing the ground first so that I knew there wassomethingto land on where I blindly explored.
Darkness enveloped me. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the suddenly absent light. Several stone stairs climbed into the air. I raised my brows in fascination. This was a mystery I wanted to solve, another rock wall at the top of a small landing. I quickly hurried up the steps and placed my hands on the stone.
They passed right through, a soft breeze the lone resistance.
Just as prudently as before, I strode forward.
I flinched from the bright sunlight battering my pupils. I narrowed my gaze, attempting to see properly. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust again.
My mouth dropped open at the realization of where I was.
King Athon’s bedchambers, the two rooms connected.
Seemingly, this was the only entrance.
He had a spacious balcony here, too, facing the opposite side of the mountain, but it was hidden underneath a ridge. This view afforded me the vast outlook of Mount Hawthorne below. The balcony I stood on had to be caster-spelled from wandering eyes, because I had never seen it before, even from below.
I chuckled softly—a smidge evilly.
One shifter secret in my pocket.
With a hop to my step, I sauntered back inside. I glanced at his overly large bed, most definitely created for a shifter’s size. A fireplace in the corner had daggers littering the top of the mantel as if he had tossed them there absently. One small portrait sat on his nightstand, depicting a shifter woman. My brows rose high on my forehead, and I snatched it up and studied her face.
His slain mother killed by his cracked father. It had to be.
King Athon and she looked a lot alike in bone structure.
I gently set it down. It was the one truly private item visible in his royal bedchamber. My father had been right. King Athon didn’t care that my father had assassinated his. If anything, it looked like he was grateful for the help.
I walked into his bathroom and used the facilities. I debated for a second before I stripped down and took a quick shower, not using any of his soap. If another shifter sniffed in my direction, I didn’t want to smell like him. So I made do with just water, unwinding the braids from my hair and cleaning the grit from the forest out of my red locks.
I quickly dressed again and spied in his closet. He had more pants than shirts, by far. But since he rarely wore one, it did make sense. I cast a glance at his bed again. I was exhausted. I hadn’t slept at all last night, but I wouldn’t chance falling asleep right now. I had his desk in his office to sift through still.
I trotted back down the dark stairs. Poked my head out of the hidden area, scanning the office. The space was still empty. The caster who spelled this hidden doorway should have made it so you could see to the other side from the depths of the passage. Perhaps they had drawn the line there, not wanting to add that advantage.
I sat down on his massive black leather chair, tucked my feet up under me and surveyed the goods before me on his desk. There were many papers with official stamps, pencils tossed all over it, but the book that was open—with the very tip of the opened page folded down for easy finding—caught my attention.
I lifted the tome off his desk and rested back in his chair, placing the heavy book on my lap. I held the page and closed the book to read the title.
SEED OF CREATION
I slowly blinked my emerald eyes. The seed he had been gifted from Ruiuen pinged my thoughts. Was this why he’d wanted that seed? I’d thought he’d lost his bloody mind when he gave me the Key of Kingdoms, but mayhap he’d had an idea of what it was all along?
