The royal firepower in my eyes flared brighter. “Threats are unwelcome here, Ruiuen. Do not upset me.”
The Fae slowly dipped her head down until she was eye-level with me, looking deeply into my formidable eyes. After a long, quiet moment, she whispered, “All right, elf king. If I give you dire information on your own heir-to-be, would that be a favorable trade?”
I froze in place. My heart started pounding furiously inside my chest, even as my new soul mate made the quietest of whimpers in her throat. Breathing soundlessly, I snarled honestly, “As long as it’s the truth, it would be a fair trade.”
“That is agreeable. Simply ask your mother if I lie.” Ruiuen straightened to her full height—and then her tone softened almost kindly. “Your heir’s heart will be cradled in your enemy’s hands, and no matter what you do, how hard you try to protect her, you cannot stop it.It is to be.But rest assured, your heir will grasp that same power. You’ll raise an amazing individual capable of true greatness.”
Swallowing on a dry throat, I asked hoarsely, “Mother?”
“She speaks the truth, my son.” Her silver eyes lingered on the Fae. “I will accept my blessing, Ruiuen. Without a trade.”
I snapped my attention to my mother. “What are you doing?”
“What needs to be done, as I always do.” The soothsayer stepped forward as the Fae bent her large furry head down once more. No fear showed on my mother’s thin face or in her form. Even as the Fae touched the tip of her nose to my mother’s forehead, the soothsayer merely closed her eyes and exhaled hard—as if she had been jolted from the inside. Mother wavered slightly on her feet before pulling back, shaking her hands by her sides. “It is done.”
“So it is.” Ruiuen’s furry face smiled. “Until we meet again.”
Then the winged wolf fucking winked at my ass and turned away, trotting off into the night with a reckless prance like the Fae had not a care in the realm.
I watched her fluffy tail as it wagged back and forth until she disappeared entirely from sight. “This realm…has had a busy day.” Allowing the fire to burn out in my eyes, returning my gaze to its normal emerald shine, I flicked my attention between the shifter woman and the elf man. “So who in the Fae fuck are you two exactly?”
The shifter woman stepped on silent feet until she was before me, the newborn shifter in her arms. “I am Lola.” Her smile was serene as she stared down at the babe in her arms. “And this is Bishop.”
I hummed quietly in my throat. “I’ve heard the shifter king’s soul mate requires a new assistant. Her previous one was…killed.”
“By that bastard.” Lola nodded once. “I know how awful he is, but I do prefer keeping my enemies close.”
“I thought you might say that.” It was in the way she walked. The way she moved. It…reminded me of stories I’d once heard from my mother. My attention turned to the elves. “And you would be?”
“Marlon.” The elf closed the distance between us with the same grace as any trained killer. “And this little one is Caspian. I’m to be his father.”
Mother’s lips twitched. “And I will say you’re my missing second son that was thieved away in the night as a babe and presumed dead, miraculously found by the King of Elves himself.”
“What in the Fae fuck, Mother!” My wide eyes crashed on her, greatly disturbed by her declaration. “That isn’t something to make light of. That is outrageously dreadful.”
“Marlon will be by your side, as he needs to be.” Silver eyes stared brutally into mine. “You can try to fight me on this, but you will not win this battle, King Traevon.I will make it so.”
I inhaled a grand breath in perturbed shock.
This…was the worst night of my life.
And the best night of my life.
Huh.
Well. That sounded about right.
Quite so.
So much fuckery that you slipped in the shit.
“I need a drink,” I muttered distractedly.
“Hear, hear,” Minnie mumbled, placing a steadying hand on my back—sans blade. “Let us all go inside for a nightcap and discuss…business…more privately.”
“But who are you?” Marlon smiled prettily at my damned soul mate. “Mayhap my time here won’t be—”
“No,” I snarled fiercely, cutting that shit off fast. “That is my soul mate. Stay the Fae fuck away from her.”
