He grunted and chewed his last bite of pot roast and sweet carrots. “I don’t believe involving King Athon in this would be wise.” He flicked a finger between my soul mate and me. “The same goes for you two. Do not leave this castle until the punisher is dead. Especially if he’s as powerful as you say.”
I wrinkled my nose at the order.
But I did nod.
King Traevon stood from his chair and marched to the doorway, stating over his shoulder, “Marlon, inform King Athon about the punisher being spotted here.” He paused at the opening and glared hard at the shifter. “I have a missive to send by messenger, but I expect to see you all at breakfast barring another emergency.I do not want any other surprises before that time.”
Then he left the room swiftly, a trail of ash floating in the air with his haste, my king set on his mission to keep us alive.
“One would surmise he thinks me a miscreant,” Bishop crooned—and smirked like a wicked Fae. “I am not quite that bad.”
I leaned back on my chair and muttered, “How about you tell me what you’re hiding in your pocket then?” I’d felt an abnormal bulge there when I’d awoken in bed with him—and it hadn’t been there before. “What is it?”
Innocent fucking honey-brown eyes gazed straight into my mistrustful stare. He reached down and dug into his pocket, pulling out a beautifully sheathed ice blue knife, presenting it to me over the table.
He grunted. “It reminded me of you.”
Staring at the fine looking weapon before me, I hesitantly took the gift, utterly stunned silly. “You snuck out of the gaming room to buy me a gift?”
The shifter shrugged like it was nothing. “Do you like it?”
I nodded slowly and gradually unsheathed it, staring at my own reflection in the curve of the blade. “This is lovely.” I cleared my throat and looked up at the shifter across the table from me. My voice was throaty and rough, not expecting this. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Bishop smiled softly.
Father sighed heavily and thumped his head back on his chair, staring at the ceiling for long moments. He shook his head and looked back down at us with exasperation. “Son, that gift’s one of the missing presents that Minnie has been searching for. Yourgeneroussoul mate gifted you with a stolen item.” His gaze pinned the suddenly violent shifter in place. “Quit lying to him. That shit will come back to bite you.”
Bishopgrowledloudly, fucking upset.
I glanced from him to the blade.Him to the blade. Him to the blade.Then I muttered, “She doesn’t need to know.” I quickly sheathed it again and stuffed it into my own pocket. “After all, she probably has more.”
My soul mate stopped his growling and glanced in my direction. “Was that a threat?”
“It doesn’t need to be. Give her back her other stolen presents.” I grinned at his instant scowl, rising to my feet. “But not tonight. Let us be off to bed.”
Bishop blinked carefully. “To sleep?”
“Yes, Bishop. To sleep.”
The shifter grunted grumpily, pouting with surliness. “Fine.” But he pointed at my father as he stood. “Don’t forget to warn my king.”
“I forget nothing.” Father grinned evilly, staring right into my soul mate’s eyes. “You’d do well to remember that, shifter, where my son is concerned.”
Contemplations of a shifter:
The realm is definitely changing.
I see it clearly now.
If only the Fae would kindly fuck off.
Awriggling elf was lying on top of me. He practically used me as a mattress and a blanket, snuggling down into my warmth like he could burrow himself inside me. It was Fae damned hard not to laugh, as the pointy-eared assassin had flashed his wee fangs at me last night and warned me to stay on my side of the bed.
Now look at the bastard.
I chuckled softly, unable to help it, and curled my arms around him when he groaned softly in his sleep. Then, closing my eyes against the first rays of dawn shining inside the bedchambers windows, I relaxed down into the bed and allowed the soft scent of snowdrop flowers to soothe the restlessness inside of me from sleeping in my enemy’s castle.
But the bedchamber door swung open.
