Hatred burned in Madison’s gaze before it widened and shock took over, and her gaze slid to me.
An icy arm came around me and yanked me into Thorn’s side. “Were you there the whole time, Kit?” His voice was soft, the anger from a moment ago nowhere in his tone.
“Half the time,” I slurred, my eyes fluttering shut as I leaned against him. “Didn’t mean to. My powers aren’t listening.”
“I can feel that,” he rasped, my pheromones slipping over him.
Madison’s expression turned accusatory. “It seems like your mate can’t even trust you.”
I fought the haze over my brain and snapped my eyes open before narrowing them at her. “I trust Thorn. I don't trust you, and to be completely honest, your disrespectpisses me off.”
Her hand flew to her chest as she gasped. “You may have grown up in another world as a nobody, but you're a royal now. Royals don't speak like that.”
“And you’re disrespecting your prince.” I snarled, my tail flicking behind me. Anger spiraled from the pit of my stomach the longer I stared her.
It took everything in me not to let my shadow loose on her, and I blamed Damien for that urge. But the one urge I couldn’t tamp down had me flying forward before I could think. A crack encroached the air as my hand connected with her cheek, and my palm stung from the force of the strike.
She stumbled back just as I did, and her fingers cupped her reddened skin as tears gathered in her eyes.
Thorn sucked in a sharp gasp as Frayla snickered, and I shook out my throbbing palm.
“And you're not a royal,” Thorn snapped at her after recomposing himself, pulling me back against his chest and kissing my head. “You have no real need to be at the coronation. Now leave, before I have you escorted out of my castle.”
Madison shook her head disbelievingly, her tears spilling down her cheeks, before pivoting on her heel and stomping away.
“Great job, Thorn,” Frayla praised. “And Wren, that was so awesome. I’ve wanted to slap that daffodil my whole life.”
“Fates, I love you so much,” I mumbled.
“Is your hand okay, Kit?” Thorn’s concern for my well being settled something inside of me as he shot a blast of ice over my skin, chilling the throb to a dull ache.
“I’m fine now that she’s gone.” A growl rumbled from my chest.
“I apologize for giving her fae rum.” Frayla let out a forced chuckle. “I had no idea your mate never had any alcohol.”
“Of course she hasn't. Are you telling me she drank a whole cup or just a few sips?”
“The whole cup!” I nuzzled my face into his neck as I draped myself over him.
“So this is going to get worse,” he clarified, his grip on my waist painfully tight.
“Yep,” she answered with a giggle of her own.
“Thanks for standing up to Madison,” I mumbled.
“Kit, you're the only woman for me, and you put her in her place yourself.”
“Are you ready for the coronation?” Frayla asked.
Thorn sucked in a sharp breath as my hand traveled down in his stomach, and he caught my hand right at his waistband, his grip tightening. “Yes,” he rasped. “Can Wren sit with you?”
“I'll be up there too, and she has to be up next to you as your mate.”
“We can sneak away for a minute,” I suggested, trying to move my hand from his grasp, but his hold was tight. I huffed and moved my other hand toward the very obvious bulge in his pants, but his other hand caught it.
“Suck in your pheromones, Kit,” he growled.
“But why?” I pouted my lips.
