I met his gaze then and anger was in mine. “Well, startwrapping your brain around itor I could be next. And I’m not saying they were. I’m saying I want a second opinion and my own investigation. We get those from healers. Why aren’t we doing the same whentwocoups were already basically attempted? Are you dumb?”
Treena snorted, clearly agreeing with me.
“Off the record, I would send a team, people I know,” King Taryn hedged.
“And you want?” Darren asked, immediately picking up on the tit for tat.
But I already knew the answer. “You want the rule of shifting in the castle waived for Treena and her detail.” I met her gaze and saw the shock there. “You’ve always said you need to or—you’ve never said it was first instinct and it’s a serious crime here.”
“Yes, it’s what makes us both most nervous,” she admitted. “I’m good. I could probably—I won’t have my guards die because they did what they were trained to so I was safe if things are this volatile.”
I winked at her. “Done.” Then I focused on her father. “I’m sorry for the oversight. No trades to keep her safe. Just tell us. She or those on her current detail are protected. I would ask they work with Benson on some way to get her out if there’s a problem. Some safe room or—contingencies so they’re not front and center if they have to shift.”
“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “Truly, Sagan.” He took in a shaky breath and met Darren’s gaze.“Nothing. I will send the best who would look into our deaths and make sure it is as you think. Today even.”
We discussed a few other things like the parachutes that were on most planes, but that was where it was tricky for dragons. We couldn’t use things like that for “flying,” and during a storm they would have been more trouble than help.
Maybe.
“The only wisdom I have for you on the topic—the corner you’re backed into about having multiple mates is to be honest,” King Taryn said as we were wrapping up. “That was the mistake I made and one I wish I could go back and fix.” He shot his daughter a look but then focused back on me. “One that scarred my mate.”
Treena gasped but then tried to school her reaction.
“And I hurt my concubines by letting them think things would be different,” King Taryn admitted sadly. “We were all pushed into this, but we could have been a better team—helped each other if we’d just been honest.”
“Honesty and information can be used as a weapon against us,” I said, more for Treena to remind her that her father had been fighting for his own survival.
“Yes, but you are supported in a way I wasn’t,” he said, pointing to Darren. “My father wanted to stay neutral and not play favorites.” His finger focused on me. “You are the favorite. You are the future. You are the priority, and that is the focus of your uncle.”
I swallowed loudly. “And mine?”
“To make it through this without making as big of a mess as I did, as I know one will never forgive me for trapping her when I could have picked another. She loved me and now hates me,” he admitted, shocking all of us. “I could have picked another who simply would have taken the role not to be mated off to a cad.
“If I’d been strong enough to just have the hard conversations and be Taryn, not simply the king, I wouldn’t have hurt so many. So no matter what, do not let yourself be rushed. That is your priority. That you see the wisdom, but your main focus is that you give such an important decisiontime. For them too as some will be pressured into this.”
“He’s right—you’re right,” Darren agreed, dipping his head to King Taryn. “In the grand scheme of things, five years until you’re mated means nothing as long as you’re focused where you should be and make it clear your priority is finding the right person to stand at your side.”
“Or people,” King Taryn whispered, making it clear he knew the outcome.
There was no way I was getting out of this having only one mate.
So be it. If that was what it took to not be trapped or… So be it.
