Chapter 72
AMARIS
âIâm not sure I heard you correctly.â I walked right up to Pendragon. âYouâre coming here into my castle and making demands, telling me that Athan Dracul is claiming MY mate to be his?!â He was a head taller than me. Not that it mattered. I wanted to chase them out, run them out of my kingdom back to where they came from. The council be damned!
âCalm down, King Amaris. I am just the messenger.â Pendragon had the audacity to condescend to me. Calm down indeed! Who the did he think he was?
âWell, I have a message for Athan Dracul and the council. You can tell them to go themselves! Do I make myself clear?â I let my wolf peer through my eyes at the dragon shifter. He flinched. Good.
âThere is no need to get violent.â The tiny elven emissary stepped in between us. âKing Athan has staked a claim and the council will decide whether or not his claim is valid.â
âYou forget Tahlia Yinfir that I am one of the members of that same council. Queen Raine is my mate. Mine! Chosen for me by the Moon Goddess herself!â I felt Raineâs light touch on my back and I reached for her to pull her close to my side. I needed to have her there by my side, letting her scent wash
over me.
âAh, but you forget Your Majesty, according to your laws, a mating between a werewolf and a witch is forbidden. Therefore she cannot be your queen.â The silver haired slip of an elf lifted her slightly pointy chin and met my stare with boldness. I could easily crush her like an insect. Who the hell was she to lecture me on our laws?
âSo now all of a sudden you take an interest in our internal affairs and traditions?â I glared at Pendragon before I switched back to the elf. âWell, let me make it clear for you; I aim to draw up a decree which would put an end to that same antiquated tradition! I fact, I am going to change everything about it. It is within my rights as ruler of this kingdom to do that!â and by the Gods I would.
Chapter 72
Elder Jonas scraped his chair back as he stood in protest at what I had just said. âSire, you cannot change the traditions to suit your needs! Youâve already broken an unspoken law by choosing an Omega as your mate.â
âNeed I remind you that I did not choose her, she is my soulmate.â Why the do i need to justify my actions to my subordinates?
âYes, yes, ordained by the Moon Goddess. We know that, but Your Majesty, you know there are certain conditionsâ¦â
Raine interrupted the older elder, turning to him, her face flushed with barely contained fury. She was breathtaking in that moment, amber eyes ablaze with an internal flame. âI am not a witch! There might be magic in my bloodline, but I am not a witch.â
I held my breath waiting for her emotions to spiral out of control and what would happen if it did, because it seemed to be connected to how she felt. Her actions would contest her words. I had to caution her, calm her down.
âCareful, my love. I link her and she frowned at me. Not the reaction I expected.
Joyce Rowe held up her hand. She was a large woman, intimidating almost, with broad shoulders and a masculine face. Her red hair was cut short and stood up like porcupine quills. âThat may well be, but whenever there is a new surge of power like weâve experienced these past few days, we take interest. And that power came from this place.â
Raine was quick to respond. âJoanna opened a portal, not once but twice. If thatâs the power youâre talking about.â
âOh, we know about the portal Queen Raine. We helped her keep it open, but there was something else, someone else. You. We felt you draw on the power of nature, and on us as well. You can try and deny it all you want, but we all felt it.â
âSo she is a witch?â Elder Mattias jumped up. âThis is a disaster. A complete disaster.â He threw his hands up in the air. A murmur of agreement went up from the rest of them.
Chapter 72
Raine looked at me with those large amber eyes full of despair. This wasnât going well. The throne room suddenly felt too small, suffocating. I linked the servants to open some windows. The brisk autumn air rushed in and filled the space with the fresh scent of pine and mountain air.
âIf we could all just calm down.â Pendragon strutted around in my throne room, trying to look important so typical of his race. âThere is one more problem. Where is the prince?â
âSecured in the dungeon. Where he belongs.â I smirked at him. âBefore you ask why itâs an internal problem.â
âThe thing is, weâve received a formal complaint from him, and I think it is imperative that he attend this meeting.â The dragon shifter narrowed his eyes. at me and for the briefest moment I saw his dragon persona reflected in them. I was getting under his scaly skin.
âOh? YOU think it is imperative?â I didnât take orders in my own castle. âLet me think about that. You can visit him in the dungeon. Feel free.â I might even let him share a cell with him.
âSire, reconsider. I beg you. Youâre only making matters worse.â Elder Mattias. approached me with outstretched hands. âIf the prince had lain a complaint you need to hear what it is in order to explain yourself.â
âYou should listen to your elderâs advice, Your Majesty. Do you feel threatened at all by your brother?â Tahlia grinned, flashing sharp teeth at me.
âHe insulted me. Repeatedly. His Majesty locked him up for my protection.â Raine told the elf. Her heart rate had intensified, and her scent was tinged with fear. I was worried.
âJust tell me what my brother brought to the councilâs attention.â Of course, it was obvious what Sorin wanted. But you donât always get what you want. Iâd make damn sure of it. My kingdom, my rules.