“Ferrus, who are they, and where are they from?”
He paced as he ran the answers through his head, picking out which to share and what to keep to himself.
“The two non-gnoleon females I don’t think are from our dimension.”
“Why not,” the king asked.
“Because the one with pale hair, she calls herself Lilah, has ideas about…certain things that few would allow on our planet. Unless there is some new advanced civilization, we don’t know about.”
“I doubt that seriously,” the royal interjected.
Ferrus agreed. “As for why they are here, I’m not sure. But they were traveling to the town.”
Ferra gasped. “What business would they have there? Only thieves and murderers seek such a place.”
The town was known to be full of rogues and killers who would do any job for payment. Those who managed to survive there worked the water ports where other lands came to barter and trade for goods. Many pilgrimages were made to the port town, where worshipers went to pray to the Mother of the Mountain at the Standing Stones.
Ferrus had been there a few times to study the creatures there to see if any were a possible threat to the citogen. None were, unless paid, and no one had enough wealth to convince an army to go against his warriors.
“I do not know what their business is in the town. They did not say.”
“So, do they hold magic? Are they a threat to us?” his father asked.
Ferrus had to be so careful answering. If he said the wrong thing, he could doom his mate.
“No magic I detect,” Ferra rushed out then turned toward him. He didn’t look at her. They would talk afterward. “I do not think they mean us any harm. They are only females. What can they do? The male gnoleon with them seems quite capable, but he has no weapons.” In fact, Ferrus sensed he was an alpha. But the male seemed too worried about his mate rather than presenting any danger to the citogen fae.
“Good,” the king sighed, “we can send them on their way. That female—”
“No,” Ferrus blurted, then added, “My King. I think they are worth examining a day or two longer. Just to make sure they are not concealing any crucial facts.” Again, the king paused, studying his son.
The king cleared his throat. “Ferra, what are your observations?”
“They had plenty of chances to try to escape, yet they did not use force of any kind. They had a plan to tour our home to find an escape route. I say you should release them.” She eyed her brother. He knew she had seen something she wasn’t saying. Nonetheless, he growled at her opinion.
“No,” she said, “I have changed my mind.” Her smile to him turned devious. Oh, yes. She knew something good. “Perhaps they should stay for surveillance tonight.” What was going through her mind? Ferra might have been young, but she thought as an adult.
“So be it. Ferrus, what of this Kappy army? I cannot believe a word of it.” A partial grin appeared on the old man’s face, more than he’d seen in centuries.
“I agree, Father. A Kappy army is nothing to worry about. But somebody did set the forest on fire. The dark-magic smoke filling the sky that day was real.”
“So, you believe the Gnoleon female about the village appearing nearby because of their evacuation? Not for war.”
“I do believe that. Lilah said the same thing in so many words.”
“Lilah?” the king questioned. Dragon piss! He needed to be more careful. If he seemed too comfortable, too personable with her, his father would suspect something. He hardened his face.
“Yes, My King, the one with the ugly hair with no color. She’s the one who talks too much. Daphne is the taller, thin female. Wren is the one with darker skin.” His dragon disagreed about Lilah’s hair, but this was just a ploy to satisfy his father’s curiosity.
“The matter is settled. Set up the females’ rooms for tonight with the others.” He stood with a slight groan, waving a dismissive hand. “Let the men select who stays with each tonight. I will be in my rooms.” He shuffled to the back, slid open the wall, and closed it behind him.
Ferrus grabbed his sister’s arm and hauled her outside the throne room. She erupted into laughter. “You are in so much trouble.”
His eyes squinted. “What do you mean?”
“I saw it,” she said. “Lilah turned rock into metal. Only a female alpha can do that.”
He stumbled backward, running his hand over his head. His mother was the only other person who could manipulate elements that way. A special magic only for the most powerful of the citogen.
“Does anyone else know this?” he asked.
“All the women in the kitchen at that time.”
“Dragon balls!” He paced, worried about so many things at once. His mate, his men, his father. “Ferra, have you noticed a change in our father?”
“He gets tired easier and has less patience. He hardly comes out of his room anymore. I think he is getting tired of living.”
Fear shot through him. Losing his mother at a young age crushed him. His father's passing would push him into a dark place. His father was too young to die. He was barely a thousand.
Ferra asked, “What are you going to do concerning your mate?”
“I cannot live without her,” he answered.
“She cannot live with you. I fear for her. I think Father saw you when she entered the room with you. You did not take your eyes off her the entire time.”
He knew he had given her away. His hands fisted into balls. His growl deepened. His animal would not let her be hurt by anyone, including the King.
He blew out a breath. “My mate needs food. I will figure it out later.” Thoughts swirling in his head and fear in his heart, he started up the slope to the mountaintop and the food preparation area. The midday meal had been over for a while now. His men were probably wondering where he was. But there was no war coming, so they could sit on their asses as far as he was concerned at the moment.
When he reached the kitchen, he had to wait for his eyes to adjust to the brightness. The women were quite startled by his appearance. Many scrambled to put their coveralls on. Others dropped what they were doing and bowed with the usual “My Prince.”
“I need the four visitors in the holding cell to have food and drink.” He breathed in the fresh air. He’d forgotten how nice it was to be outside.
Instead of taking the tunnel that passed the throne room, he took the way the men used when coming up to eat. He needed time to think.
Could he abandon everything he knew and loved to stay with his mate away from the mountain? Or would he force her to give up everything?
Chapter Eleven
Luzzeh Full continued to bash in the brains of his strategist on the cave floor in front of his makeshift throne. The stupid little piece of shit had utterly failed him. The villagers were gone with no sign of them anywhere.
He had no idea how they could’ve gotten away without being seen. The fire ate everything in its path, leaving only the dead ground behind. When searching the area, they found no sign of them. None! That wasn’t possible.
He needed those portals stones from the three females. He would not remain in this goddess-forsaken dimension. Revenge would be his when he returned to the Crystal Kingdom. The fairy bitch would die. Then he would take over the fae king’s people and live like a king with servers to satisfy his every desire and enough wealth to purchase more female servers to meet his needs. Only then would he be happy.