*Rion*
The couple of tis that I stood before King Xander had been far from pleasant. The first ti, I had been shackled to a wall and had been worrying about whether or not I would live to see another day. The second ti wasn’t too different from the last, except that I wasn’t in a jail cell, and rather than just worrying for my own life, I was also heavily concerned for the life of my baby sister.
I should have been more confident when I was called to stand before the stern, unyielding king for the third ti considering that I was very much bound to his youngest daughter. Ironically, that made even more anxious to have an audience with him.
Now that I had marked his youngest daughter, I found that I wanted the approval of this man. I didn’t need it, however. Whether he truly approved of or not, I was determined to take care of Daphne and spend the rest of my life with her.
“I don’t understand why he would want to just speak with you,” Daphne complained as I got dressed that morning. She crossed her arms and her lips tightened, and at that mont, I couldn’t help but realize that she did share quite a few physical features with the queen.
I had a feeling that I knew the reason for this particular eting, but I didn’t want Daphne to worry. She was harboring a lot of stress as it was with everything else going on in the kingdom. She didn’t need this on top of it.
“Maybe he just wants to have a talk man-to-man,” I suggested lightly, giving her a teasing smirk.
Daphne just rolled her eyes at the attempt before scowling, her eyebrows knitting together. “I still don’t see why I can’t be present,” she said, the annoyance thick in her voice. “Whatever he’s planning to say to you, he should be able to say in front of .”
She had just taken a step closer to what I suspected this conversation would be about. I raised an eyebrow at her. “Don’t forget that your mother isn’t joining us either. It’s not just you who is being excluded.”
It was a poor choice of words, I realized a second too late. Daphne’s scowl only deepened once the word “excluded” fell from my lips.
“Why shouldn’t Mother be there?” she asked, waving a hand around angrily, causing to see just a glimpse of the king in the tiny woman as well. “What could he possibly wish to discuss with you that should be kept secret from his wife and daughter?”
I was sorry that Daphne was so distressed by the eting, but I couldn’t help but be just slightly pleased as well. The cause for her anger was obviously because she was concerned for . She likely feared that her father didn’t fully approve of , just like I did.
It was understandable since I hadn’t completely proven myself to him. That was likely to take ti.
I nodded to a guard right outside the throne room and he gave a look that I couldn’t quite read before opening the door for . I thanked him before heading inside.
“Thank you for agreeing to et with , Rion,” King Xander said as soon as the door shut behind .
I looked around to find that we were completely alone, not even a single guard standing watch as we had our discussion. This was a very good sign, one that caused to relax considerably.
If this was to be a dangerous kind of discussion, the king would have felt it necessary to have at least one of his Royal Guard mbers present.
Perhaps he had grown to trust more than I expected.
This fact gave enough courage to poke just a little bit of fun. “Even if I had a true choice, I don’t think I would have been able to decline such an honor, Your Majesty.”
The corner of the king’s mouth turned up ever-so-slightly, causing to relax even further. “True enough,” he said. He leaned forward on his throne. “I shall get right to the point then.”
I straightened, trying and failing to read the king’s expression. He seed to be forcing his face into one devoid of emotion. His dark eyes flashed for just a second. “What are your intentions with my daughter?”
It took a mont to recover from my shock, and then another to decipher what it was he was actually asking. He was well aware that Daphne was now officially my mate since I had marked her.
He knew that she was carrying my child as well, so he clearly wasn’t asking if I planned to be with her, because that much had been made very clear. I doubted he would have allowed to sleep in her bedroom if that wasn’t the case.
I fird up my expression as well. “Once Daphne is comfortable with the idea, we will leave for the Light Realm and build a life together.”
King Xander studied for a long mont. I had to force myself not to falter under the penetrating stare. I t his gaze with as much confidence as I could muster, thinking about Daphne, and of our child. I knew that I wanted to take Daphne away from here as long as that was what she wanted.
“While I comnd you for wanting to build a life with my daughter,” King Xander started, and it was easy to detect the “but” attached to that statent. “I must advise you to do so with so precautions in place.”
“Precautions, sir?” I asked politely.
“Safety in numbers, Stormfall,” King Xander answered with a firm nod. “While I’m sure that you are a strong young man, I must insist that you consider the safety of Daphne as well as your future children.”
I couldn’t help but grit my teeth together at the implication behind the king’s words. “I assure you that the safety of Daphne and our children is my number one priority.”
King Xander nodded, although he wasn’t the least bit apologetic. “I don’t doubt that,” he said. “However, I’m sure you would all benefit from joining a pack. Perhaps you could bring your crew along with you, and Eva as well. If you could fill a pack with those that you trust, you will be able to build a safer life for you and Daphne.”
I considered that for a mont, quickly realizing that the scenario was rational. I had been so caught up in just building a life together with Daphne that I hadn’t even thought about bringing others into the equation.
I thought about Jasper and the other guys, and how they didn’t have anything tying them to any place in particular. They could be more than willing to co along and form a pack with Daphne and .
“Tis are uncertain,” the king continued in a low, solemn voice. “I’m afraid that Daphne being a Crimson will an she will always have enemies.” He sounded regretful, but once again, not apologetic, but I understood the implication behind his words.
Since Daphne and I were bound together now, I would always have enemies as well.
“I am well-versed in having enemies,” I assured the king, although once the words were out in the air between us, I realized that that probably wasn’t the most comforting thing to say to the father of my mate.
Thankfully, the king didn’t seem the least bit surprised, probably since he had been toward the top of my list of enemies for several years.
“I got a ssage from the Alpha of Thorn Forest. It seems your efforts to rescue Daphne from Alpha Gareth left quite an impression,” the king said suddenly.
I nodded politely, rembering the Alpha who provided guides for us.
The king held my gaze as if he wanted to assess my reaction carefully. “Alpha Cyrus has no heir of his own and is getting ready to step down as Alpha. Should you have an interest, he would like to arrange for you to fly out and officially et with him as soon as possible to discuss taking his place.”
I digested all of this, my eyes widening as I deciphered what King Xander was suggesting. “You an Daphne and I would beco the next Alpha and Luna of the Thorn Forest Pack?” I could hear the shock in my own voice.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, Daphne is my only unsettled daughter,” he continued in a low voice. “That being said, I am certain that the mild protest that occurred last night is far from the end of the turmoil that the palace will face.”
The gratitude that filled was suddenly overwhelming. Although he was mainly setting up a place for us to stay for Daphne’s sake, I couldn’t ignore the fact that this would directly affect as well.
I had been convinced that he didn’t see as a good fit for Daphne, but he was willing to do what he could to protect her since I decided to take her away from the safety of the palace. He could have refused to let us leave. He could have insisted that we stay within the palace walls until he deed it safe to leave. Instead, he was respecting my intentions and compromising with .
I t King Xander’s gaze with an unyielding one of my own. “Even if we aren’t going to beco your successors, I would like you to know that I am more than willing to help defend this palace.”
I owed the Crimson family that much at the very least.
King Xander nodded. “And we thank you,” he said. “However, a palace can be rebuilt, even if it must be raised back up from the ground.”
There were multiple layers to his tone that I sohow was able to read imdiately. He was grateful for my support in defending the palace from possible enemies, but there was sothing even more precious that he wanted to defend with my life... sothing that couldn’t be replaced.
“I will protect Daphne with my life,” I vowed with more conviction than I had ever felt before. “Whether that be in Thorn Forest, or wherever we end up. I will always protect her.”
There was one more thing I needed to discuss before our eting concluded.
"Your Majesty, I wanted to ask about my sister, Eva," I began hesitantly. "Would she be allowed to accompany Daphne and when we leave?"
The king considered this for a mont. "Yes, I believe that can be arranged. However, her supernatural abilities will need to remain bound for the foreseeable future."
I struggled internally with this stipulation. On one hand, I understood the king’s wariness regarding Eva’s volatile power. She had caused imnse destruction in the past when her magic was unleashed. Suppressing her abilities might be a necessary precaution.
But the thought of forcing my sister to permanently live without access to her gifts didn’t sit quite right either. Magic was part of her essence. Would she be happy living like that?
Ultimately, it wasn’t my choice to make. Eva would have to decide for herself if losing her magic was worth the chance for freedom.
"I will discuss your terms with Eva," I said finally. "But I believe she will choose to join us, even if it ans accepting restrictions on her abilities."
"A wise assessnt," the king approved with a nod. "I know Eva’s magic poses certain risks, but I believe with proper guidance, she can learn to harness it responsibly. This dampening need not be permanent if she proves herself trustworthy. For now, it is a necessary safeguard."
I let out a breath, relieved. There was hope Eva could regain full use of her gifts soday. And the king was showing faith in her ability to reform.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I watched his expression carefully, noting the way that sothing in his eyes flashed briefly, and I was almost certain that one corner of his mouth twitched upward.
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