16
Sagan
There was a ruckus Tuesday morning at the start of my run with updates. This time there was an actual issue with the owner of the treats shop and the guards were on alert… And told me not to go to the front gate.
Which meant I immediately went there.
Of course I did.
Benson came running towards me with a look that he wasn’t fucking around and even Davian—Treena’s head of security—seemed the same. “She got caught in a lie. Her and a woman she brought with her, okay? Please just let this play out.”
I sighed and nodded. “Don’t let them bully her. She probably is…” I was glad when he nodded.
“I will handle it,” Belinda said as she came rushing from the front door of the castle. “She has vital information. Gather whomever in your private dining room.”
“It’s best just to listen to her,” I chuckled when Davian looked like he was going to object. I snorted when Benson simply nodded in defeat. I rubbed the back of my neck and turned towards the castle. “The one time you all skipped the runs with me.”
Benson snorted. “Lots are skipping. You are a machine.”
I gave him a dry look. “The lazy candidates are. I meant you or like Treena and Davian.”
“Even we need a day off, Your Majesty,” Davian replied, his tone dry. “The princess was clear that even her wolf was tired this morning from all the runs and she’d see you at breakfast.”
“I’m glad she is making her rest a priority. I had too many years having to curb myself and hide what I could do because of the security risk it would create in other countries. So now I can finally push myself,” I quickly said so it wasn’t like I was shitting on her.
The timing was just funny. Of course, it was when all the ancients hadn’t come either. Maple had skipped. It had basically been Fraser, Onyx, Joris, and a few others who looked ready to beg me for an easy day.
“This wasn’t how I wanted to get an off day from your torture,” Fraser grumbled as he joined up with us. “How bad?” He sighed when I shrugged.
I told the candidates they could go ahead and I’d catch up with them later. It was hard not to laugh when they all gave me looks like I was nuts.
“I’m going back to bed,” Gavriil practically cheered. “Of course Thorn skipped out on the one day we could.”
More like he skipped out after what happened last night. I’d thought of doing the same so I didn’t have to see him, but it was my fucking house.
The kitchen brought in what was ready to eat early for us and I thanked them. It was over an hour before the normal dining hall start time, and while we were waiting, I asked Benson to radio that I wanted Raquel to join us.
He swallowed loudly but did it, the worry in his eyes thick.
Part of me wanted to ask if it was for her or me?
Then I snorted. Her. He could say he cared for me all he wanted, but he always worried about everyone else before me—valued them more… And everyone else knew it. He would too if he’d stop lying to himself.
“Good morning, Your Majesty,” Raquel greeted. “You wanted to see me?”
“I did, please sit,” I told her, thanking her since she came with the cart of my drinks. I picked what I wanted and was happy with some additions. “This is great.” I glanced at the bottles. “Where did you get this?”
“I told your uncle what I remembered you liked specifically when I visited you on campuses and he had them imported,” Benson answered, nodding to Fraser.
“For now,” Fraser said gently. “We’ll find you some Thovudin brands while you get acclimated.” He leaned in and kissed my hair. “I got you, poppet. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it sooner.”
“Thanks. Really.” It meant a lot to me that he got the premade protein shakes and coffee concentrate I loved.
Like loved. They had three types of coffee creamer flavors I liked and… It was great. I thanked Raquel as well.
“I know I’ve been neglectful, but it wasn’t intentional, Your Majesty,” she promised.
“No, you are not the same as the head landscaper,” I agreed. “But someone suggested—this is all you’ve known, Raquel, and I think that’s a big flaw in what’s been going on. You are crucial here, but we aren’t working. That much is clear after so many speed bumps and—”
“Please don’t fire me, Your Majesty,” she rasped. “I beg you not to shame me that way. I will be better and—”
“I’m not firing you, though I should.” I ignored when she and Benson flinched. “This last time where you brushed me off that women gossip and… It was too much. Benson too. I’m so disgusted with you both and how you dismissed me like a child instead of—it makes me uncomfortable in my own home.”
“Don’t say that,” Benson whispered.
“Mostly because you’re both so egregiously wrong it’s beyond words,” I continued.
I let out a slow breath and glanced between them before focusing back on Raquel.
“So I’m going to talk to Treena’s father and you’re going to go train in his castle the way Davian is training Benson here.
I want you to see what I have experienced that you dismissed so easily as impossible. ”
Fraser started chuffing when Raquel opened her mouth, and it took all I had not to tell her to pack up and get out when I realized she was going to push back. She seriously had the audacity to challenge me when I was still giving her a chance.
She shot him a look and then swallowed loudly. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You need to learn some humility, Raquel,” I informed her, my cold tone.
“You interrupted and tried to overrule the ruler of Thovudin, not just the owner of this castle who is now in charge. I have always hated this system of certain families serving mine because it’s this cultish, sheltered mindset that leads to this. Other nations do it differently.”
“I wasn’t aware of that,” she admitted.
“And yet you’ve been very sure on so much that you correct me too often.
” I thought that drove my point home pretty damn well.
“I will talk with King Taryn and let you know when your trip will be.” I added more because I was pretty sure what she had been about to say earlier.
“Or I’ll expect your resignation by the morning. ”
She swallowed loudly. “I will handle what I should with filling in Yolanda and making sure things run smoothly in my absence.”
I had a feeling things would be better without her around, but I didn’t want to say that when I was trying to give her one last chance. At least on the surface.
“Well done,” Fraser muttered when she was gone. “I would never have thought of it.”
“Because it’s against tradition,” I grumbled. “It’s so beaten into us—it wasn’t my idea, but it’s perfect. She’s so sure this is how things are—we know it’s not.” I shared a look with him and was glad when we were on the same page.
“Will I be having the same trip?” Benson asked quietly, a bit of sarcasm in his tone.
“I think you need a trip to the bottom of the ocean, you piece of shit,” Fraser bit out right as Belinda opened the door.
“The timing today,” I sighed as the shop owner and the woman with her clearly heard what Fraser said and looked terrified. “Please ignore that. It was personal and deserved.”
“I would advise against this, Your Majesty,” the tiger with them said firmly. “They’re both lying and now freaking out that they’re caught.”
“Yes, but they’re both relieved now that they’re near Sagan and they know I can still tell if they’re lying, so it’s fine,” Myriam said as she joined us with Maple, Velle, and Treena. “I have a feeling they were sneaky for the right reasons.”
“You are so very bright that it’s beyond impressive,” Belinda praised her. “And you’re correct, so we need to erase that this woman was ever here now that you know her real name and searched her.” She gave me a look that she wasn’t kidding.
“Start from the lie,” I decided after a moment.
“She doesn’t work for me and that’s what I said to try and get her in here,” the shop owner blurted.
“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty, but you had to be told quietly what she knows, and she risks so much to tell you this, and she didn’t know how, so she came to the store to try and find a way, and when I heard what is going on, I just knew that I had to try and help and—”
“Okay, okay, it’s okay,” I interjected before she imploded. “No one is going to lose their heads and we’ll work this out. Please come have a seat and let’s calm down.” I looked at Benson and was glad when I saw we were on the same page. “Do it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He stood and cleared his throat. “I would ask you wait until I’m back to get started.”
“I have to be at work by eight or people will talk and that will get me in serious trouble,” the unknown woman worried. She knew what was coming next and didn’t make us ask. “I work at the courthouse. I’m a clerk.”
Oh shittttttt.
“I’ll hurry,” Benson muttered and was out the door.
I made a decision and looked at Treena. “I think this might get ugly and you shouldn’t be involved. I’ll let you know if you should.” She sighed and left with Davian and the other wolves. Then I focused on Velle.
She stood and held up her hands. “I prefer to know less. Thank you.”
“I live in the muck,” Myriam joked and took a seat next to Fraser. “Hey, hot uncle number two.”
“You are such a pain in the ass and I know you’re doing that just to crack jokes for the tension,” Fraser mumbled.
“But it works,” Belinda purred, winking at the women. “So tell us your names at least.” She asked a few other basic questions to get them at ease while we waited for Benson. It was just the five of us with them after all.
He came back and nodded it was done, saying he cleared it with the guards that it was a mix-up, and luckily it was too early for any press to have been around. “But something to bring up later because it’s a good idea for there to be a way for…”
Something crazy like this? He wasn’t wrong but yeah, a different guard station we kept cleared and not with cameras?
That sounded shady but also useful.