Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
T udor was laughing with the others when he caught sight of Cade. Although he was joining in, he wasn’t his usual self. He would pull Cade aside after breakfast and talk to him. He didn’t like the thought of anyone being unhappy, but especially one of his personal guards.
When breakfast had finished, Tudor hurried out of the kitchen, following Cade. “Cade wait up and I’ll walk with you are you training I have another sword fighting lesson thankfully I’m only using a wooden sword as I’m not very good.”
Cade touched Tudor’s arm. “Breathe, sire.”
Tudor nodded and smiled. “It would be so much easier if I didn’t have to breathe don’t you think but then I might talk forever.”
Cade touched his arm again. “We like you breathing, sire.”
“Tudor just call me Tudor I hope you think of me as a friend and not just a king.”
Cade briefly pressed his fingers to Tudor again. “I do, Tudor. But I need to ask you for a favour.”
Tudor nodded. “What can I do is it something that will make you happy because you’re looking a little down and have been for a while is it something I’ve done?”
Again, Cade touched Tudor. “No Tudor, it’s a personal matter. I want to request that you send me back to the gargoyle palace.”
“Why would you want to go back there when we’re mostly all here has someone in the pack said something do you want me to turn them to stone I would do if you wanted.”
Cade touched his arm once more. “No one has done or said anything. It’s just ...” He paused for a moment. “If I tell you the truth, will you keep it a secret?”
“My Alex will know because I tell him everything but no one else needs to know.”
Cade stopped Tudor with another touch and nodded. “Fair enough. The thing is, I’ve found my mate.”
Tudor’s face beamed with a massive smile.
“But—” Cade continued.
Tudor’s smile faltered.
“I can’t have a mate.”
“The Fates obviously think that you can otherwise they wouldn’t have given you one do you not want a mate?”
Cade touched Tudor’s arm again. “It’s a lovely dream, but no, I can’t ever have a mate.”
“Why not are you afraid I’ll work you too hard and you won’t have time for him?”
“No.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “To have a mate in our family is a death sentence. Family members mate and within a year the mates die. If I take a mate, I’m giving us both a death sentence. The safest option is for me to leave here and go back to the palace, well away from Peyt ... I mean, my mate.”
Tudor's mouth dropped open in shock. “There must be something that can be done to break whatever is going on plus Peyton is a dragon pure magic if anyone can help you the dragons can please don’t leave you both deserve to be happy and there are amazing powers in our pack someone will be able to help you,” Tudor rushed out before running out of breath.
“I—” Cade started to say and then stopped. “You really think there might be some way to break this curse?” He couldn’t hold back the hope in his eyes.
Tudor nodded. “I really do let’s go and see if my Alex has any ideas and then we can look for Puff or one of the gods and we can go from there.”
Cade put his hand on Tudor’s shoulder and held it there for a few seconds. “Thank you, sire.”
Tudor giggled. “You’re welcome, Sir Knight.”
Blake and Baylan were sitting in the library chatting with Shiloh and the super soldiers.
“I have some Alphas sending pack members to join the defence teams. I’ll be contacting the council guards and getting some sent here. Puff and Tudor will also be putting a call out to other flying and mythical creatures, I’ll have them put your name down as their contact so everything can go through you,” Blake said to Shiloh.
The man nodded. “That would be wise and it’ll take it away from you. I’m sure you have too much going on to put these teams together.”
Bake snorted. “I was busy before I was made king, now it’s just madness. Thankfully, I have help, so I’m not doing all this alone.”
“You know when we’re not training or out and about, we’ll help where we can,” Kyle offered.
Blake nodded and smiled. “I know that, thank you. It should only be a few more days before the neighbouring farm sale is completed. That will be the dedicated training centre. It will also be where the dragon and gargoyle guards will live, along with all other defence personnel.”
“We’ll make you proud, sire,” Shiloh told him.
“I have no doubt about that, and it’s just Blake. Why don’t the four of you get together with the two generals and have a chat? I’m not sure when Frederick will be back, but when he is, run the plans by him as well, as he might have ideas to add.”
Shiloh nodded. “We can do that, but first, let me pledge to you.”
Blake nodded and stood up.
Shiloh stood, walked a few paces so he was standing in front of Blake, dropped to one knee, and made his pledge, which Blake happily accepted.