Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ASHER
S omething deep inside is unraveling. I know Isla is going to be the end of me—a sweet, intoxicating demise, but a demise nonetheless. Our kiss on the stairwell made me briefly forget who and what I’m supposed to be, a lapse that even now sends ripples through the steadfast fa?ade I maintain as king. She’s once again, and very quickly, become my core, my singular focus, and while I’m consumed with gratitude that she’s back, I’m equally haunted by the constraints of my responsibilities.
The words Grayson uttered have ignited a slow-burning fury within me. I thought I had considered every possibility—her leaving of her own volition, or worse, her being taken from me—but none made sense. There were no demands made, no enemies claiming victory, and an unsettling silence on her whereabouts.
Part of me had reluctantly accepted the possibility that she had simply chosen to walk away without reason. But now, the prospect that she might have been forcibly cursed to Earth changes everything. If this proves to be the case, nothing will stop me from uncovering the truth and exacting a bitter vengeance.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my heart before stepping into this meeting with my advisory council. I was hoping to avoid this, but that’s part of the job as king. I can’t ignore everything for days on end without the council being forced to check where my head is at. That is their job, after all.
Pushing open the doors to the meeting room on the fourth floor, I’m greeted with the faces of four of my five council members. Malimorte has already departed for Earth with Grayson. Though no one in this room is aware of that fact.
I should be able to tell them, but I’m not going to. Nobody else needs to know what we’re up to until I have more answers. I won’t risk Isla’s life by sharing too much information.
“Your Majesty,” Arthur says, the eldest of my advisory team, having even served under my father. He rises first as I close the doors behind me and bows, casting his dark eyes downward briefly. “Thank you for meeting with us today with all you have going on.”
They might have requested the meeting, and I could have denied, but that’s not the kind of ruler I’ve chosen to be. While I don’t intend on telling them more than they need to know to feel at peace with the arrival of my mate, they still deserve my presence until I learn otherwise.
“Of course,” I say, taking my seat at the head of the table. “I apologize for not sending word sooner.”
Henree, sitting on my left, clears his throat. “Yes, Your Majesty. We were surprised Malimorte didn’t report anything to us and that he was unable to join us now.”
“He has an urgent family matter that I’ve encouraged him to deal with,” I explain, something Mali and I already discussed in private as his cover for being gone. As my primary advisor, it’s not often he’s missing from my side for these things like this.
“I see, Sire.” Henree adjusts the silver bowtie at his neck as his golden eyes glance across the table. “Isaac, will you get us started, then?”
Isaac, the second oldest member of my council, meets my stare. His dark-hazel eyes narrow ever so slightly before he begins to speak. “The people have voiced concerns about the rumors they’ve heard of Ms. Blackwood being here to reject you. How should we respond to this, my king?”
My blood boils on the inside from the reminder that I almost lost her a second time and what I was forced to do to prevent that. Still, I keep my expression controlled and I flatten my palms over my thighs beneath the table. “Princess Isla, as she should now be called, is not here for a rejection. We’re unsure at this time what happened to her before as her memories are not what they should be, but she is here to stay for now.”
“And that is information we’re allowed to share, Your Majesty?” Archie, the recorder and history expert of the group, asks. He peeks up at me, his salt-and-pepper hair falling across his gaze.
“Yes,” I say tersely. “The people have nothing to worry about where Isla is concerned. She’s adjusting and we will update when there’s something more to share. ”
“Will she be the next queen, Sire?” Arthur asks next, a valid question, but unfortunately, one I can’t answer yet.
“This is my pack, my land, my people,” I say with authority. “I have given my life to them, doing everything needed to keep them well cared for, protected, and everything in between. If anyone wants to know anything more before we’re ready to share, perhaps remind them of the many centuries I have spent proving my loyalty and ask for their patience in return.”
“Yes, my king,” Arthur replies, but he doesn’t meet my steady gaze, letting me know my answer isn’t enough for them.
I’m not surprised by that, but it’s all I can offer at this time. While the people of my territory have always been important to me, I won’t hold them above Isla. I’m sure that’s exactly what they’re concerned with now, but I can keep my mate’s privacy secure while also making sure our land is protected from threats.
“What else is on the agenda for the day?” I press, hoping the conversation of Isla is handled for the moment.
Henree speaks up next. “Noen and Declan, they’re due back soon. Have you heard how their negotiations are going with Selaris, Your Highness?”
A topic I don’t mind discussing.
“I haven’t spoken to them myself in a few days, but Malimorte let me know before he left that things are going as expected,” I explain. “We should be getting the minerals we need for our crops in exchange for lumber and the families who have requested to move have been approved with new members joining us from their lands as well. ”
The last part is my least-favorite part of negotiations. Approving members of my pack to leave isn’t something I enjoy because typically, it means they’re not happy here. Though sometimes, it’s as simple as mates finding one another and being from different islands. Someone always has to move, and I’ve never denied my people their happiness by forcing them to stay.
The biggest downside is bringing in new wolves from other islands. I haven’t had a threat made against my crown in over a century, but bringing in those who have been raised under a different leader never fails to make me wonder if one could return.
Our four islands have operated smoothly for years, but everything is surface-level diplomatic. One misstep and any deals we’ve made for peace could come crashing down around us.
“Speaking of new members…” Arthur says, looking over a piece of paper in front of him.
As I navigate through the rest of the meeting, my thoughts stray, unbidden, to Isla. Her image—the taste of her kiss, the sound of her laughter—invades my senses, a vivid reminder of what I’ve regained. The meeting drags, each minute an eternity away from her.
Once dismissed, I’m left with the echo of my council’s concerns, but none weigh as heavily as the need to protect Isla. I know what I must do. The kingdom can wait. For now, my heart cannot.