Chapter 4 #2
King Taryn studied him before shaking his hand.
“You’re the main reason any of this alliance ever happened besides Sagan.
Your companies treat our people fairly and none of this species nonsense.
Knowing you felt that way, no matter what we received in reports from this government, gave me hope to deal with your sister. She was a wondrous woman.”
“She was,” Darren agreed, clearing his throat. “I’m glad you understand that I truly feel that way, and any who works for me adheres to the same values. If not, I want to know. Immediately.”
“As any good leader should,” he praised before focusing back on me. “Now that you figured it out, we can have some quick, frank discussions even if I’m not really here. If you’re open to it.”
Treena cleared her throat. “Father was forced to mate my mother and take two concubines. Even if they fell in love and the concubines were for show—let him help, Sagan.”
“I will always take valued advice, but we’ve started on a plan,” I told them as I moved to take our seats, leaving the head of the table for King Taryn.
Which impressed him again.
As we ate, I filled them in on what had happened so far, probably being a bit more candid with another king than Darren or Benson were comfortable with. I didn’t answer to them, but I decided to address it.
“I immediately recognized him because he video called Treena two or three times a week when we roomed together,” I said as easily as I could.
“King Taryn is a very hands-on parent and I heard how understanding and good he is at giving counsel. I’d prefer he remember I’m Treena’s roommate and keep on that path instead of thinking of me as a contentious leader. ”
The room was awkwardly silent for a few minutes. Oddly enough, it was Taryn who spoke first.
“The two most difficult jobs in the world are being a parent and leader of a people, Sagan.” His voice was gentle, which shocked me, and I glanced at him.
“I haven’t been the father I should to my other children and I will never forgive myself for that.
I neglect my mate too often and that is something people pick at.
“I know you hurt—validly. No one should ever take that away from you. But as a parent and king, I know your parents did the best they could, and even if it hurts, you are well-equipped to handle this monstrous challenge in front of you. You have the… Distance to make it work that I’m not sure even Treena could. ”
“I agree, and I hate you went through what you have, but I’m also jealous because I think you will be a better queen than I will,” Treena added.
“I hope to learn a lot from you and even this distance—I see my father as a father first. You saw your parents as king and queen, and that will help you to not fall into the traps others will lay out for you.”
“You did? You do?” Darren rasped, his heartbreak filling the room.
I cleared my throat and focused on my food.
“It was the side of them they showed me most. I was given orders by my king to follow as his heir, not as a father hoping his daughter would take his advice. This last time was the first I…” I shook my head and blinked back tears. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“I disagree, but that is for you to work out in your own time, so do not allow anyone else to push you. Not ever. You are your parents’ daughter and to disrespect you is to disrespect them,” King Taryn advised.
“And you have done well framing everything like that. Next, we get you through this mess your elders have set up.”
I swallowed loudly. “The only way I see to circumnavigate it is to allow one candidate from each territory to have a potential suitor…” I swallowed loudly again, unable to say the crazy I was about to.
Pity filled his eyes. “Unfortunately, I think you’re correct. The only way I see you not springing another trap or being backed into a corner is to allow one candidate from each of the seventeen regions.”
“That’s insane to even say, Your Majesty,” Benson argued. “Forgive me, but it is.”
“Is it?” he challenged, sitting back and assessing Benson. “These elders have obviously planned for the moment she would take over.” He snorted when Darren and Benson flinched but met my gaze. “You’ve considered this.”
“I see snakes everywhere and I’m not always wrong no matter what some people think.
” I didn’t even mean to shoot Benson a glance, but others caught it.
“I don’t think—I think my parents’ accident was truly an accident, but it should still be investigated, and they shut it down too fast. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone helped. ”
King Taryn held up a hand to hold the others off. “Why go there? Your uncle himself heard the recordings and said he believed it.”
“Devil’s advocate and not what I believe?”
His lips twitched. “You will only survive your rule—the coming months especially—if you always play devil’s advocate, Sagan.”
Treena snorted. “Very true.” She let out a long breath and met my gaze. “I have questions even, and I didn’t want to—it sounded offensive.” She glanced at her father as if asking something without words.
And it hurt my heart they could do that. I never would have been able to with my parents. I hadn’t known them well enough.
“You want to know how dragons can die in a plane crash when we can fly,” Darren offered, sighing when the royals both nodded. He scrubbed his hands over his head. “Shifting isn’t that simple or—”
“Any danger and our wolves want to take over,” King Taryn interjected. “That is where we’re stuck.”
“And we’re trained that’s always the last resort, our dragons know that because of how large we are,” Darren countered.
“If either of them shifted—the plane and others were done. Shifting while falling—we train for that, but given the weather—all it could have taken was the lightning or conditions and concentration was broken.”
“It sounds simple, but it never is,” I agreed. “But they would have tried.” I nodded when people reacted to that, glancing at Darren. “You know Father would have tried to save Mother. You said it yourself. He would have tried just to save her even if it killed him.”
“Yes.” His tone and confidence in that one word was everything. “I assumed the lightning that hit—whatever exploded the engine was just too fast.” He opened his mouth but then closed it.
“Forgive me,” King Taryn said gently. “Yes, life-ending wounds are life-ending wounds no matter how durable we are.”
I swallowed loudly. “We’re sure?”
“The report I received made it conclusive,” Benson answered.
I held King Taryn’s gaze. “I want another outside opinion before they are sealed in the crypt. Quietly. Someone we trust and not the court whoever that Hardin and others could influence.”
“You will—” Benson started to argue.
“Whose side are you on here?” Treena snapped. “You’re supposed to be on her side, not the side of not making waves.” She growled when he did a double take. “Have some loyalty for her parents. She has questions and you should too, not just reports.”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Benson whispered after a moment, his eyes on me even if I wouldn’t look at him. “I can’t—there’s not a world where I can seem to wrap my brain around your parents being assassinated.”
I met his gaze then and anger was in mine.
“Well, start wrapping your brain around it or I could be next. And I’m not saying they were.
I’m saying I want a second opinion and my own investigation.
We get those from healers. Why aren’t we doing the same when two coups were already basically attempted? Are you dumb?”
Treena snorted, clearly agreeing with me.
“Off the record, I would send a team, people I know,” King Taryn hedged.
“And you want?” Darren asked, immediately picking up on the tit for tat.
But I already knew the answer. “You want the rule of shifting in the castle waived for Treena and her detail.” I met her gaze and saw the shock there. “You’ve always said you need to or—you’ve never said it was first instinct and it’s a serious crime here.”
“Yes, it’s what makes us both most nervous,” she admitted. “I’m good. I could probably—I won’t have my guards die because they did what they were trained to so I was safe if things are this volatile.”
I winked at her. “Done.” Then I focused on her father.
“I’m sorry for the oversight. No trades to keep her safe.
Just tell us. She or those on her current detail are protected.
I would ask they work with Benson on some way to get her out if there’s a problem.
Some safe room or—contingencies so they’re not front and center if they have to shift. ”
“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “Truly, Sagan.” He took in a shaky breath and met Darren’s gaze. “Nothing. I will send the best who would look into our deaths and make sure it is as you think. Today even.”
We discussed a few other things like the parachutes that were on most planes, but that was where it was tricky for dragons. We couldn’t use things like that for “flying,” and during a storm they would have been more trouble than help.
Maybe.
“The only wisdom I have for you on the topic—the corner you’re backed into about having multiple mates is to be honest,” King Taryn said as we were wrapping up.
“That was the mistake I made and one I wish I could go back and fix.” He shot his daughter a look but then focused back on me. “One that scarred my mate.”
Treena gasped but then tried to school her reaction.
“And I hurt my concubines by letting them think things would be different,” King Taryn admitted sadly. “We were all pushed into this, but we could have been a better team—helped each other if we’d just been honest.”
“Honesty and information can be used as a weapon against us,” I said, more for Treena to remind her that her father had been fighting for his own survival.
“Yes, but you are supported in a way I wasn’t,” he said, pointing to Darren. “My father wanted to stay neutral and not play favorites.” His finger focused on me. “You are the favorite. You are the future. You are the priority, and that is the focus of your uncle.”
I swallowed loudly. “And mine?”
“To make it through this without making as big of a mess as I did, as I know one will never forgive me for trapping her when I could have picked another. She loved me and now hates me,” he admitted, shocking all of us.
“I could have picked another who simply would have taken the role not to be mated off to a cad.
“If I’d been strong enough to just have the hard conversations and be Taryn, not simply the king, I wouldn’t have hurt so many.
So no matter what, do not let yourself be rushed.
That is your priority. That you see the wisdom, but your main focus is that you give such an important decision time.
For them too as some will be pressured into this. ”
“He’s right—you’re right,” Darren agreed, dipping his head to King Taryn. “In the grand scheme of things, five years until you’re mated means nothing as long as you’re focused where you should be and make it clear your priority is finding the right person to stand at your side.”
“Or people,” King Taryn whispered, making it clear he knew the outcome.
There was no way I was getting out of this having only one mate.
So be it. If that was what it took to not be trapped or… So be it.