Crown of Shadows (Court of Midnight and Deception Book 1)

by K. M. Shea

  Like most werewolves, he had an impressive set of broad shoulders, and I could see the shadow of defined muscles in the way his black suit fit him.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chase. Tell me about your skills.” I smiled at him as I edged closer to the stalls, angling for the one Eclipse had claimed for herself.

  “I’m versed in various forms of martial arts, I have extensive firearm training, and I served as a marine in active duty for six years,” Chase said.

  “Any leadership training?” I propped my arm up on the edge of the stall, smiling when Eclipse joined us.

  Chase slightly bowed his head to Eclipse and didn’t appear at all bothered by her frightening appearance. “Yes. I am one of the top ranked wolves in my pack, and I have experience leading both civilians and shifters…”

  He listed his work experience, but I wasn’t too concerned about that. Skye said he was competent. For her to say that he had to be good.

  I was far more interested in seeing how the night mares reacted to him.

  Eclipse was doing her best to beg my apple from me and was mostly ignoring him—that wasn’t a bad thing, though.

  Suits—the guy who had shown up with Lady Demetria and the others when they found me—had stormed the stable once to object when he heard I was selling the sun stallions, then left immediately, screaming, because Twilight almost kicked him.

  In fact, the longer we stood by Eclipse and the longer she didn’t react, the more I suspected Chase had to be a stand up sort of guy.

  “That’s really impressive.” I finally gave in and gave Eclipse the apple. She slobbered over my hand in her version of thanks. “Skye said you were from the Northern Lakes Pack. That’s in northern Wisconsin, right?”

  “Yes, Queen Leila.” He straightened up and stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

  “Which means you are leaving your pack?”

  Magiford straddled the state line between Wisconsin and Illinois and was hours away from the Northern Lakes Pack territory. Werewolves lived with—or at least near—their pack, which meant there was no way he was remaining part of the Northern Lakes Pack.

  “No, actually. I’ve received special permission from my pack Alpha, and from the Pre-Dominant, to apply for this position and take up residence in Magiford but remain a member of the pack.”

  I almost put my slobbered hand on my hip in my surprise before I caught myself. “The Pre-Dominant?” The Pre-Dominant was the highest-ranking werewolf in the region. For her to be giving her approval to Chase was a pretty big deal.

  “My pack has a higher-than-average number of wolves with alpha capabilities,” Chase said. “It’s not a problem due to the strength of our pack, and all of us would follow our Alpha no matter what. The Pre-Dominant approached our pack and asked if several members would be willing to relocate and find strategic positions.” He hesitated, then added, “Given the events of the past year, it’s become obvious to us werewolves that we need to make greater strides in working with other supernaturals.”

  Which was political speak for saying that the vampires and wizards getting along splendidly due to Killian and Hazel’s romance was scaring the pants off the werewolves, because it meant the vampires and wizards could team up on the Regional Committee of Magic.

  See? Sometimes it did pay to be more aware of local politics than whatever dramas the fae had most recently invented to amuse themselves.

  I tapped my hands on the stall door and glanced at Eclipse.

  She blew her sulfuric smelling breath at me. I tried to discreetly tilt my head in Chase’s direction.

  Eclipse just swished her thin tail and stared at me.

  When I made a face at her she finally took my unspoken hint and reached over the stall to nudge Chase.

  He glanced at the mare, then gently patted her neck.

  Eclipse grunted at me, checked my hand for any additional apples, then retreated into her stall to blow smoke at her haynet.

  His non-reaction made me narrow my eyes and openly study him.

  Chase wasn’t what I wanted. He was a werewolf, and still susceptible to fae magic.

  But as a werewolf he’d have some advantages. Werewolves were agile—not like the vampires, but in strength they could beat vampires every day. They—most shifters, really—also were extra perceptive with better eyesight, hearing, and smell.

  What I really need in a director of security is someone competent that I can trust. I can trust Chase Washington.

  I felt the truth of that statement all the way to the bottom of my gut.

  “Okay,” I nodded.

  “Yes?” Chase stood straighter yet, resembling a finely sculpted block of marble.

  “Chase, I’d like to offer you the position of director of security,” I said. “I’m not going to lie—it’s dangerous work, and I don’t think my nobles are going to give you a welcome that overflows with warmth.”

  Chase gave me a slight bow. “I understood the possibilities when I applied for the position. Thank you, Queen Leila. I vow to see that you are safe—both among your own people, and when in public.”

  “Thanks. It’s the ‘among my people’ part that I’m most concerned about,” I said blandly. “We’ll provide you with a room at the mansion and all of that—Skye?”

  “Yes, I can handle the details and introduce Mr. Washington to the guards who will be under his command.”

  “Please, it’s just Chase.” Chase gave Skye a charming smile—which, I was impressed to see, didn’t even make her blink.

  “Thanks, Skye. And welcome, Chase. I hope you enjoy your employment here.” I was edging my way down the aisle, hoping to run into Dusk or Dawn, but Indigo was two steps ahead of me.

  “Queen Leila.” She propped her hands up on her hips and locked her knobby knees. “You’ve got an appointment this afternoon with an accountant, and you need to eat a proper meal—no more of these plastic-smelling protein bars or beef jerky.”

  I sighed with enough angst to make a TV soap opera star proud and followed the brownie as she led the way out of the stables. “It’s fine,” I said.

  “You say that too much.”

  “It’s my catchphrase! Every queen needs one.”

  Indigo gave me “the look,” which she leveled at me whenever I was being cheeky and she wanted to blast me but remembered at the last second I was technically her queen.

  The look consisted of her eyebrows lowering to give her a particularly unimpressed expression, matched with her mouth screwing up as if she had just sucked on a lemon. It was fun to know I was so charming I could inspire the expression!

  “What you need is a cup of tea,” Indigo decided once we reached the shadow of the mansion.

  I snorted as I followed her inside. “Oh, heck no.” I had to pause and blink, the brightness from the sun half blinding me now that I was in the shade. “I’m not drinking any tea. I’ll make an online grocery order first.”

  “If you have special dietary needs tell the kitchen and they’ll send someone out,” Indigo said.

  “No, I don’t want anyone touching my food.”

  Indigo might have pushed the matter, but we rounded a corner and almost plowed into a crowd of nobles.

  Yeah, that was one thing I was having a hard time adjusting to.

  Since I was the queen, the whole Court revolved around me. As a result, the lower floor of my new home was a common place for nobles to laze about.

  Totally weird.

  And yeah, their presence irked me—not because I minded them being there as much as I found it stupid they apparently had all this free time to just stand around and gossip.

  “Queen Leila, how pleasant to see you out and about.” One of the nobles smiled and approached me, but the angle of his lips was more predatory than welcoming.

  “Good morning.” I glanced down at Indigo to see if she could help me get out of this, but she’d retreated a few steps so she was standing a little behind me, her eyes lowered and her hands gripping the bo
ttom of her cable knit sweater—today’s was purple.

  No help there. I’ll have to get us out of this on my own.

  “You have such splendid timing. My name is Lord Argyos, and I was just discussing with my fellows how I should introduce you to my son. I’m sure you’d find him delightful.” He took a step nearer, making him uncomfortably close. “He’d be a perfect marriage candidate.”

  I blinked three times as I reviewed what he had said in my brain just to double check I wasn’t completely off base.

  “Oh dear,” he sneered. “I seem to have confused Queen Leila. Or were you merely surprised my noble house would deign to align itself with you?”

  Because Lord Argyos was recommending his son, I was almost positive his family was not great or noble, but I smiled anyway as the handful of nobles at his back twittered with laughter.

  “No, not at all,” I said when they quieted. “I was merely marveling at your parenting instincts. I was unaware it was a fae custom to go around offering your children in marriage. But it doesn’t matter, because now isn’t the best time for me.”

  I moved to step around him, but Lord Argyos managed to move with me, blocking me from passing as his smile grew an angry twitch to it.

  “Really, I must insist. You have failed to socialize with anyone since your arrival several days ago. It might be good for you to meet someone close to your age—it would be good for the future of the Night Court as well,” he said.

  I eyed the fae noble, unimpressed.

  If life were fair, Mr. Pushy here would look like a woodchuck that fell in a grease vat, but no. He was fae—which meant he had flawless skin, long, flowing hair with not a strand out of place, and the long, lean body models would kill for.

  “As I said, now isn’t the best time,” I repeated, my voice hardening. “I haven’t even attended a formal social event yet. I’m not thinking about who I’m going to marry.”

  “You just need to meet him. He is charming,” Lord Argyos said in a way that made me certain his son was probably really skilled at love potions—or something similar.

  Mental note: stay way far away from this basket case and his kid.

  “No thanks. I’m busy—step aside,” I said.

  Anger burned in Lord Argyos’s eyes. “But I insist.”

  I heard footsteps somewhere behind me, and I moved, intending to put my back at a wall. “I said no.”

  “You ought—”

  “What’s this, pressuring my darling daughter? I’ll not have that.”

  Chapter Ten

  Leila

  Both Lord Argyos and I turned to face the intruder on our confrontation, who had come up behind me.

  A fae noble who appeared to be maybe in his mid-thirties grinned invitingly at both of us. He had the fashionable long hair of the fae, but his was such a dark black color it almost had a hint of blue to it, and he had it pulled back in a ponytail.

  His clothes were more of a fashionable human style than the classy, stuffy theme the fae adopted with his black slacks, dress shoes, and light blue dress shirt. He’d casually rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, and a pair of aviator sunglasses perched on top of his head.

  All in all he was your typical handsome fae, but there was something about him I just didn’t like on sight.

  “What’s this you’re saying, Lord Linus?” Lord Argyos asked.

  The new arrival—Lord Linus—slapped Argyos on the shoulder, making the other fae stagger slightly. “I’m saying I’ll meet your strapping young lad first, to see if he’s worthy!”

  “And who are you?” I asked as dread made my stomach flop in my gut.

  No, it couldn’t be.

  Lord Linus grinned broadly at me. “Why, I’m your father, my sweet daughter!”

  Unfathomable anger ripped through me, and I struggled for a moment, trying to keep a roar of rage in.

  Lord Linus took the opportunity to neatly send Lord Argyos on his way.

  “You? The father of our queen?” Lord Argyos snorted. “We really are all doomed if she’s at all like you.”

  “I assure you we’re nothing alike,” Lord Linus said. “But I never liked you to begin with, so I’m still wishful that you take yourself and your minions elsewhere—someplace we are not.”

  Lord Argyos’s cronies were murmuring between themselves—probably trying to decide if this obviously crazy guy really was my father.

  It had to be a lie. He must be using a loophole so he could say it. There was no way he could abandon my mother years ago, only to pop up once he found out I was queen.

  “Go on. Shoo!” Lord Linus flapped his hands at Lord Argyos and his cronies. They retreated about halfway down the hallway, stopping frequently to look back at us.

  “Now, as for you, my darling daughter…” Lord Linus turned around and flung his arms wide. “Why don’t you greet me, your father who has missed you all these years, with all love and joy—”

  For the first time in my entire life, I saw red.

  I’d never been this furious before.

  I’d always hated my biological father, but in this moment I despised him. How dare he sweep in as if I’d been anxiously waiting for him—as if he wasn’t the reason that I’d never seen him—and, most maddening of all, as if he was my dad, and not Paul.

  WHAM!

  With instincts I didn’t know I possessed, I grabbed a massive beeswax candle off a wooden stand on a side board and slammed it upside Lord Linus’s head.

  The cylindrical candle snapped in half, and Lord Linus made a pained gurgle and staggered a few steps.

  “Daughter?” he tried once he could finally speak again.

  I dropped the bottom half of the candle, and it took several long moments before I was able to unclench my hands from the fists they’d curled into. “Never call me that again.” I stormed off before he could answer.

  Lord Linus waited for a moment, then trotted after Indigo and me. “But that’s what you are—my daughter.”

  I pulled my phone out, found my mom’s number on my speed dial list, and called her.

  “Leila—don’t you want a tearfully fond reunion?” Lord Linus asked as he trailed behind.

  I ignored him and listened impatiently to the ringing of my phone. I scowled at Lord Argyos when I passed him and his friends in the hallway.

  They were all watching the unfolding drama with unabashed glee, snickering and laughing with one another.

  Finally, Mom picked up. “Hello! You’re calling me early today,” she said with her usual sunshine.

  “Mom, what’s the name of the fae you married?”

  “You’re referring to your biological father?”

  I barely held in a growl. “Yes.”

  “Linus. Actually, Lord Linus. Did he come visit you? He said he was going to.”

  “You’ve spoken to him?” I asked, incredulous.

  “Well, yes. I thought he should know you’d been chosen as the new Queen of the Night Court since it is his people you’re ruling,” Mom said with a rare bit of wryness.

  “You’ve been in contact with him? Why?”

  “While I gave you the option of pursuing a relationship with him, he still wanted to know how you were. He is your father—”

  “No, he is not,” I stressed. “Paul is my dad. He’s my only dad. This kook here is in no way a father to me. He’s…” I turned around, and when Lord Linus smiled at me, it physically hurt to recognize that I did look a lot like him.

  My black hair had more of a purple shine to it, but we were both tall and built leanly. Most condemning, though, were his purple-ish eyes—which I had never seen on another fae except when I looked in a mirror.

  But he looks like he’s barely thirty-five!

  “Here. Hold on a second.” I impulsively minimized the call and opened up my camera application. I snapped a shot of Lord Linus, who smiled obligingly, then sent it off to my mom. “Is that really him?”

  “Hold on a moment, let me check.” Mom was quiet for a few moment
s, then she said, “Oh my.”

  “It’s not him?”

  “No—that’s Linus. He looks good—I don’t know if he’s aged more than five years since we met! Tell him he looks great.”

  I could barely believe what Mom was saying.

  She didn’t sound love addled or hurt, just a friendly sort of factual.

  How could she be friendly to the fae that had abandoned her with their toddler?

  “Oh, I heard that!” Lord Linus brightened. “Hello, Bethany! Thank you for the compliment,” he shouted at me and my phone.

  I turned my back to the obnoxious lord, and hurried down the hallway, taking the shortest route to the nearest staircase. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because I knew you’d tell me not to.”

  “Then why would you still tell him?”

  “Honey, you’re the Night Queen.” My mom’s voice lost its bright shine and turned serious. “There are going to be nobles going after you with everything they’ve got. Linus, absentee as he might have been, doesn’t want you to die. You’re his daughter, and he does care for you in his own complicated way.”

  “Yeah, sure. I believe that,” I drawled.

  “I know you resent him for how he treated us, but you don’t have many allies right now. Linus knows how the Courts work. He can help you.” She paused, then added with a hint of wryness, “And if all else fails, use him as a shield and hide behind him if someone tries to hurt you.”

  I laughed, and something in me relaxed. “I wish you would have warned me.”

  “You’d have done everything in your power to stop me. And I am your mother, Leila. I want what’s best for you.”

  We said our goodbyes, and I reluctantly hung up just before I reached the first major staircase—which was carved out of obsidian rock.

  I turned around and scowled at Lord Linus—who’d followed behind the whole way. “What do you want?”

  “Only to help you, my darling daughter—”