“I can’t just go around killing everyone who displeases me.” Morgan shifted to face Shade, afraid that he might do something dire.
“Why not?” He strode right up to her until he was in her face. “You’re a step away from being a fucking full-fledged god. Start acting like one.”
Morgan wanted to strangle him for sharing that information with everyone. Being the heir to the crown meant she carried the blood of the gods in her veins. But being a full god was something else entirely. “If I acted like any other god, I would’ve left you to die.”
“You’re worried about killing her.” Shade cocked his head. “Technically you would just be banishing her. If the king objects, he can go get her himself.”
Morgan didn’t speak for a moment, something about his words not ringing true. “Is this a test?”
Shade reared back, the shadows around him vanishing, and he had the grace to look ashamed, but he didn’t back down. “Answer the question.”
Morgan crossed her arms and glared at him. “You didn’t ask a question.”
“Why not kill her? Why show restraint?” he pushed.
And then she realized who was really asking the question. She just didn’t know how the king managed to get to him. Morgan was aware of the queen backing away from them, her guards swarming around her.
“Because, though she might be a bitch, she is responsible for her people. Until she does something that endangers her people as a whole and not just one person, she’s free to rule as she sees fit.” Morgan raised a brow at him, disliking him a little bit more. “Did I pass?”
Draven grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him while Breanna took up a protective stance next to her.
“You passed.” The sea queen gave a huff of disgust. “Or you would already be dead.”
Morgan turned toward the queen. “What do you mean?”
“Royals are a vicious bunch, but we do have a code. You’re too soft to survive.” She turned in a whirl of skirts. “It would be a kindness to kill you before you claim your title. If you can’t protect what is yours, you don’t deserve it.”
Then she crossed into the watery barrier and swam away.
Morgan stared after her when a startling thought slammed into her…could the hunt have been set up as the ultimate test?
But maybe the real question wasn’t whether she could protect her own, but could she learn when she should give up?
She glanced at Draven, her chest tight with dread at the impossible decision they were forcing on her, but they underestimated her resolve. Morgan was nothing if not stubborn. She would not back down, not when it meant he would go free.
After they exited the queen’s apartments, all of them except Draven were slightly soggy, Morgan wasn’t surprised to find the rest of the guys waiting…and clearly not happy at being left behind.
She winced, but refused to duck her head in shame. “I’m sorry I took off, but I’m not sorry for doing what needed to be done.”
Kincade sighed, then cupped the back of her neck and pulled her closer, his fingers running deliciously along the base of her skull. “Next time take at least one of us with you.”
Morgan gave him a tentative smile, floored at the concession. “Really?”
He touched his forehead against hers and sighed. “Things are changing. We understand that you might need to respond quicker. All we ask is that you allow us to do our jobs and be there to protect you where and when we can.”
Morgan gave into the urge to give him a quick hug, then found herself lingering, relaxing into the hot stone feel of him. “I think I can manage that.”
His light green eyes darkened, and Morgan reluctantly pulled away before she gave in to the urge to kiss him. She glanced at the others behind him. Ryder and Ascher nodded in agreement with Kincade, while Atlas seemed to be studying her for any sign of harm. Only when he was satisfied did he cross his arms and lean against the wall behind him.
That’s when she noticed that they had brought so many weapons, they practically bristled with them.
They would wage war on a kingdom to get her back if that’s what it took.
While a tinge of fear left her vaguely nauseous, she also knew they were the best hunters at the Academy. She trusted them with her life. If she was in trouble, they would always come for her.
“You only have an hour to prepare for your meeting with the king.” Shade spoke from behind her, and she stiffened.
“I’m not speaking to you,” Morgan muttered, turning on her heel. She didn’t even bother to turn and face him before making her way back toward the dorm. His betrayal still stung. That he would give the woman trying to kill her private information that the bitch could use against her was too much.
“He didn’t have a choice,” Ward spoke without inflection, as if sensing her fury and wanting to reassure her. “He would never betray you, not the way you think. What he did was for your own protection.”
“Danger.” Draven coughed the word under his breath.
“Excuse me?” That phrase was guaranteed to piss her off, and she stopped dead. Everyone around them halted, too. “I’m not weak. I don’t need a protector, I needed a team who’s willing to work with me...” her gaze flickered toward Shade, “…not against me.”
“Royals are a different species from the rest of us. They have different standards and rules.” Ward didn’t cower under her anger. “If he didn’t ask you those questions in front of another royal witness to confirm that you are capable of ruling, then the king would’ve asked you the same questions…and wouldn’t be nearly as polite.”
“And exposing all my secrets?” Morgan glared at Shade, still not ready to forgive him.
“Do you really think you have any secrets?” Ward sighed, giving her a pitying look. “You’re the next heir. Do you seriously think those power-hungry mongrels in Mount Olympus haven’t already done extensive research on you and your past since the moment you claimed the title? Every second of your life will have been examined and judged.”
Morgan flinched at the knowledge, hating that he was right.
Ward noticed and softened his tone. “You’ve managed to keep to yourself surprisingly well until now, but do you seriously think you would’ve survived this long without people protecting you?”
Morgan’s glance flashed toward Shade, then strayed to her guys, then flickered back toward Ward, her anger deflating. “No, you’re right.”
She glared at Shade, and grumbled, “A heads-up would’ve been appreciated.”
“My apologies.” Shade gave a small bow, his black hair almost gleaming blue in the darkness. “She needed to know you’re not without protection. That there would be consequences if she took any other actions against you.”
Defiance made his eyes deepen. While he might be sorry for offending her, he wasn’t the least bit repentant.
Morgan sighed, letting go of her anger. He was a god. While he might not be as much of an asshole as the rest of his race, he was used to doing what he wanted, when he wanted. He’d played the game of survival a lot longer than she had, and though she might not trust him completely, she knew he would never purposely get her killed.
Killing her would rip away the flimsy protection that allowed him his freedom in this world. He would guard her the best way he knew how…even if she didn’t like his methods.
“What do I need to know about the upcoming meeting with the king?” She refused to openly forgive him—it would only encourage more outrageous behavior—but she could let the matter drop.
“Don’t use your magic,” Shade answered promptly.
“Under no circumstances call your blades,” Atlas warned almost at the same time.
“Don’t speak unless you’re asked a question.” Kincade gave her a reassuring half smile. “Answer honestly. Don’t try to hide anything, or he will be like a shark sensing blood.”
Morgan shivered at the analogy. The gods were ruthless in their quest to retain their power. She didn’t doubt th
e king would be just like the rest of them.
“Keep your answers short.” Ward cautioned. “Never volunteer any additional information.”
“Consider your words carefully.” Ryder spoke softly. “Every word spoken will be considered a vow.”
“Agree to nothing without talking to us.” Ascher met her gaze directly, his words more of a demand than a plea.
“If you can help it, don’t draw attention to yourself in any way.” Draven gave her a concerned glance. “Allow him to see you as a servant, not as anyone important.”
Morgan frowned at him. “What do you mean?”
“Royals are all the same. If he sees you as a threat, he will eliminate the threat immediately.” Breanna answered for him, her expression grim. “He doesn’t have to kill you to destroy you. If you offend him, he can do whatever he wants. He has the power to take away your mates, the power to destroy the Academy—everything you built, whisked away.”
Morgan began to suspect what really happened to her, what the sea queen had taken, and she couldn’t imagine how she would survive the devastation of losing even one of the guys. She glanced around the small group and swallowed hard.
She could not lose them.
It would destroy her.
She would eventually be called to serve at Mount Olympus, be forced to leave everyone behind to keep them safe, but she’d be damned if she would give them up a second before she had to.
“Morgan.”
The sound of her name stopped her dead, tingles of dread swept up her spine, and her head snapped up. The headmistress stood in the hall, and Morgan’s heart dropped to her knees.
“It’s time.”
Everyone began to move with her until the headmistress held up her hand and shook her head. “Only Morgan.”
“We’re her advisors.” Shade came to a halt at Morgan’s side, using all the intimidation tactics he’d picked up from being a god. Ward was no less insistent. He planted himself at her side and crossed his arms.
Despite her petite form, the headmistress wasn’t one to back down from any confrontation. She was a faerie, not the wish-giving, sparkling-fairy-dust sort, but the carnivorous, needle sharp teeth, whose one bite contained enough venom to kill. Her pupils swelled, swallowing the blue-green coloring as blackness filled her eyes.
“Very well.” She surveyed Morgan’s group, then shrugged and turned on her heel. When no one followed, she glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t keep me waiting.”
Chapter Twenty-five
As the headmistress disappeared into her office, everyone else remained in the hall.
“We’ll be here if you need us.” Kincade cupped her face, then gently kissed her forehead. Atlas leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, taking up position where he could glare at the door. Ryder and Ascher took up places on either side of the door, while Draven paced back and forth.
“Come.” Ward swept his arm out, indicating it was time, a courtly gesture when others would’ve just shoved her forward. If she didn’t feel like she was going to be sick to her stomach, she would’ve smiled at him gratefully.
The instant her hand touched the knob, her necklace warmed and stretched, spinning into a clawed hand holding a dark crystal ball. When she peered closer, she could see the universe spin into existence, intense shades of blue, gold and purple almost mesmerizing to watch.
The same system that was etched into the moon tattoo near her collarbone.
She touched it gently, and Shade followed the movement.
Instead of being pleased, he looked a little unnerved. “A symbol of my mother’s favor.”
Nyx, the first goddess, and the mother of the gods.
It was more than a little unnerving that his mother, still trapped and sleeping in Tartarus, could reach out between the realms without even trying.
It couldn’t be a good thing.
“We need to go.” Ward tipped his head toward the door. “It’s never wise to keep the king waiting.”
Ascher stepped close, wrapping her up in his arms, the temperature of him quickly drying out her clothes, so she didn’t look so much like a drowned mouse. She leaned into him gratefully, then forced herself to move out of his arms and face her future. She futzed with her hair, when Ryder grabbed her hand.
“You’re beautiful.” He brushed her hair behind her ear, granting her a rare half smile. “You can do this. I believe in you.”
Unable to help herself, she stepped forward and gave him a quick hug. Then hurriedly pulled away before she could sink into the comfort of his arms, stopping just outside the door to the office.
Taking a deep breath, Morgan twisted the nob and entered.
The last thing she expected was to find the headmistress sitting serenely behind her desk. A set of golden doors covered the far side of the room, the entrance practically glowing with magic.
She spotted a woman calmly knitting in the corner, her dark head bowed as she concentrated on her needles. On the floor in front of her was a child, no more than three, holding yarn stretched between his two hands.
He had a dark mop of hair, a round face, and dark eyes. When he glanced at her, she smiled. “Hello chipmunk.”
He immediately ducked his head bashfully, and Morgan turned toward the headmistress.
“Take a seat.” She peered up from her work. “You’ll be called when he’s ready.”
Morgan perched on the edge of her chair, rubbing her hands on her jeans, wishing this was over. When she turned, she was startled to find the child standing at her knee, staring at her necklace.
“My mother gave it to me when I was younger.” Morgan leaned forward, allowing him to look at the solar system trapped inside the crystal ball…only to see his eyes change and reflect the stars back at her.
She knew firsthand that being god-touched wasn’t a blessing. She quickly clutched the necklace in her fist, then shoved it down her shirt, praying she hadn’t done something irreparable. “Hey, chipmunk, you okay?”
The instant she brushed his hair away from his forehead, raw power crawled against her hands. It wasn’t void magic or metal magic, but something darker. She didn’t sense anything malevolent in it, just curiosity.
The child held his hand out for her to take.
After a slight hesitation, she wrapped his hand in hers.
The magic was wild and chaotic, like a butterfly flittering around the air—touching, but never staying for long. Like a thick liquid, it coated her hand, then spread up her arm and along her shoulder until she was fully engulfed.
Morgan sucked in a quick breath seconds before it swallowed her whole.
The hectic outside world fell away. She and the child sat on the shore of a large river. Everything around them appeared brighter, the colors more vivid, and she realized this was what Mount Olympus used to be like before man and the gods screwed things up so badly.
The little boy gave her an adorable smile, then released his hold.
And she found herself once more sitting in the headmistress’s office.
The child stood before her, and Morgan nearly exploded with pure joy. “You’re the true heir.”
She glanced over at Shade and Ward, unable to stop grinning. “I don’t have to leave. He can rule Mount Olympus while I remain at the Academy. Between the two of us, we could restore the balance between the realms.”
But neither of the guys were smiling, and some of the giddiness left her. “What’s wrong?”
“You would give up ruling Mount Olympus?” Shade nodded toward the kid. “You could kill him and rule everything.”
Morgan scowled at him, rising to her feet and placing herself protectively in front of the boy. “He’s my cousin.”
“People kill family for power all the time.” Ward shrugged. “You killed your cousin.”
“He was going to open a bridge between worlds and kill millions of people. I had no choice.” Morgan backed up, giving herself room to move, keeping the kid hidden behind her back, not giving eith
er Ward and Shade an opening. “He’s just a child. One of the few family members I have left. I won’t let you touch him.”
“You could have everything you wanted.” Shade nodded toward the child. “You wouldn’t even be punished. Everyone would see it as a sound political move.”
“I never wanted to rule in the first place.” Morgan didn’t even bother to disguise her disgust. “I’m a hunter. We literally protect people for a living. I belong at the Academy. And I won’t let you harm him.”
“You would give your word to step aside.” A male voice spoke from behind her, the deep tone so full of magic it was almost hypnotic.
Morgan stiffened, then turned slowly.
The golden doors were open, liquid amber light spilling into the room, seeming to highlight a man dressed casually in a buttoned-down shirt and jeans that had been tailored for him. But there was nothing casual about him. He practically leaked magic. His hair was a soft brown, the top a little long and wavy. His eyes were a deep brown, his skin golden. Though he was slim, he was tall, his shoulders broad enough to carry the weight of the kingdom.
He carried himself with confidence, but it was the wicked scar carved along his jaw that gave him the ‘don’t fuck with me or I will end you aura’.
Everything about him shouted royalty.
Her cousin the king.
“Is she a simpleton and unable to understand?” He scowled at her like an ant he would step on without a hint of remorse if she ever got in his way, then glanced at Shade. “Or was it all an act to fool us?”
Some of the fear at meeting the king and the deadly consequences melted away at his asshole behavior. Morgan nudged the child slightly behind her, not sure she could trust the king, refusing to be cowed. She glanced at the boy lingering at her side, the resemblance between them uncanny, except where the king was golden, the child was dark.
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