by Leslie Chase
Smiling at her, he nodded. No one would be able to accuse her of not being thorough, and he ought to show his appreciation of her work, even if it wasn't needed.
"Thank you for making the effort, Sophie," he said. "I don't think it will be necessary now, though."
"On the contrary, Your Highness," she said, refusing to look him in the eye. "I think we need to find you a mate as soon as possible. The quicker the succession is settled and we have a new king, the sooner Leotania can get back to normal."
Mattias frowned. Of course she was right about getting a new king on the throne as quickly as possible — the longer the delay, the worse things would get, and not just for Leotania. Small as the country was, it was still the one state openly friendly to shifters and the rest of the shifter community looked to the King for guidance. There was always the risk of a crisis somewhere coming up, and the sooner they were on top of that the better.
But that didn't mean that he needed a folder full of options to find his mate. Not when she was sitting across from him in the limo. And he couldn't believe that Sophie didn't know he was hers, not after the touch they'd shared.
"Sophie," he started, only for her to cut him off.
"Your Highness," she said in a voice of ice-cold formality. "Rest assured that I have selected only the very best candidates. I'm sure your grandfather would have approved of any of these choices, and the Well of Fate will also."
As she spoke, she looked up, finally meeting his eyes with a warning look. Mattias felt his jaw tighten at that, biting back his desire to tell her what he thought of a folder full of women no matter who had picked them. It was Sophie he wanted, damn it.
But she clearly didn't want to have that conversation now. Perhaps it was the Captain's presence, perhaps it was simply the surprise revelation of their feelings for each other. Whatever her reason, Mattias decided to respect it until they could speak in private later. They would have time for that soon enough.
Sitting back, composing himself, he looked for another topic of conversation. A glance at Captain Praetor showed him that the man was keeping his own emotions under tight control, but there was an undercurrent of pleasure on the man's face. As though he enjoyed Sophie's discomfort, or Mattias’s.
"What do you have to report, Captain?" Mattias asked him, keeping his voice under careful control. It hadn't escaped his notice that Praetor was the one who had pushed the conversation into that awkward moment, and he didn't like it.
"At the moment, all is quiet, Your Highness." Captain Praetor was all business as soon as he was asked a question. Looking straight ahead, he recited his report from memory. "The rebels who attacked your brother Prince Roman are in the hands of the police, and no further threat is expected from that direction. However, the situation is volatile as long as no king is chosen, and the other great families of Leotania may try to take the throne for themselves. I recommend taking no chances with your safety, sir."
"How serious a threat are they, Captain?"
"It is hard to say, sir. Your Grandfather held the throne for so long that this situation hasn't come up before. Previous successions have been simpler, also, with all the heirs present to step before the Well of Fate within a day of the king's death. Between those two facts, I'm afraid to say that we are stepping into unknown territory here."
Mattias turned away, looking out of the window as he considered the captain's words. There was a certain predatory glee to the man's attitude beneath his professionalism. A look that said he was hoping to have to fight someone. He didn't sound as though he was unhappy to be in uncharted territory, in fact he sounded as though he enjoyed it. Mattias didn't think that was a good attitude for a security chief. The man should be looking to protect the royal family before there was a need to fight. But at least he was keen. If there was going to be a fight, Praetor wouldn't shirk from it.
If the other families want a piece of us, let them come, Mattias thought. They will get more of a fight than they bargained for.
That wasn't the problem he was focused on, though. His mind kept turning back to Sophie and her list of women, trying to figure out what was going on in her mind. As he turned the question over in his thoughts, watching the mountains pass outside, he grew more and more frustrated. Mattias could hardly pay any attention to the beautiful vistas they drove through, and he barely noticed the towers of Lionhead Castle as they approached his family home.
4
The rest of the drive was in silence, which suited Sophie perfectly. As awkward and tense as the quiet was, it was a lot better than keeping up the conversation. There were too many pitfalls, especially with these two men in the car with her.
Prince Mattias stared out of the window, no doubt looking at the domain he might soon rule. Captain Praetor watched her closely, almost leering now that there was no danger of the Prince seeing him. It made her tense, and her fingers squeezed the folder so tight her knuckles whitened.
I wish I could just throw the damned thing out of the window, she thought. It was a silly thought, of course. She'd put a lot of work into it, and it was important. But now that she'd met Mattias, the idea of sending him off to meet someone else didn't seem nearly as good as it had when she started the project.
Don't be silly, Sophie. You can't have him, so there's no other way. He has to find a mate, and as soon as possible.
Just thinking about it made her want to hit something. It should be her, not someone chosen for their family or their achievements. But it wasn't going to be, and she had to hold onto that fact.
It didn't help that he wanted her, too. She'd seen the look in his eyes, and the incredulous way he'd reacted to the folder. And damn Praetor for making her tell him about that, anyway.
The limo rattled across the bridge that took them into Lionhead Castle, driving through the ancient gates to park in a courtyard beside the other cars of the royal fleet. Servants dashed to open the doors for their returning prince and Sophie couldn't help watching as he climbed from the car.
Mattias was well worth watching, even if she felt guilty for it. She knew she shouldn't stare, but... damn.
Praetor laughed, a harsh bark of a sound.
"Like what you see, Sophie?" he said in a whispered aside as he climbed out himself. Turning, he offered her his arm, but Sophie would rather have grabbed a snake than taken his help at that moment. She pulled herself out of the car on her own, looking around to make sure the staff were dealing with Prince Mattias’s luggage already. Everything was moving smoothly. She wasn't needed here.
"Your Highness, if you'll excuse me, I will make sure everything is ready for you," she said, already turning away before the Prince could say anything to stop her. The look of surprise she caught on his face before she walked off made her smile a little, but it wasn't enough to make her stop. It was rude, of course, to turn her back on the man without waiting for a response.
The old king would never have let her get away with that, and Sophie half-hoped the new prince wouldn't either. But if he was going to do something about it, he was saving it for later.
Good! I need a bit of time to think, and while Mattias is around I can only think of one thing. She blushed, grateful that he couldn't see her face or guess what she was thinking. I mean Prince Mattias, damn it.
Maybe clinging to formality would help her keep her mind on work. And away from the image of him naked that kept popping unbidden into her mind whenever she looked at him. It seemed a vain hope, though. Even once she was in the castle leaving him behind, she couldn't help picturing him out of his clothes, thinking about what his body would look like. What he would feel like, when his lips met hers and their bodies pressed together...
Sophie walked faster and faster, not paying any attention to the ancient corridors she walked through until she came to her office. Slamming the door behind her, she rested her back against it, shutting out the world and trying to get her imagination under control. He doesn't make this easy, she thought resentfully. How dare he be so dam
ned attractive?
Taking a deep breath, she went to her desk and sat down, looking at the portrait of the old king hanging across from her. The old man stared down at her sternly, the picture capturing his iron will and the spark of humor that he'd kept hidden. Only someone who knew him as well as Sophie had would have been able to spot that, but it was there.
"You didn't make things easy either, did you?" Sophie asked the portrait. "You could have spared me this, but you had to ask me one more favor, didn't you?"
The black-draped portrait didn't answer, but she knew what he'd have said if he were still alive.
"Yes, I know it's for the good of the country," she said. "And no one could handle the transition better. But it's still not fair."
Taking a deep breath, she tried to relax. "And now I'm complaining to a portrait. Great. Way to go, Sophie."
Closing her eyes and leaning back, she shook her head and managed to smile. It was a ridiculous situation, and she had to talk to someone about it. Better make it someone alive, though, she told herself, picking up her phone and dialing.
The phone rang and rang, and just as she was about to give up, a familiar voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Mom!" Sophie smiled, feeling some of the morning's tension fading already. "How's the farm?"
"Ornamental," her mother said with a laugh. "You know your father wouldn't want to manage a real farm in his retirement, he just loves the idea of it."
"Real farming is hard work," Sophie replied, grinning. It was an old, comfortable complaint. "Pretend farming is a fine occupation for a gentleman."
It wasn't as though her parents really needed the money — the pension of a Chief Secretary to the King was quite enough to keep them comfortable. But her father had never known how to stop working, so he needed something to keep him busy.
"It's a waste of his time," her mother continued, and Sophie could hear her smile. "He could be spending his time writing a book, or better yet, spend it all on me. But you didn't call to ask about the farm, dear. How are things in the castle?"
Sophie sighed at that, but it was what she'd called to talk about.
"It's pretty difficult, Mom," she said. "Prince Mattias has just arrived home."
"I hope that wasn't as eventful as Prince Roman's return was, dear." Her mother sounded concerned. That was fair. Roman came home to gunfire and attempted revolution. Sophie quickly put her at ease.
"No, nothing like that. It's just, well, seeing him again I..." she trailed off vaguely, and for a moment the line was quiet. She could feel the weight of her mother's concern.
"Sophie, you don't mean you have feelings for him? I know you were close as children, but that was a long time ago now. And being around the princes is dangerous."
"I know, I know," Sophie said. "That's why I promised to come home, and don't worry, I remember. I'm just going to stick around until the succession is dealt with and the new king can pick a Chief Secretary."
Which was an enormous irritation to her parents, she knew. They wanted her home now, safely away from the succession. But Sophie couldn't abandon her position when she was needed in the capital. The only person who could appoint a Chief Secretary to the King was the King himself, so until the new ruler was crowned she had to keep on serving.
"You were nearly killed with the princes when you were just a girl, Sophie," her mother said, as though she needed to be reminded. "The assassins didn't discriminate then, and they won't now. I don't want you near them any more than you have to be, okay? Sort out the succession as quick as you can and then you come home to us."
"I said I would, didn't I? Mom, I'm doing my best."
Her mother sighed and took a moment to answer. "I know you are, dear. I'm sorry, I shouldn't nag, I'm just worried about you. Find Prince Mattias his mate and come home."
"I will," Sophie said, glad to be able to leave that part of the conversation behind. She didn't want to remind her mother that the farm wasn't home to her — Sophie had lived at the castle all her life, and the idea of moving away was scary in its own way. But she had promised, and while she didn't much like Captain Praetor, she didn't have any reason not to trust his threat assessment. If he still thought there was a danger to the princes, then she was best staying away.
That wasn't a pleasant thought. Yesterday, the idea of getting away from the stress of her work had been something to look forward to. Today, though, being parted from Mattias was suddenly something that made her heart ache to think about.
As servants took his luggage inside, Mattias looked around the courtyard. He'd expected everything to be much smaller than he remembered it from his childhood, but no. The castle still rose high around him, the towers seeming to touch the cloudless sky above. It was a shockingly beautiful building, the result of centuries of work as the family had built and rebuilt it. It was, after all, constructed around the Well of Fate — the most important place in their country.
It was so long since Mattias had been home. His last memories of Leotania were of hurriedly packing and being sent out of the country. Being back and in the home he'd left was strange, and it was going to take some getting used to. Especially when he was distracted by Sophie's presence. Or, right now, by her absence. She left the conversation unfinished and he wanted to settle things with her. Patience, Mattias, he told himself. There's no need to rush everything.
His introspection was interrupted by a shout from the great doors of the castle.
"Matt! You're back!"
Looking up, he saw his brother Roman bounding down the stairs towards him, an uncharacteristic smile on his face. Behind him, following at a less breakneck pace, came his mate Anna, who looked a little nervous to meet Mattias.
Mattias didn't have time to answer before his brother's arms were around him, holding tight and squeezing. He returned the embrace with equal force, laughing.
"I didn't have as exciting a return as you did, Roman," he said. "There's no need to be so surprised I made it through intact."
His brother let him go with a laugh. "Sure, but it's still good to see you. I've been going a little mad, knocking around the castle without either of my brothers to take over."
"Ah, you only want me here so that you can leave, is that it?"
Roman smiled again. "I've got a lot of work ahead of me, Matt. And I owe Anna here a honeymoon."
"You need to marry her first," Mattias pointed out. "And if you do that without me and Gabe present, we will kill you."
He turned to his brother's mate, who waited a little distance away. "Hello," he said with a smile. "You must be Anna. I'm Mattias. I'm sure my brother was going to get around to introducing us."
She smiled back and shook her head. "He'd have remembered eventually, I'm sure. I'm pleased to meet you, Mattias. Roman's told me a lot about you."
"Mostly lies, obviously," Roman said. "I wouldn't want to risk her learning the truth about my brothers."
Sighing and shaking his head, Mattias let his brother lead him inside. He was used to his brother being a lot less... happy than this, and it was going to take some getting used to. Meeting his mate had clearly been a good thing for the other shifter, just like it was supposed to be.
"So," Anna said as they entered a drawing room. "What are your plans now, Matt? I gather Sophie has a full social schedule put together for you."
She grinned at him and Mattias growled. He didn't mean to, but the noise slipped out before he could stop it. Roman and Anna looked at each other and then at him.
"What's wrong?" Roman asked, frowning. The three of them sat down in comfortable armchairs by the fire, and Mattias was momentarily distracted by the question of who had lit it. Were there dozens of these fires through the castle, or had the servants known that this room would be in use?
Yeah, that's just a distraction, he realized. He was just putting off answering by finding something else to think about.
"I don't need to be reminded of Sophie's plans for me," he said after a long pause.
/>
"Don't you want to find your mate?" Anna asked, sounding surprised. Mattias had put off coming home to look for someone, after all. he couldn't blame her for being shocked that he'd apparently given up.
"It's not that," he snapped. The fire crackled and snapped in the silence that followed, sparks rising up the chimney. Without looking up, Mattias knew the others were watching him. Fine. If I'm not going to get out of here without telling them, I guess I might as well get it over with.
"I've met my mate," he said. Roman and Anna both looked delighted, and then concerned when they saw that he didn't share their joy. "Met her on the way here. It's Sophie."
Roman blinked and sat back in his chair. "I guess that does make it awkward for you, after all the work she's done making a list of other women for you to meet. I'd still think that you'd look happier about it, though."
Mattias gave a crooked smile and shook his head. "I couldn't be happier with the mate fate's chosen for me, but it would help if she wasn't still planning on setting up dates for me."
"You've got to give her time to adjust, Matt," Roman said. "It's not something she's planned for, after all, and I think Sophie likes it when things run to plan. She's very organized, after all."
"That much hasn't changed since we were kids." Mattias took a deep breath and smiled. "I'm not going to let this be a problem. We belong together, I know it, and deep down so does Sophie. She's mine, and that's what matters. I'm not going to give up on her, don't worry. If it takes some time for her to get used to what she's feeling now, fair enough."
Looking up at Roman and Anna, he saw how happy they looked together. Whatever it took, Mattias promised himself, he was going to make Sophie look as happy as Anna did now. But this wasn't the time to dwell on his own problems, not when he'd only just been reunited with his brother.
"Enough of that! What do you two have planned?"
"Roman is taking me out around the country," Anna said, squeezing her mate's hand tight. "There's a lot that I haven't ever seen, and I wanted to get away from the capital for a bit. It's been a stressful time since we arrived."
