Machinations

*Ainslee*

I lie in bed because it hurts too much to do anything else. That, and I don’t want my father setting me up with Marcus. Not only is he not my mate, but he’s the mate of one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I’m not going to snatch him out from under her, no matter how much pressure my father puts on me.

“His Majesty wants to know if you will come down to dinner tonight,” Lucia asks me, popping her head in my room as another day wanes into evening.

“No.” I shake my head on the pillow. “I’m still not feeling well.”

She lets herself in and sits on the edge of my bed. “If it’s about Marcus, I’m not worried. I know enough about you to know you won’t marry him.”

“That’s part of it,” I admit reluctantly. “But I really do feel truly awful.”

“I should get you some tea,” she says, her brow pinched with worry. “Something that will settle your stomach.”

I laugh bitterly. “I know you are looking forward to the lasting happiness that comes with being completed by a mate. But they don’t tell you how awful it is when you’re ripped away from one another. It is the baby, a little bit, but mostly it’s because I don’t have Rafe. There’s this gaping, bleeding wound inside me like someone reached in and tore out my heart. He’s my fated mate. He was chosen for me by the Goddess. This is the Goddess’s wrath when you don’t stay with your mate.”

“Oh, no.” She puts the back of her hand against my forehead. “You’re very clammy. I always wondered if lovesickness was a real thing. Now I know. I will get you that tea, though.”

“Lucia, between you and me, I am going to live long enough to have our beautiful baby girl, but I’m not sure I’ll last much longer beyond that,” I whisper.

“Don’t talk like that. I’m sure we’ll figure something out. I’ll sneak you out of Longclaw myself if I have to. Don’t die on me,” she gasps.

“I gave my word, Lucia. I’m here until the Moon Goddess sees fit to put me out of my misery,” I mumble.

She gives the pillows behind me a quick fluff. “We will figure something out. You saved me once. It’s my turn to save you.” She gives me a bolstering smile. “And I am going to get you that tea.”

I watch her retreating back then close my eyes and burrow deeper into the pillows. Being away from Rafe has become a searing agony. I can only hope he’s not in the same pain.

Sooner than I expect, my door opens again, and a wolf shifter I don’t recognize comes in, balancing a cup of tea in her hands.

“Your Majesty,” she says, giving me a deferential nod. “I’ve come with your tea.”

“What happened to Lucia?” I ask, looking past her to see an empty hallway.

“I… um… passed her in the hall. She was called away on some royal business,” she replies. Her hands begin to shake, and I quickly take the tea from her before she drops it.

“Are you all right?” I take in the woman’s sweating forehead and trembling limbs and have no idea what could be ailing her. “Maybe you need this tea more than I do.”

Her eyes widen, and she backs away. “No, Your Majesty, I wouldn’t dare!”

I frown. “You’re very jumpy.”

“You are,” a deep male voice says from behind her. Then Marcus is standing in my doorway, Lucia just behind him. Lucia is also holding tea.

Dread curls in my gut. “You know,” I tell the strange woman, “if you had gotten here a little faster, I might’ve fallen for it.”

“I think you should drink that tea, Jessina,” Marcus booms, his eyes hard and unforgiving.

She bursts into tears. “I’m sorry. Your Majesty, Beta Lightfoot. I didn’t want to. I wanted to be a loyal subject of Longclaw. But it wasn’t always this way, and I thought Rallegrad would save us. So I became a spy for them. And once you’re in, it’s impossible to get out.”

“What is King Maximus going to do to you from Rallegrad, you weak, stupid woman?” Marcus growls.

“He’ll kill me. There are others who are still loyal.” Jessina quivers with fear and shame. “I don’t want to die, sir.”

“That’s up to the king. Your Majesty, hand me that cup. Lucia has your real tea. And your father respectfully asks you to make an appearance at dinner, whether you’re feeling well or not.” Marcus huffs a sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” I sit up in bed and hand the tea to Marcus. Lucia hands the right tea to me, glaring at Jessina. “I wish Lucia and you every happiness, you know.”

Marcus’s cheeks flush. “Thank you, Your Majesty, but I think it may be a while before Alpha King Bleiz decides not to force the two of us together.”

“Hopefully, Rafe will find a way to free himself, find our son, and save me, Marcus. With any luck, you won’t have to wait long.” I sound more optimistic than the pain in my chest is allowing me to feel. “I do wish this pain would stop, however.”

Marcus’s brow furrows and he looks at Lucia for clarification.

“Lovesickness. It’s giving her a lot of pain,” she explains. “Though I’m really hoping she doesn’t die, it is making her very weak.”

“And childbirth is difficult.” I gulp my tea down quickly and stand.

“You don’t think you will survive the birth?” Marcus asks.

I shrug my shoulders. “I shall do my best.”

“King Rafe is her fated mate. The Moon Goddess is punishing her for severing the bond,” Lucia says.

“Or at least stretching it past bearing,” I murmur.

Jessina tries to use this opportunity to escape, but Marcus grabs her by her collar. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asks.

“Please. I’ll go to Rallegrad and trouble you no further,” she begs.

“It’s too late for that. You tried to poison the Luna Queen of Shadowglade and daughter of the Alpha King of Longclaw. The king will judge you now,” he snaps.

Jessina sags, defeated.

“I have to go with you,” I say.

“Why?” he asks. “You can rest a little while longer before dinner.”

“I have to tell the king what happened,” I reply.

His eyebrow tics. “I can tell him.”

“Yes, but it will be better if I do it. I’m the victim. Plus, you never know, she may have more Rallegrad spies to give up,” I suggest.

He nods and marches Jessina down the hall, Lucia and me following after.

My father is in his office, discussing something with the people I’ve come to know as his inner council. When he looks up at all of us, he frowns. “Marcus, Ainslee, Lucia, I was expecting you at dinner. What is the meaning of this intrusion?”

“This woman, Jessina,” Marcus says, giving her a shake, “tried to poison Ainslee.”

The council gasps, and my father shoots to his feet. “What?!”

Marcus sets the tainted tea in front of him. “Don’t touch it, Your Majesty. I have no idea how potent it is. But you may have a doctor examine it. I am certain it’s poisoned.”

“Out.” My father motions to his council. “We will continue our discussion later. Right now, I need to deal with a would-be assassin.” He stares Jessina down. “Will I need to call for a doctor to test the tea?”

She hangs her head. “No, Your Majesty. It is as he said. The tea is poisoned with wolfsbane.”

“I see.” The king struggles to get his emotions under control. I can see rage playing prominently across his face. “And who ordered it?”

“King Maximus Lupus, Your Majesty,” she replies. “At least, I think it was him. I got the word through my network.”

“Oh, that sounds very interesting,” my father says. “I think you, Marcus, and I should discuss this ‘network’ in more detail while the ladies prepare for dinner.” He looks past Jessina and Marcus to Lucia and me. “We’ll be late for dinner. Lucia, you may as well join us. You are a guest in this castle.”

Lucia bows low. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Please, Father, if I may,” I interrupt. “Don’t kill her or hurt her too badly. They’ve really scared her a lot, and she’s been an agent since before the vampires started making good changes around here. I’m sure she’s happy to tell you everything she knows without the need for torture.”

“Everything,” Jessina agrees. “Everything, Your Majesty. I didn’t want to be killed by my cohorts. I want to be killed by you even less. Please, let me make it up to you.”

My father takes a deep breath, then nods at Marcus to lower Jessina into a chair. “This had better be good,” he grumbles. “You two go to the dining hall and make yourselves comfortable. I’m sure this will take a while.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lucia says quickly and tugs me out of the office before I can add anything more.

Marcus closes the door behind us.

“I’m still not comfortable leaving her alone in there,” I tell Lucia, trying to go back, but her grip is iron, and I have become weaker over the weeks in Longclaw.

“Let the men sort it out,” she advises me. “I’m sure your request did not fall on deaf ears. Neither the king nor Marcus are ever deliberately cruel. Jessina should be okay.”

I frown but nod. At this point, there is nothing more I can do. She did try to kill me, but I know how it feels to be desperate to survive.