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  Philip’s jaw tightened, and he felt Minerva’s hand pull from his, falling into her lap to clasp her other hand. The look of warmth had disappeared from her face, the familiar cold and disinterested expression returning quickly. For a moment, he’d glimpsed a wounded and injured woman at the comments of her regents, the women and man who were supposed to guide her and rule in her favor. In a flash of understanding, Philip could see just why Orrin got along with them, and what kind of life the Princess might have had.

  Philip’s grin was wide and cruel. “Princess Minerva, am I to understand that the regents rule in place of you until you wed?”

  “Yes, a queen may rule alone, but a princess cannot become a queen until she marries. So my faithful regents rule in my place,” Minerva replied stiffly.

  “And are they supposed to speak in place of their betters as well?” Philip asked, his gaze locked on the table of regents.

  It was Orrin who spoke, his voice tight. “My Prince, I think perhaps you should consider switching to water for the night.”

  Philip drained the rest of his wine, holding out his glass for a refill as he continued. “Because, the last I knew, regents served the future prince or princess until they were fit to rule by the laws of the kingdom. I wasn’t aware they were meant to stick their noses into the private business of said future ruler or dare presume to speak for them or of their business. Sorcerer Orrin, isn’t it a treasonous offense in the south, to speak so disrespectfully of your ruler?”

  “It would depend upon the statement,” Orrin replied tightly.

  Philip leaned in close, speaking so only the regents, Minerva, and the personal guards could hear him. “What I’m trying to say here is, when I want you to speak for my bride, I’ll ask you to. Otherwise, keep your opinions about her, my kingdom, and my father to yourselves, or you’ll see just how brutal we can be in the south.”

  With that, Philip straightened, content to let Orrin scramble to control the damage he’d just done. Personally, he didn’t care one bit if the regents hated him, he was feeling more in control of himself and a safe emotional distance from the horror of watching his father fade away once more. As an added bonus, Minerva was looking at him with a curious expression, and her hands had pulled out from beneath the table to rest before her.

  When she spoke, it was so only he could hear. “When the ambassadors from your court came to mine, they insisted this was a court of ‘noble beasts.’ I thought it all idle boasting, but now I’m happy to see they weren’t false.”

  Philip looked at her, seeing a spot of color in her cheeks. “I can’t say I did it just for you. Though they have no right to speak to you simply because you shared a piece of human compassion, it pissed me off they’d do it right after what happened.”

  “I…am sorry about your father,” Minerva said quietly.

  Philip gave her a crooked smile. “I am only sorry that everyone was present for one of his…moments. We have done our best in the past to make sure the number of witnesses were kept to a minimum. My father will be devastated to learn he had one of his moments before the entirety of the court.”

  “Would that I could offer my help with regards to curing your father,” Minerva said.

  “You’re kind, but there is, so far, no cure for what ails him,” Philip told her.

  Minerva sighed. “Not that I would be capable of much help as it is. I spoke truly before when I said I am able to do very little. I am a figurehead at the moment, unable to do much more than wave and smile at those who come to visit. The laws of my land prevent me from doing so much as sitting in on a council meeting. All I know about my kingdom and its ruling is passed down to me through the few people I can trust.”

  “Trust is hard to come by these days, and in our world,” Philip said.

  Minerva gave a bitter smile. “So it is, but it’s made all the more a precious commodity for its rarity. Tell me, do you have someone you feel you can trust with anything, no matter how dangerous the secret to kept?”

  Philip couldn’t help but let his gaze flicker to Jaeger. He couldn’t tell if his best friend could hear the conversation, but he knew Jaeger was keeping a close eye on them, even if he did appear to be watching the dining hall instead. A smile quirked at the corner of his mouth, and he nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

  Philip held Minerva’s gaze. “Without a doubt, yes.”

  “I think too many people go through their lives, never understanding just how important trust and loyalty are between two people. In our world, trust is often an invitation to disaster, and loyalty is given only lip service. Yet when you do find that one person willing to do anything for you, to stand by you no matter what, you should keep them as close to you as possible,” Minerva said.

  Philip nodded. “I don’t think there’s anything more precious in the world than a true friend and loyal companion.”

  Minerva smiled. “Perhaps you and I might just see eye to eye yet.”

  Philip chuckled. “I suppose it doesn’t hurt that I’m your ticket to being more than just a figurehead.”

  Minerva snorted. “I’ll admit, the days of being a puppet on the strings of others has become quite tiresome. It’s exhausting, dancing to their tune, going where they say I should, reciting the lines they feed me. I should have married long ago, but conveniently, there has always been something which got in the way. I would come so close to the freedom I desired, only to have it yanked from beneath me.”

  “If I might ask, what happened to the last king and queen, your parents?” Philip asked carefully.

  Minerva’s smile became fixed as she poked at the meal placed before her. “A tale for another time perhaps. My family history is…difficult to speak of, and I would prefer to speak of it when there are less…prying ears around.”

  “And poisonous tongues as well,” Philip added, looking to the table of regents, and motioning subtly to Jaeger so his friend would pay attention.

  “That as well,” Minerva agreed.

  Philip speared a piece of delicately roasted meat, seeing Jaeger slip closer to them. “I imagine you have been under constant surveillance since your regents have taken over.”

  Minerva snorted softly. “To have even a moment alone is a rare commodity in itself, to keep a secret? Well, that requires a great deal of work, though I have learned a few tricks over the years.”

  “I might know a thing or two about living under a glass dome,” Philip said as he glanced to Orrin.

  “Perhaps it’s simply our lot in life. To dance under the strings of another, before we are placed at the top. I know it will take more than being crowned to free me, but at least I will have more say than before,” Minerva said with a long sigh.

  “I imagine you would watch the watchers, if you could,” Philip mused.

  Minerva smirked. “I do what I can, but it isn’t always the easiest task. Watching while being watched requires delicacy, and a certain level of distrust. It’s foolish to think every piece of information which comes your way is reliable or trustworthy. One must be able to sort through the mess of lies and misdirection to find the truth. Even then, you cannot always know whether or not you see things for how they are or if you are seeing only what others would have you believe is the truth.”

  “That sounds…very trying,” Philip said.

  Minerva laughed softly. “To say the least. My life is not exactly filled with many entertaining activities, so I must make do with what I can.”

  Philip glanced at Jaeger. “Even harder when so far from home.”

  Minerva looked up, raising a delicate brow. “Impossible really.”

  “And what if I told you, it might be possible to have a more reliable source of information while you were here? That I might have just the sort of person on hand who would be capable of keeping an eye on my guests,” Philip said, still speaking softly to keep their conversation private.

  Minerva cocked her head, looking interested. “I’d tell you that I would be interested in meeting thi
s agent of yours, and seeing their skills for myself.”

  “Perhaps the agent might gather a few tasty tidbits for us first, and then you could meet them,” Philip said idly as he took another drink of wine.

  “Hmm, well, it wouldn’t do if I were to come here only to find myself in danger. If my gallant and protective husband to be wishes to guarantee my safety, who am I to argue?” she asked, her voice coy and innocent, while her eyes sparkled with mischief.

  It was all Jaeger needed, and Philip watched from the corner of his eye as his friend backed away from the table. Philip smiled at Minerva, tracking Jaeger’s movements as the man slipped away from the line of guards behind the table. The personal guard would notice Jaeger’s absence, but they would say nothing. While they made a big show of being almost like statues as they stood guard, they were attentive to everything. They’d seen him near Philip, and would assume, rightly, the Prince had assigned Jaeger a task. That they would assume he’d sent what amounted to the King’s second son to check on their liege suited Philip just fine.

  The amusement on Philip’s face died as he watched Sorcerer Orrin stand up from his place at the table. Orrin’s expression was dark as he watched Jaeger disappear into the side hallway. Orrin turned to face Philip, a look of anger and a promise of something dark played on his features as he excused himself from the regents’ presence.

  Minerva was watching his face, glancing in the direction he stared. “Is something wrong?”

  Philip shook his head. “Nothing to worry about, not just yet.”

  Minerva chuckled. “Already struggling to keep up with the players in the game?”

  “I have every faith in my agent,” Philip said, meaning it.

  If there was anyone who could find out what the regents might be hiding, and not be caught, it would be Jaeger. His friend had worked himself to the bone to ensure he would bring something beyond good swordsmanship to the table when it came to defending the royal family. If he needed a secret discovered, or for someone to slip in somewhere they should haven’t been, it was Jaeger he called.

  “Nothing but the best,” Philip said with a smile.

  Before anything else could be said, he watched as Orrin hurried after Jaeger, clutching his robes closely as he too, disappeared into the shadows of the hall.

  Chapter Four

  Jaeger

  The sound of the celebrations in the hall became dull echoes as Jaeger strode away as fast as he could without running. The disaster that had been the King’s speech was quickly forgotten as everyone continued imbibing their drinks and expensive food. He was sure the King’s speech would be the talk of the court for weeks to come. There would be a mixture of sorrow and humor at the once great King’s gradual fall, those who felt wronged by him would rejoice, while those who loved him would mourn.

  For his part, Jaeger was glad to be away from it all, sent out to do what he preferred. As much as it was an honor to stand there, a symbol of the strength of the royal house, he was a practical man. The more he could be actively doing something for the family, the safer they were. If that meant crawling around in the shadows, playing spy on the Princess’ retinue, then he would do so gladly.

  It didn’t hurt that he could finally be free of the sight of Philip and Minerva’s growing kinship. What had looked like a relationship doomed to be built upon a sandy foundation, had appeared to be quickly solidifying. The Prince and Princess were finding common ground between the two of them, and the sharp ice between them was quickly melting.

  Jaeger wanted there to be happiness in Philip’s life, and if it meant his friend being happy with the bride who had been foisted on him, then Jaeger would ultimately support it. His support, however, wouldn’t relieve the wrenching pain in Jaeger’s chest as he watched the two of them bond. Every step Philip and Minerva took closer to one another felt like another step away from Jaeger. Both he and Philip had been preparing for the inevitable day they’d be forced apart in truth, but Jaeger was still reeling from the reality of the moment.

  Distracting himself from the painful thoughts boiling in his mind, Jaeger dug down and touched his human mind upon that of the wolf within. Power, old yet familiar, bubbled up, coursing through his veins with a burst of strength and comfort. Before the change began to take completely, Jaeger shed his armor and clothing, holding onto the core of earthly power that hummed in every werewolf. The armor was left in a secluded room, and the clothes shoved into a shoulder bag.

  Finally free of the restriction of his clothing, he let the teeming warmth spread throughout his body completely. In a wash of power, his arms shrunk, his legs bending and twisting as he dropped forward onto hands which were becoming more like paws. Fur sprouted, onyx in color and a healthy sheen to the coat as it spread along his body. As his face elongated, forming his wolfen muzzle, he felt the odd stretch of his spine as his tail sprang into view.

  The sounds and smells of the castle intensified. He shook his shaggy coat, pawing at the ground and huffing happily. Being in his wolf form always felt more natural, liberating even. He had spent years wondering if perhaps it was because he spent most of his time as a human. As a wolf, it was easier to think of nothing but what lay before him, even as his conscious thoughts knew he needed to be tracking the regents.

  Taking a moment to breathe in the rich smells of food and happy people, Jaeger began to trot down the halls. Even as a huge wolf, his steps were soft and quiet, his nails barely making a sound on the stone as he walked. The shadows of the halls kept him out of sight as he slipped past various sentries and even a few patrols. If being a wolf was liberating for him, being able to move about without being seen made it even better.

  He stopped beside the statue of the late queen, which the King had erected shortly after his wife’s passing. Jaeger could barely remember her face, but he remembered her kindness to him before she’d passed, and he knew all too well the promise she’d extracted from the King before she died. It was because of her that he was still there, tied to Philip in a painful knot, but still cared for and loved in a way he wouldn’t have had otherwise. The statue probably did her no justice, but it was beautiful, and even the hard stone couldn’t erase the kindness of her face.

  “Queen Tara Jessamine Evelyn Chrysomon, beloved by her people, and the apple of our great King’s eye. Heralded as a beautiful woman, and a wonderful monarch. She touched a great many lives,” came a familiar voice from behind him.

  Jaeger turned, spying Orrin and frowning. He had been so caught up in his thoughts, he hadn’t heard the approach of the sorcerer. The man seemed to appear from one of the hallways, his hands folded before him as he strode up to him slowly.

  Orrin nodded. “Yours included, if memory serves.”

  Jaeger huffed, knowing anything he said wouldn’t be understood, though he could make his meaning known. He didn’t want to bother trying to communicate with the man, and he didn’t trust his sudden appearance.

  “With some of her last breaths, she bade the King to care for you as if you were her and his own blood. To raise you and care for you as he would his own son. You were raised beside the Prince almost as if you were an equal. But you aren’t an equal, are you?” Orrin asked with a cock of his head.

  Jaeger bowed his head, raising his lips and giving a faint growl. To a werewolf, it would have been a warning, but to Orrin, it seemed to be a joke. The smile he gave Jaeger was ugly, twisting mirthlessly in one corner.

  Orrin waved a hand at Jaeger, “Change out of that…form, so that we might discuss matters as proper humans.”

  Jaeger did as he was told, disliking the air of annoyance Orrin always seemed to possess when he was forced to deal with a werewolf. Even when the change had first come upon he and Philip, Orrin had seemed to begrudgingly allow them to learn how to hone and control the ability. Whenever Orrin was in a room, all werewolves were required to be in human form.

  Even as Jaeger, now human, began to pull on the clothes from the bag, the unpleasant curl at the corner of
Orrin’s mouth never quite disappeared. Jaeger wasn’t sure if he should attribute it to the fact that Orrin had been forced to deal with a wolf, or if he simply didn’t like Jaeger and was being a little more open about it than usual.

  “I don’t need to be his equal to care for him and being their lesser doesn’t make me bitter or crave more than I deserve,” Jaeger told him coldly as he yanked his boots on.

  If Orrin caught the insult, he ignored it. “I would hope you would be wise enough, and respectful enough, to not throw away the Queen’s final wishes for your wellbeing.”

  “If I’d been worried about my own wellbeing, I would not have agreed to be a member of the royal family’s personal guard. Once the oath is taken, your life is forfeit in service to King and Prince,” Jaeger shot back.

  Orrin smiled. “And so it is. I can honestly say, I have watched the personal guard tonight with no small amount of pride. The honor they show the royal family in performing their duty is great. Soon, they will be responsible for guarding a new queen, manned by those who have faithfully served and will have shown themselves to serve the new regency.”

  “I doubt you’ll find anyone more loyal and faithful than those who serve now,” Jaeger said.

  “Perhaps, but loyalty can be a tricky thing. One person’s loyalty can be the failing of the very one they seek to bind themselves too. If your loyalty proved detrimental to the safety of the one you aim to protect, would you call yourself worthy of your position?” Orrin asked, the picture of innocence.

  Both wolf and man within Jaeger caught the threat, and he bristled. “I would never put myself in a position where I would be a threat to the one I protect.”

  Orrin’s grin was malicious. “I hope so, I would hate to see everything fall apart because you misunderstood your place and your role. Always remember what you are, and the path you walk, and you’ll never have to fear for the one you serve.”

  Jaeger watched the sorcerer turn and walk down the hallway he’d come from. Before he could lose the battle to bound down the hallway and tear the man’s throat out, Jaeger whirled on his heel and hurried away. Orrin knew Jaeger was up to something he wasn’t supposed to be, and in transparent terms, had made Jaeger know what the price of being caught would be.