Page 61 of The Ice Prince's Fated Mate
There was a blur, and the Elite was abruptly pinned to the wall with one thick arm holding him up.
“Look at her like that again,” Casimir growled, “and you will find yourself as a new statue out front of the gates. Got it?”
The Elite rasped something that sounded like he understood, and Casimir deposited him on the ground unceremoniously.
Neither of them looked my way as we walked by. Lesson learned.
“How do you live in a place like this?” I asked as we walked. “Where everyone is just scheming with each other, trying to get ahead of the rest? It’s depressing.”
“Caz is changing that,” Dirk replied defensively. “It is much better than under our father.”
“Things were very bad, from what I understand. I think I told you a bit about that,” Anna said over her shoulder. “Where it didn’t used to be lit, other than a random torch. Everyone skulked from room to room, looking over their shoulder. Mysterious deaths happened frequently. It’s quite a bit different now.”
“I guess.” Those Elites sure had seemed like they were skulking around in back corridors, plotting someone’s demise. Was it that different?
“It is,” Dirk said. “Things had sunk very low before Caz took over. That’s why I left.”
I looked up at him. “Where did you go?”
Dirk faced forward, shook his head, but didn’t answer.
Whatever it was, it was clearly a sore spot. Why didn’t he want to tell me?
“It will take time,” Caz rumbled, speaking at last. “I cannot do it overnight.”
“You also aren’t alone anymore,” Anna said, squeezing his arm. “We’ll do it together.”
Dirk agreed.
“Thank you,” Caz said, uncomfortable at the support.
We made it to the old dungeons without further incident. The sounds of talking could be heard from up ahead.
“We’ll wait here,” Dirk said at my questioning glance when he and Caz stopped and leaned against the wall. “Take your time.”
“You’re not coming?”
“Many of the Grounded in there find our presence as Elites uncomfortable,” Caz said. “Especially mine.”
“You’re just a big softy,” Anna said, leaning heavily against her mate and staring at him slightly glassy-eyed. “They’ll learn soon.”
Caz’s dragon rumbled in his throat at the display. “I’m not sure this is a good idea, mate.”
“Ella will protect me,” Anna said, pulling herself together and kissing him on the cheek. “I’ll be fine, and you won’t be far. They’re still skittish of you. Remember how long it took me to stop seeing everything you did as purposefully Elitist and horrible? And I was mated to you.”
“Maybe.” Caz wasn’t convinced.
“It’s impossible to overcome decades and centuries of ingrained knowledge in just a month or two, love. Especially when you’re the embodiment of every fear and nightmare they’ve had for that time. Even my mate bond with you took time to convince me you were different. It will take longer for them, but they’ll come around too. Be patient.”
I walked over to my friend, who smiled at me, but her eyes were slightly unfocused.
“Anna, are you sure this is smart? You aren’t acting like yourself. Caz is right.”
My best friend steadied herself and looked at me. “I’m about to go into heat. I can feel it coming over me. Caz knows. But I have to go see them first. It’s been too long, and they need to know I’m still looking out for them. I have responsibilities now, El, and sometimes they have to come before myself.”
The hallway echoed with Caz’s denial, but she shot him a look that dared him to argue more. “I am the Ice Tyrantess, and I take that seriously. So will you.”
“Yes, dear,” Caz said promptly.
