Page 116 of Kingdom of Aramis

“What is the main livelihood of the village of Zalfari? I know they guard the pass through the rift, but they must have some other form of income,” Liam asks conversationally, but his jaw is tight with tension. He suspects there is more going on. I can’tsay I don’t blame him. My stomach is also tight with tension. Something just feels off, even to me.

“Well, equine shifters aren’t really useful for anything, and they are too prideful to be used for transportation or to pull carts, and the pegasus and unicorns refuse to use their magic to aid anyone else,” the sergeant sneers.

“What the fuck?” I mutter, disgusted by his comment. “Of course they are. They aren’t pack mules.”

“So how do they make any money to survive?” Brodie asks.

The sergeant scoffs. “They sell their magical abilities to other kingdoms. Fucking traitors, if you ask me. They refuse to help shifters, but happily pimp themselves out to anyone who needs them.”

I see the major’s eyes widen in surprise at the venom in the sergeant’s tone, and I can tell all of this is news to him. Before anyone else can say anything, Micah appears, carrying a duffel bag with two guns strapped to his thighs.

“Okay, I’m good to go,” he tells us, gesturing to the bag.

“Oh, Your Majesty, I was going to show you the bathroom. Right this way, if you don’t mind.” The major shows me to the ladies’ restroom.

When I return, we head back out through the base, but I feel eyes on me, and when I turn around, the sergeant is watching me closely. I ignore him and put it down to the fact that he overheard the major call me by my title. So much for keeping a low profile.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Colbie

We’re back on the road within half an hour, tucking into the food Gem and Gryff picked up.

“Did that sergeant give anyone else bad vibes?” Brodie asks around a mouthful of sandwich before taking a sip of his soda. “I bet he picked up the phone and called his uncle to tell him we were heading his way the minute we left the building.”

Hunter tells the others who weren’t there what we talked about with the major.

Gryffin groans. “I have no doubt you’re right,” he says, agreeing with Brodie.

“Doesn’t matter. We’ll go in alert, ready for anything. We’re loaded for a fight now. I grabbed something for everyone.” Micah sounds confident, and Hunter grunts an agreement.

“I doubt they would try anything. They would be stupid to take us on. I’ll just shift into my dragon form and set them all on fire.”

“I didn’t like the sergeant’s attitude. That village is supposed to be a haven for the equines. How did a lion shifter end up as the alpha?” Liam grumbles next to me.

“No, there was no love lost for the equines with the sergeant,” I point out. “He sounded downright aggressive toward them. Do you think they are holding them hostage or something?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me. It makes me rethink this visit. It sounds like we are going into a hostile environment, and I’m not sure we can guarantee Colbie’s safety,” Hunter says, and I can see from here that his hands are tight with tension, his knuckles white from how hard he’s gripping the steering wheel. “Maybe we should turn around and come back with a couple more teams.”

“No!” I shout and lean forward in my seat. “What if Nox is one of those shifters? What if they’ll kill them now that they know we’re coming? We need to stop them.” My heart races with panic. “Please, we can’t stop now. I promise to listen and do everything you tell me to.” I have a sense of urgency flooding my system. We’re running out of time, and I need to be crowned sooner rather than later. “Not to mention the missing children.”

“The sergeant made it sound like the equines won’t help us find the children. We need to be prepared for that,” Liam warns me gently.

A growl of anger barrels out of my chest, and he flinches with surprise.

“Their poor families must be so worried. We need to at least appeal to the equines for their help.”

“And if they won’t?” Gem turns to look at me. “Are you prepared to throw your weight around as queen and use the power the goddess gifted you? You may further damage the already shaky relationship they have with the rest of the shifter kingdom.”

My stomach rolls at the idea of forcing the equines to help us, but I will do anything to bring those kids home. “If they won’t help us, then we need to focus on finding my final mate and getting the crown on my head. Then, they won’t have any choice but to help us,” I tell him, and he gives me a nod of approval.

“Good girl. Sometimes you have to make unpopular choices that benefit others.”

“I hate the idea of children being out there, scared and unable to shift back. I don’t want to make them wait longer, and I certainly don’t want to have to force the equines to help us, but I will if it means they will bring those children home to their parents. You said that shifter children are sacred, though, so I’m hoping it won’t come down to forcing the equines.”

“You may be right. Finding the children should override any feelings of being rejected.” Micah nods. “The mers would help out if it involved children despite despising a good portion of the shifter population.”