The King & the Stable Boy

BONUS: It's Been Six Years... (I'm so Sorry)

Noah

I packed a satchel full of money and a few trinkets. I had four hours tops before William would tear this island apart searching for me and my ship would've long since have set sail far away from this kingdom. Chandler hated my plan, and was clawing at my insides for me to simply go up to William and confess.

Chandler wasn't thinking rationally. The initial mating sickness wasn't fatal as legend said. It lasted three months, ended just a few weeks after the ball came to an end. I wanted to come forward, Olympus knows I've tried, but each and every time I built up the nerve, William would go on and on about how perfect she would be, how their children would look adorable with his hair and her eyes, and how much he couldn't wait to hold her in his arms. He'd talk for hours on end of what he thought she would look like, what tribe she might hail from, reasons as to why she remained in hiding.

It was maddening. For Hades sake, the man has repealed each of those damned Vile Laws—no mating amongst the islands, no mating beyond your class, no mating ceremonies performed when one party is beyond 30 shall be validated, no second mating ceremony—but the one barring same sex couples. Chandler is a fool for not seeing this for what it is. William wouldn't want us, we're not the damsel he's been dreaming of.

Samara has taken special note of this as well. Ever since she'd found a mate in Sarah, they've been whispering about it. They plan to move to Natus within the next three years to be free to do as they please. For Hera's sake, even Roman and Malick are fleeing the country. While the rest of the servants are saddened by their leaves within the next year, none of them suspect a thing. I knew better though. I'd caught the two of them sparring glances when they were certain no one was looking. They had to have been mates, and their notices being within such a close time frame, mere weeks apart confirmed my suspicions.

It was a spacing that wouldn't flag anyone who received them, as they likely had a bunch of similar paperwork to tend to worry about such trivial matters, but to a trained eye, it was calculated.

Chandler may not agree with my methods, but this only confirmed what I've feared from the very beginning. If William truly desired a mate, no matter who they were, what held him back from removing this last law? Who was there to stop him? It had to be some internalized prejudice and my father had raised me better than to deal with anyone's inner turmoil at the cost of my own sanity. Hiding from William has eaten up my every waking moment, and current events haven't encouraged me to come forward in the slightest.

Just last week the Duchess of Diana was hung in her very own square by her mother's own guard for being found with her mistress, who she claimed was her true mate. William didn't seem to bat so much of an eye at it. Chandler must've been delusional to think that this royal had any place in his heart for this wolf shifter, a male one at that.

There was a knock at my door. I shoved the satchel beneath some blankets and opened it to find Sarah, looking breathless.

"What's the matter?"

"Roman's just linked me. The meeting is going south fast. He's giving the general a minimum of fifteen minutes left of being entertained by the king, half an hour tops, before the entire meeting is called off. There's also another problem: King William has told a messenger to collect all of his letters from his study and have them ready for him to go through once he exits."

"My ship doesn't leave for another hour and a half."

"I've linked Samara. She can get you on one that leaves within the hour if you leave right now."