Kingdom of the Zodiac

Chapter 51

"Cancel the ball? You can't be serious." Mari gaped at her son, the King, who also happened to be my mate.

"You'd be putting her at risk," Hale argued, crossing his arms. "As the last member of the Aelius line, Nova needs to be protected. How can I do that if you insist on opening our doors to anyone with an invitation? You'd be giving them the perfect opportunity to finish what they started."

"Potential last member." I paused chewing on my nails to correct him. "We don't know for sure if Liam is dead."

"Regardless, I will not put my Mate in harm's way just because you feel the need to throw a party, Mother," Hale glowered.

Mari placed her hands on her hips. "You've returned home after all these years and finally have accepted the role you were always meant to be. It is a cause worth celebrating."

"I already told you, we're not staying." Hale turned his back on her.

"You can't push your responsibilities aside anymore, Malikith. You need to take your rightful place as King of the Court of Justice."

"I can't leave my post." Hale shook his head. "The legions look to me as their leader. They need me." Hale began walking away.

Following him, Mari continued. "You are needed here, at the capitol. Appoint someone else to lead our armies, the heir to House Aries perhaps?"

"Enough!" Hale exploded. "We will be leaving in two days, end of story. Plan your ball if you must, but mark my words, we will be taking every precaution," he warned before storming down the steps towards a hidden door, slamming it shut behind him.

"Well that went well," Mari sighed, adverting her gaze to me. Seeing the concern written all over my face she added, "You must not let the King's temper sway you from accepting his proposal."

"He hasn't proposed," I reminded her.

"Yet," Mari smiled. "I've seen the way he looks at you. If he hasn't proposed to you by the end of tomorrow night, I promise to not say anything further about the subject." She raised her hands in surrender and I gave her a knowing smile; there was no way she was going to let this go.

Suppressing a yawn, I glanced around the throne room which was now empty. Only the Queen, myself and a handful of guards remained.

Cas and Ren had rushed off to fill in the rest of Hale's legions about the false queen's message, while Eira and Lux were working on getting a status report on the small group who had been in Solis doing recon on the second dark army.

"You must be exhausted," Mari said sympathetically, rising from her chair. "Allow me to escort you back to your suite." I accepted her outstretched hand, offering her a warm smile before linking my arm through hers.

Using the same secret door Hale had used earlier, Mari led me down a long, dark corridor. She insisted that it was the quickest way back to my room and that we wouldn't be disturbed by anyone should I wish to unburden myself of any questions that still lingered in my mind.

We walked in silence for a while, neither one of us voicing whatever it was that occupied our thoughts. And though I felt comfortable around Mari, I wasn't sure if I trusted her enough to not relay the details of our little chats back to her son.

Still, there were some questions that I needed answered and I wasn't sure who else to ask.

"Mari," I spoke softly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," she replied instantly.

"Earlier, you seemed completely fine with the possibility of Hale proposing, excited even. But I can't help but wonder if you would really be okay with your son marrying someone like me?"