The King’s Tainted Mate
Chapter 79

Merrymaking had continued around the palace with the guests oblivious to the tension brewing in the host kingdom together with the fate of its king. I loathed the idea of it, knowing my mate, their host, was bound and probably suffering at the hands of my own flesh and blood while they ate, drank and danced.

It had, however, been decided that it was for the best that the merry atmosphere be maintained. With the guests being continually filled with wine, none or few would notice the absence. It would also speak of Xatis still standing despite the capture of its king. A message clearly meant for his captors.

"Your highness, my lords and ladies, the tenth search party has returned empty handed." Rakon's strained voice carried over the the council chambers as he bowed before my mate's father. He'd given the same report over and over again with the former king of Xatis asking to search one more time each time.

Derian had not believed a word I'd said. Well, the part that named my own uncle as the king of Carene at least. He'd implied that mine and Gol's narrations were nothing but the outlaw's ploy to keep Xatis from storming the gates of Carene and destroying his own brother. And each time he'd growled his orders to search the palace and it's grounds again, I merely sat back and waited for his unbelief to waiver.

I held on to the little sanity that a wolf in my position could possess. It was a wonder how I'd accomplished that. Perhaps it was the feel of my mate's invisible touch I'd held on to from the moment I'd taken his seat at the head of the long table. Or perhaps it was the faux embrace that surrounded my own body by the seat he'd sat in many times before or that faint whiff of his lingering scent.

Initially I'd refused to take the seat when Liira had offered it, but the matriarch had simply pointed out that I had no choice in the matter. As the mate and future queen to the king, I was meant to hold his place until his safe return.

"Lord Evarius and lady Kerina have not been seen since last night either. Not around the palace or the lord's residence." That little detail tied in with whatever was hidden in Gol's memories. My uncle and his daughter still remained the culprits, but the former king of Xatis still seemed to have a hard time giving in.

"This is madness! Evarius can't be- How did we not know this?!"

"My brother has always been ambitious." My father was the one to speak up. "But I thought being the lord of our house would be enough." Being lord was never his aim. I had seen it in the darkness that resided in my uncle's eyes when he'd laid out his demands for me. The man desired something much much more. I had realised that that was the reason giving up being heir apparent had been easy for him.

"And what are these...demands?" Derian spat. The bitterness in the former king's tone mirrored my own even when it's roots were not the same.

"The safe return of his mate and child." My words were met with mumblings around the table.

"His mate and child?" My father's confusion spoke for the many around the table. "What have we to do with his wife? And did you not say Evarius was in the company of Kerina when they took your mate?"

"He speaks of Myrna..." Her name was as ash on my tongue. "She is his true mate and carries his heir." Gasps filled the room at my statement.

"Wait, the banished queen?" Liira exclaimed as more gasps and mumblings carried over the council chambers. "They are mates?" I felt myself stiffen as that dagger of truth pierced my heart yet again. While everyone took in the news with shock, bitterness filled my mouth. She was someone else's mate, had been banished from the palace, but my mate had kept her...close. When my own wrongful banishment had seen me fighting for my life as I was driven out of the only home I knew. I was never one to compare, but he'd done the total opposite when it came to my wretched sister. He'd kept her within the borders of Xatis...the comfort of the palace walls. I did not know what to do with that.

"Shouldn't he be out there searching for her himself then?"

I turned to Rakon at Derian's question. "I believe you know where his highness chose to hide his chosen mate." I said bitingly and the guard at a loss for words, could only offer a regretful expression meant to let me know that whatever I thought, was not so. However, I was unwilling to hear anything of the sort, so I ignored him and pressed for an answer. On a sigh, the guard stood up straighter and nodded.

"She's still here?!" My mate's father bellowed, clearly unimpressed with his son's actions. It was the first time we agreed on anything since the moment I'd stepped into the chambers. "What in God's name was that boy thinking by sheltering a traitor?" "Perhaps this might work to our advantage, your highness." Lord Hadwyn's calm voice drew mine and everyone's attention. "If indeed, she's his mate and carries his child, she might be a card to be played in this predicarment." "We can't." I hated protecting Myrna, but my uncle's demands had been clear. "If I wish to see my mate alive, I am to deliver my sister to him. Unharmed." A mate for a mate, he'd said. "That is the other part of his demands." "He's insane!" Derian shot up from his seat. "He already has my son and now he expects me to just hand over my grandson too?!"

"Because his ambitions, I'm afraid, go beyond men's thrones." A familiar voice filled the room, drawing my attention to the chamber's doors. "Zillah?!" Surprise did not even begin to describe what I felt at the sight of the crazy wolf that did not appear...crazy at all? Her old and filthy rags had been replaced by a long dark cloak that even from where she stood one could tell was clean. Her usually matted hair had been washed and pulled back neatly. But perhaps those were not the things to surprise me the most. "How are you here? In the palace....the council chambers?" I rose to my feet, the matter at hand momentarily forgotten.

"You called for me." Her usual smile was a comforting sight, but her response made me stare at her in confusion.

"I did?"

"Well, not exactly. Your tattoo summoned me."

"My what?" My eyes widened at the woman. Perhaps I had dismissed her craziness too soon.

"Your tattoo, it-"

"Zillah?" My father's gasp interrupted the woman. "Is that you?"

"Lord Lydo." Zillah bowed as a servant would to a master. One she'd served once before.

"Wait, father, you know her?"

"She was always meant to be your nanny. Your mother chose her long before you were born, but..." My father, overwhelmed with emotion turned to stare at Zillah, deepening my confusion. "...We thought you were dead. The night our daughter was taken-" "Guardian." Zillah flashed her easy smile at my father. "I always told you that I was her guardian and as you can see, I'm still alive doing that very duty."

Your mother chose her long before you were born. My father's words rang in my ears. Zillah knew? She knew who I was! "Wait, that was real? Your being my guardian was real?"

"How else would I be able to heed your call each time you summoned me?"The ground I stood on shifted while waves of emotions flooded, sending me sinking back in my seat at her question. I remembered each time she'd appeared as if by magic. Always ready to comfort me. All the times she could have told me who I was. All the opportunities missed where she could have brought me home and ended mine and my parent's pain.

"All this time..." a lump lodged itself in my throat as betrayal nipped at my heart. As crazy as I thought her to be, Zillah had been my safe haven when life dipped and now? Lies! "You knew and yet you what, pretended to be crazy and for what?"

She gave me that look that was annoyingly comforting. "Eighteen wolf moons." "What?"

"That is how long I needed to wait." Another one of those annoyingly comforting smiles. "I had to wait for the right moment. This moment. Your birthday." Eyes beamed. "Happy birthday, my lady. And no, your highness..." Zillah lost her smile as she faced Derian. "Evarius does not wish to take your grandson, but your son's mate."