Chapter 100

One Hundred: Natalie Natalie's P.O.V Joselin looked right over me. Her face looked gaunt, and what little color she had to her skin hadfaded. I had wanted to speak with her to see if she was okay, but she hadn't been around lately.Since we came home, this was the first time I had seen her outside of my visit to the infirmary daysago.

But I jumped at the chance when I saw her out and about. I hadn't seen her teleporting recently, andI took advantage of the opportunity, following her on foot to Agatha's grave.

Joselin whispered an incantation softly as she lifted the soil and let it fall through her fingers. Shewas hurting, and in turn, so was Tobias. He couldn't take his eyes off her. So I sat where he could seeher as we waited I found a bench and waited for her, keeping my eyes averted to give her privacy. But Tobias openlystared at her with longing. His hands clenched and unclenched as he stood guard several feet infront of me and to the side.

When she was done, she walked right past me, her eyes floating over me as if she hadn't recognizedme. It was awful to see her in so much pain. She hadn't even stopped to acknowledge Tobias.

That had concerned me more than anything. Until now, the woman had been mad about wantinghim to notice her. She was in it deep, and while I knew he was too, he had yet to cave into her."Joselin!" I called out, jumping to my feet and chasing after her. She stopped and turned, loweringher body into a curtsey, something I had never seen her do before when she didn't have to. My lipsparted in surprise as I stared at her.

"Yes, your majesty?" Her reply was curt, short, and almost offensive. She was the one who hadinsisted on us being friends. Now, her sarcastic, quick, and witty attitude was gone. Her tone wasvoid of any emotion.

I glanced around in confusion, but no one here could overhear her. Her respectful and reservedfagade was usually only saved for public interactions.

It was just my guards and us.

"What's going on? What happened?” I wished I could see more in her white eyes, but she didn'ttake her gaze away from my chin, refusing to meet my stare. I waited as she pressed her lipstogether, but I grew frustrated when she refused to speak. "Did I do something to offend you?”

Her eyelids widened before lowing again, her chin tilting further down. "No, you didn't. We are fine.I just need time."

"Are you leaving?" I was almost scared to ask. Our relationship had been rocky initially, but I hadgrown to care about Joselin. I didn't want her to go. She had been the only one here consistent intheir treatment of me and everyone around me. She may have been socially awkward, but she wasfunny and good.

"Of course not. I can't leave you here with Rona roaming the halls. That bitch is up to no good."Joselin ground out from between her teeth, and I narrowed my eyes. I was there when Rona hadadmitted to stealing her mother's magic and killing her, so she could take her place on the council.Nothing indicated Rona was doing it to Joselin now, but I would be watching very closely.

I didn't trust her at all.

To be fair, I didn't trust anyone on the council, which was worrisome, but I had no other choice.Killian had told me that they had been chosen because they were the strongest of their kind and themost loyal to the throne.

Joselin was the only one I trusted. But she was clearly hurting, and I wanted to show my support. Ireached out, squeezing her arm gently." Okay, but whatever it is, don't let yourself sit on it for toolong. I'm here for you when you're ready to talk."

She nodded, looking away from me to hide her emotions. “Don't be so mushy. It's annoying.”

I smiled when I saw the corner of her mouth twitch with amusement before she turned andstomped off. It reassured me that she would be fine, but when I turned to Tobias, the look in hiseyes told me not to talk to him about her.

Something might have happened between them, but it was not my place to press for informationon their relationship.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but he held my stare unashamed, revealing no emotions. There was noway that he would be giving me any information. He barely talked as it was. I doubted he would tellme what was happening in her head.Jf he knew.

The way she had blatantly ignored him wasn't a good sign to me, but I needed to give her the spaceshe asked for. I would be here when she was ready.

Thomas cleared his throat, making me look at him, but he stared straight ahead. If I had to guess, itwas his attempt to spare his friend from my glare. But I gave up, turning to walk back into the castleThe hot mid-day sun beat down on my shoulders with cruel intent, and I was eager to get backinside.

Rona was smiling widely as she spoke to Lindsey, Killian's ex. Lindsey's shoulders tensed, and hereyes widened when she saw me enter the courtyard. Two power-hungry women becoming friendswas never a good sign.

The bright red, curly hair was impossible to overlook in the sun, and I watched her smile harden asshe turned to look at me. It was incredible how malicious she looked as she lifted her hand andwaved her fingers in my direction. The long pointed grey nails resembled claws so closely that Iimagined she was just waiting for the chance to sink them into someone's chest and rip out theirheart.

Maybe she would eat it too. A woman willing to kill her own mother for power was a woman Iwould never trust.

My groan of annoyance was caught in my throat, and I plastered a smile on my face as Rona leftLindsey and jogged up to me.

"Natalie!" She exclaimed with feigned excitement, and I gritted my teeth.

"It's Your Majesty.” Thomas corrected with a clipped tone.

"Hm, yes. It is.” She hummed in agreement, falling in step with me as I climbed up the castle's frontentrance. Her failure to correct herself had my already thin patience disappearing rapidly.

"Is there something you need, Rona?"

The witch's arm brushed against mine as she moved closer. "I thought that maybe we could get toknow each other. I can help you train until your mother comes back.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to hold back my distaste. I didn't want her hovering around at analready stressful time for me. If anyone would piss me off to the point of me unintentionallycommitting mass murder, it would be her. Because she was known to kill for power and with howpowerful my mother and I were, I didn't want her anywhere near us. Then again, they always did sayto keep your enemies closer.

It could be an opportunity to watch her and ensure she wasn't getting up to anything she shouldn'tbe before she left.

Rona took a step back as I walked through the door, and my beast hummed in pleasure in my headas the witch finally showed me some respect. Whatever game she was playing, I would get to thebottom of it.

"That sounds lovely, Rona. But right now, I have plans with the king. We will have to catch up later." Ismiled at her as genuinely as I could before walking ahead of her to head to our bedroom. Killianhad requested a lunch date, and I would have been stupid to deny him.

My race upstairs was more of a brisk walk as I tried to remain calm. As long as I could keep myemotions under control, I would be fine. Everyone would be okay.

The door to the bedroom was cracked open when I arrived, and I shivered with pleasure as itslammed shut behind me.

"We have something that we need to discuss before our date, my love.” Killian's low growl made mystomach turn to butterflies, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up as he moved up behindme.

"Do we?"

His finger slid up my spine, stopping to pull gently on a strand of hair. The anticipation was enoughto form wetness between my legs as his hand was placed gently on my shoulder. He slid it aroundmy collar until he could grab my jaw.

His thumb pushed against it, tilting my head to the side until I was looking over my shoulder. Killianbent his neck and hovered his lips over mine. His chest pressed against my back, and I let out aninvoluntary whimper when he refused to kiss me.

"It has been a week since you have let me touch you. A week since I have been inside you." Hishardness pushed against my ass as evidence of his intentions, and my eyes slid shut. His tongueteased my lips as he stole a taste. "A week since I have heard your sweet little moans or the way youcry out my name while you're cumming on my cock.”

"Is that what you want to talk about, Killian? How long it's been since I let you inside me?” I openedmy eyes, my hands moving back to grab the sides of his muscular thighs to steady myself. "I have to say that when you asked me to meet youfor a lunch date, the last thing I expected was to hear the king begging me for sex.”

I gasped when he grabbed my bottom lip between his teeth, sucking on it momentarily beforeletting it go. My tongue involuntarily traced the flesh where his lips had just been, wanting a taste ofhim.

"I don't recall begging."