“How long has this been going on?”
“Years.”
That didn’t bode well. “And you haven’t gotten anything viable on your brother?”
“My brother is smart, ambitious, and subtle.”
“Could he be innocent?”
The king snorted. “Kevin is an empath, Jack, and I believe him when he tells me whenever my brother looks at my daughter and sons, all the man feels for them is hatred and envy. That’s a lethal combination. So many incidents do not happen by accident. On the surface, you would be right, but I’ve had a few too many empaths come to me with concerns. There have been far too many incidents for these to be mistakes or unconnected cases. Someone wants my children dead. Someone wants me and my wife dead, too. That’s where he made his mistake. I can’t find the damned missing link, but it’s there. And until I can justify pulling his private financial records, I’m stuck. He’s got the same rights as everybody else unless I have substantial proof of wrongdoing.”
“What mistake did he make?”
“While he has incidents in equal proportion, all of his are nothing more than inconveniences. The bombs found near him? Easily defused to the point of the teams having doubt they’d explode even if the techs don’t do their job right. Accidents have been minor at worst. He’s never had anyone open fire on him with a gun, either. The rest of us have. He deals with nothing like what everyone else in the family deals with. Most importantly, the only ones targeted are in line for the throne—or have been bonded.”
I saw how the king would believe he didn’t have sufficient evidence and a solid reason for his beliefs. “Do you have any children that have left the kingdom and Maine’s line of succession?”
“I do have two boys that no longer live in Maine. One is in Texas. He married into an elite family. He’s unbonded and likely won’t bond; he hasn’t gone into the family business. He’s afraid of blood.”
My brows shot up at that. “I can see how that would be an issue with your family’s talent.”
“Exactly. He doesn’t use his talent much, but he does do basic checkups for patients as long as there’s no blood involved. He’s good with basic diagnostics; it’s the one thing he can excel at with his phobia. His name is Henry, and don’t be surprised if Melody doesn’t mention him. They don’t get along, and they haven’t since they were in their teens. Then there’s Phillip. He’s a year and a half older than Melody. He went to Alaska, where he teaches at a university. He’s also not bonded. Melody may or may not talk about him because he left to go to Alaska when he turned eighteen and hasn’t been back since. She resents that because family is very important to her, I suppose. Neither have had any incidents. She won’t talk about it, so I recommend you don’t bring the situation up with her.”
If the king thought I’d leave a problem I knew about alone, he was in for a surprise, and with the issues in her family, I’d press the issue with Melody to find a resolution if necessary. If one member of the royal family was believed to be behind the attacks, it was possible another was, too. “And if it was a general attack on your family, they would have been targeted because they’d be easier to reach outside of the range of Maine’s RPS?” I guessed.
“Exactly so. So, it’s someone in Maine, and it’s someone who wants to remove the viable inheritors of the throne. Melody’s position as a successor is unusual because of her lack of a viable bond—until now, that is. You changed her position, and because of that, I expect her situation will begin worsening soon.”
I could make guesses as to why, and I wondered how things had gotten to be so complicated. “Why tell me so much? You don’t know me from any other stranger. This isn’t exactly minor business we’re talking about here.”
“That’s true. But, Kevin’s an empath, you volunteered, and I’ve gone over your file. You’re one of the better bets I’ll be making this year. I’d rather gamble and have the hope of finding a resolution to this than sit around and wait for the worst to happen—and it will. It’s just a matter of when. The only thing I’m sorry for is that your parents may be exchanging one set of problems for another.”
I could respect that. I gambled each and every time I went on a search and rescue shift. “Is there any chance Henry or Phillip might be involved? You said Henry doesn’t get along with Melody?”
“It’s always a possibility, but I doubt it. Henry doesn’t like my brother. Phillip takes his passions seriously, and he’s busy doing what he loves most, which is teaching other people how to become doctors. He’d been researching how to integrate more magic with medicine. Wiping out our family line wouldn’t further his goals; we hand over research material to him like it’s candy. If he kills us off, his easy access to our medical research would dry up. The only reason he gets first crack at the information is because he’s a member of the royal family. My brother would not be inclined to share. He’s of the opinion people should come to Maine and pay a steep fee for medical treatments to bolster our economy.”
I scowled. “Medical care is expensive enough as it is.”
“It is. That’s why Maine’s royal family often donates treatments to people with rare, expensive conditions from the lower castes. We charge patients from the upper castes at cost for the treatments, including labor by the hour, but we offer trial treatments for free to anyone who can’t afford the traditional treatments. If we don’t have a trial treatment for a lower caste member, they’ll be treated by a training doctor under the supervision of someone experienced. It works well. We get a lot of people with rare diseases and disorders coming to Maine for treatments they can’t get anywhere else in the world. In addition to overseeing the kingdom, part of my job is to monitor these treatments and help plan medical research.”
“I question why anyone would want your job,” I muttered.
The king sighed. “I don’t think my brother realizes just how much work is involved—or how many times he’ll be called on to toe the line between life and death. That’s why being bonded is a part of the succession—or ready to bond, like Melody. She’s been ready for a while, but I don’t think she’s realized it. He wants power. He doesn’t want the work or risks involved. Perhaps he wants to overhaul Maine completely and undermine our position as a world leader of medicine. I don’t know. I can’t say I try to understand him. I gave up trying to understand his motivations.”
I rarely understood why those I rescued did as they did, but it didn’t matter to me. How they got into their position didn’t change anything for me.
I risked everything on a daily basis to save those who’d gotten caught in nature’s line of fire, and I did so aware of the consequences I might face. It changed nothing for me.
If I was cleared to go back tomorrow, I would.
“His motivations only matter in that it might help figure out the rest of the puzzle,” I said when it became apparent to me the king waited for me speak. “Who, what, when, where, why, and how all matter. If you can figure out one piece of the puzzle, the rest of the pieces might start falling into place.”
“That’s what Weston keeps telling me. He’s the second-in-command of my detail, by the way, so you’ll see him a lot. The head of my detail is on medical leave for a broken foot.”
“A broken foot?”
“He thinks he’s a cowboy, and he finally met a bronco who wasn’t going to put up with his shit. He got a broken foot and some internal injuries to show for it. He’ll be back to work next week. Hopefully, he’ll be a little less eager to play with the wild horses.” The king sighed. “It’s never fun when one of my agents shows up in my clinic because he got himself in trouble. Again.”
I raised a brow. “How often do your agents get in trouble?”
“Too often. It’s like they believe I’ll patch them up after they do something stupid outside of work.” The king checked the syringe, ensured there was no air in the vaccine, and eyed my arm.
“I’d say you shouldn’t see me around often, but I’d be lying. We get check
ed on at the end of every shift.”
“It will be a challenge figuring out how you’ll maintain your career in a safe fashion,” Melody’s father replied before he went to work vaccinating me against the perils of Maine. “And yes, we try not to interfere with the work of our bonded, even when that work is more dangerous than we might like.”
“Like your son’s bond.”
“Precisely. Even without the cancer, he’d still be fighting fires. That’s the price we pay for our talent, and I can’t justify circumventing someone’s life to make my children safe, however much I wish I could lock them in their rooms to keep them safe.”
I’d like to see the king try to lock Melody in her room. “For some reason, I don’t think you’d get away with that for very long.”
“That was a factor in my decision to quietly accept that my children are capable adults.”
Quietly? For some reason, I got the feeling the king had not been quiet about his children growing up on him. Rather than question him on it, I waited for him to finish poking me with various needles, including the dreaded tetanus shot, and thanked him for making sure I stayed in one piece.
I had the unsettling feeling someone in his family would be putting me back together again soon enough.
Assuming, of course, they managed to finish putting me back together due to my magical mishaps aboard their oil tanker. I gave it even odds, and as there wasn’t a damned thing I could do about it, not yet, at least, I’d make the most out of a bad situation.
The initial exam took almost four hours, something my stomach protested with loud gurgles. The king found my suffering amusing, although he did check to make certain dinner would be served at the time of his choosing. As he stood between me and dinner, I cooperated.
The king’s phone pinged, and he checked the device with a grin. “Your steak and lobster will be served in ten minutes, and I have it on good authority I have sorely tested my daughter’s patience—and your kitten’s patience. Apparently, you have charmed your furry child quite well.”
“I’m pretty sure Melody is just saying that.”
“Maine coons are smart. Your Sparrow has been crying ever since you left for your appointment. They can bond to a new human early, and Princess Antoinette does have her family’s animal empathy talent. She likely asked the kitten to take good care of you. A little separation will do Sparrow good, but as I’m a gracious and considerate king, I’ll have a spot for her at the table. Usually, felines are not allowed in the family dining room. We’ve wisely learned to feed them on the other side of the castle at the same time we have dinner to mitigate the begging.”
“Why do I have a feeling the cats actually rule Maine?”
“You’re wise and observant. France, Egypt, and Russia are also ruled by cats, although we royals of Maine are most likely to admit who the true rulers of our kingdom are. My wife and I have eight cats who have taken over our suite and see no need to mingle with mere mortals. We should be grateful they allow us to sleep on our bed.”
“And Melody has five cats.” I shook my head and smiled. “I’m going to have a hell of a time finding an apartment in France that’ll allow a cat.”
“You say that like you really and truly believe my daughter is going to let you escape from her clutches. That said, I’m glad you’ve accepted that your kitten will dictate many of your future life choices.” The king chuckled and tidied the clinic, making a point of checking his phone every now and then. “Being truthful with you, we were finished with the important parts of the examination thirty minutes ago, but the RPS asked for a little extra time to put together a detail for you and call in some off-duty agents. The kitchen helped the RPS, delaying dinner until they were comfortable with the security situation. I’ll admit, most of the heads of detail are currently indulging in anxiety attacks. It’s not every day an entire royal family shows up in need of protection.”
I grimaced. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
“Jack, you and your family have been on the run your entire life. The RPS can handle the staffing issues. Don’t be sorry for any of this. I’ve already put in a request with other kingdoms to help us build a team for you. After dinner, I’ll be discussing with Kevin and my detail the best way to handle our succession issue while protecting you at the same time. I doubt Florida’s royal family will act against you, now that the RPS officially knows of your existence. Those complicit in the murders of your ancestors are all dead or old, so as long as you all opt to lie low and go with the popular belief your family disappeared during a hurricane, things should remain quiet for you.”
I’d known that those responsible for my family going into hiding were dead; while there were plenty of people who had seen the Royal States officially form, it had taken decades following the end of the civil war for the fragmented country to finalize the individual kingdoms.
I could live with us leaving them alone and them leaving us alone.
It wasn’t like any other members of my family had a talent anyone cared about, except for me.
Sighing, I regarded the king with a raised brow. “But who is paying for it? RPS agents aren’t cheap.”
“Maine is taking on the burden of expenses, but Montana has also offered to foot the salaries of several of your agents. I expect your family will be given offers of permanent residencies soon enough. At that point, the kingdom of your residency will be responsible for your detail. Royal families who are not ruling typically pay for their own detail at cost unless they can’t afford it. Your family can’t, for good reason. So, the kingdom of your residency will pay the bills. I expect your family will be adopted by other royal families in short order. Expect offers of marriage within a month.”
My brows shot up at that. “Expect what?”
“Offers of marriage. You’re a single royal talent. Nobody cares if you’re in line to rule or not. Any sane royal family wants you contributing to their bloodline.” The king chuckled. “That’s half the reason right there I was quite happy to marry my wife when I suspected she was bonded to me. I didn’t enjoy being treated like a stud. Some of the princes and monarchs do. I wasn’t one of them. It’s also why I see no need to get all pissy you’re interested in Melody—or that you’re Melody’s type. As far as men go, she could pick worse.”
“That’s a ringing endorsement.”
“Be glad I’ve found you acceptable. I could be testing the various ways to make you miserable enough to leave, otherwise. Also, assuming you’re still awake after dinner, there will be a handgun provided for you this evening. If you’re up for it, you will do your qualifying shoot for your permit. You will train alongside your new RPS agents starting tonight, and you will work with them for a minimum of two hours a day. I would have you go through a full training session, but you’re physically incapable of handling it right now. I am thinking I will require Melody to go through a refresher at the same time. I’m considering having this training take place in Montana.”
“Montana?” I blurted.
“Montana. It would get you and Melody out of the line of fire. I’ll be discussing the issue with Montana’s monarchs late tonight; they’re still in Europe, so I have to wait until they’re awake.”
“They did invite me to visit them in Montana,” I confessed. “At Melody’s suggestion, I tentatively accepted.”
“Melody, despite her beliefs, would make an excellent queen. She has a good feel for diplomacy. I presume she advised you to accept no other offers, and explained why accepting Montana’s offer was wise?”
“Yes. She didn’t prepare me for Sparrow, though. Princess Antoinette just handed her to me out of the blue. I don’t think Melody expected it, either.”
“Antoinette is a sweet woman, and she’s an animal empath. She likely thought you’d match well with little Sparrow. Nobody is going to judge you for accepting the kitten. It’s a rare gift, and you earned your Sparrow. Don’t worry about it.”
“Do I want to know how much Sparrow would have cos
t me if I had tried to buy her?”
“A ridiculous amount. It’s not about the money for France’s royal family and their kittens. They only give their kittens to people they feel are deserving—or they wish to make a breeding arrangement with. Try not to worry about it.”
“I’m going to worry about it,” I muttered.
“Someone in this place can teach you how to be the proper custodian of your kitten. I recommend Melody.”
“I feel like I should write a sign around my neck that claims I’m Melody’s property at this point.”
The king looked me in the eyes and said, “I have a permanent marker and some cardboard boxes. I’m sure I can find some string somewhere.”
What had I gotten myself into? As I refused to go out without a fight, I lifted my wrist and pointed at the suppressor. “Put on one of these I can take off at my whim, and I’ll think about indulging in your insanity, but I’ll require steak and lobster at least once a week.”
“You’re a harsh negotiator. Excellent. You have a deal. Come with me, and I’ll show you how the set works. I’ll even let you experiment with your talent on the condition you use the suppressors if you start to lose control, which is a possibility during a flare. Unlike my paranoid daughter, I don’t have any issues with unleashing a flaring talent in my palace. Talents were meant to be used, and yours wants to stretch its legs. Just try not to flood the place. Palaces are expensive to repair.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Chapter Ten
Instead of the grandeur of France’s castle, the dining room was a small, cozy place with barely room enough for ten people, which I presumed meant would limit how many would be eating with us, as my parents and sisters took over four of the seats. Melody, who sat across from my mother, hopped to her feet and brought a whining Sparrow to me. The kitten quieted the instant I held her.
“I wasn’t abandoning you,” I promised, rubbing Sparrow’s belly to encourage her to seek out revenge on my hand, which she did with a happy purr.
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