Huntress

by Susan Copperfield

  “I did not!”

  “You did,” His Royal Majesty of Montana replied. “He’s telling the truth, which is disturbing enough I’ll call Dr. Hampford and make arrangements tonight. Agent Scarson had mentioned it was bad, but I seem to have underestimated how bad.”

  I smirked. “Your turn.”

  “I’m hunting you a few extra times for that.”

  “You get that snore looked at, and talent allowing, you can hunt this beast to your heart’s content.”

  “And what of the man?” she countered.

  Was she kidding? I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Easy prey for you.”

  “Hardly. You’re slippery. Whenever I take my eyes off you, something bad happens or you wander off. Troublesome man, troublesome beast. I’ll enjoy my spring hunts every year.”

  “Are you going to shoot me with your bow again? This determines how much effort I put into escaping. That hurt, for the record.”

  “You’ll be tranquilized, posed for my entertainment, and photographed.”

  “I’m not sure which is worse,” I admitted.

  “You’re beautiful prey. I’ll enjoy every minute of it.”

  Montana’s king cleared his throat. “Please don’t kill him, Evangeline, however tempting.”

  “I can’t hunt him at my leisure if I kill him.”

  Geoff snickered. “I’ve heard this before. Mackenzie’s the same way. It’s hopeless. Agent Evangeline obviously lives in a different world than ours, thus we’ll never have any hope of understanding her.”

  Montana’s king sighed and shook his head. “As I’m sure you’ll learn soon enough, Prince Kelvin, that’s what makes her perfect for you. I’ve learned it’s best to accept the inevitable. Who am I to judge a man willing to toss his kingdom to the curb to protect the woman he loves? I can’t talk. I meddled with Texas’s affairs for the first ten years of my daughter’s life to protect my queen and child. It’s not a stretch. Every king has his limit, and Illinois has discovered yours. At least Illinois won’t have to guess at your queen’s limit. I’m sure the whole world will know when she’s getting ready to snap.”

  “Loudly and punctuated with profanities,” I confirmed.

  “Best fucking job ever,” my future wife muttered under her breath, and I laughed.

  Montana’s queen didn’t look pregnant to me, but when we arrived at the castle, she intercepted our car before Geoff managed to park, tugged on the door nearest Eva until Geoff unlocked it, and snagged Eva by the elbow. She barked a few orders, and everyone made way.

  Eva squeaked, and I added startling her to my list of things to do often.

  “I’m sorry,” Montana’s king mumbled, sliding out of the SUV. “Next week, she’ll start running.”

  “Pardon?”

  “She’s seven weeks pregnant. At eight weeks, she develops an overactive flight instinct. I’m hoping I won’t have to climb too many trees this time. I’ve been informed Evangeline was considering taking over Montana so she could have a horse?”

  “Unfortunately. World domination is on her radar for some reason. I still haven’t figured out why.”

  “I have an older school horse, even-tempered, that might work for her. Consider it a present to put a temporary stay on her world domination plans. The mare has been on fox, boar, and deer hunts, and she enjoys trail rides. I expect your Evangeline doesn’t know how to ride, but this mare will be a good teacher for her.”

  “I don’t know how to ride, either,” I confessed.

  “Then it’s a good thing I picked a mare for you, too. Riding is good physical therapy. I’ll send a trainer through Dr. Hampford to give you both instructions on how to ride. By spring, Evangeline should be ready to hunt your family on horseback.”

  “Put it in the contract for my reinstatement as heir. Don’t all those horse people have two each? In case one’s sick or tired?”

  Montana’s king chuckled. “I can make arrangements to sell a second horse to you both, good animals that’ll make your parents weep when the bill arrives. While Mackenzie helps Evangeline, let’s handle as much of the paperwork as we can. I’ve been informed an unwanted party is aware of your interest in Evangeline, so I need to hear your side of the story.”

  “It’s pretty simple. I dated Gail for five years when she decided to cheat on me at a party at the castle. In my bed. As I don’t cheat and have no interest in marrying a known cheater, I quietly broke off our relationship, under the excuse of irreconcilable differences. She broke off her recent engagement and showed up at Great-Grandpa’s place trying to ‘repair’ our relationship. Not happening.”

  “If she should talk?”

  “I’ll take the truth public, and she’s aware I will. I told her that myself.”

  “That will create a scandal.”

  I snorted. “Hardly. The only scandal will be she was brazen enough to cheat on me in my damned bed. I’ve never cheated on a woman in my life. I haven’t even been with anyone since Gail. All things I’m willing to have verified.”

  “But you’ve attended the auctions.”

  Sighing, I shook my head. “I bid on women who didn’t want to be treated like whores and took them out to dinner. Sometimes dancing. They went home without being treated like a whore.”

  “Your reputation is thus one thing, reality another. And those women you bid on at the auction ultimately had a great time because you treated them well.”

  “Exactly.”

  “All right. I can work with this. I’ll phrase the reinstatement documentations to link to your public marriage ceremony with the woman of your choice, and I’ll set the date to two days before the spring, as Evangeline requested. That’s a little short on time for planning anything elaborate, which should work well for you. You don’t seem like the elaborate type.”

  “I’m totally the elaborate type, and I might need your help teaching Eva to ride in a wedding dress. She likes horses, and since she doesn’t like her family, she can ride down the aisle if that’ll make her happy.”

  “I’m not sure if I’m impressed or worried. I can train her horse here and have Mackenzie and Mireya help. Mackenzie is a terrible rider, so if she can stray astride, your bride should be fine.”

  My eyes widened. “While she’s pregnant?”

  “I have a tendency to hover. She’ll stop riding at five or six months at doctor’s orders, but in the meantime, she’ll enjoy helping. If you trust me with the arrangements, I’ll pick the horses.”

  “Please do.”

  “Expect to be riding as well, as only one of you riding will look strange.”

  “My parents’ wallets are already regretting this. Excellent. I’ll leave it in your hands.”

  “With that out of the way, onto the next item.” Montana’s king gestured towards the front doors of the castle, and he redirected his attention to Meredith. “Agent Scarson, if you’d accompany Evangeline, I’m certain I can keep an eye on your ward. He’ll be plenty safe in my office while the ladies are preparing.”

  Meredith chuckled, nodded, and hurried into the castle.

  “She’s been here enough times she’ll be able to find them with no issues. Anyway, for the paperwork issue. You’re lucky. I’ve already drawn up a tentative proposal, and I only need to add a few amendments to make it work for what you need.”

  “Am I that predictable?”

  “Not really. Your agent’s just a sensible woman who suggested that I pretend I was you and plan accordingly. It seems we’re birds of a feather when it comes to our ladies.”

  “No matter what Eva says, I don’t want your job.”

  He laughed. “And there goes my hope of an early retirement. Oh well.”

  It took us two hours to finalize the paperwork, which I signed before I double guessed myself into changing my mind. My parents and the congress still needed to sign to confirm everything, but I expected they’d do so without debate. Their signatures would ensure they kept me as heir.

  Thanks to Montana sealing
the marriage license we’d be signing soon enough, they wouldn’t know I’d already secured my Her Highness. They’d believe I would be securing one in the near future. A Her Highness meant the direct line would continue, the one thing the congress and my parents wanted above all else. Everyone walked away happy with the arrangement. There’d still be uncertainty, but it’d be tolerable.

  I gambled on Eva, but even if my illness lingered and my talent remained rogue, I was determined to be happy with my choice. All I could do was pray I hadn’t made the biggest mistake of my life. Prayer wouldn’t help. It never did.

  But if my talent continued to gnaw away at my bones and destroy my immune system, I’d go out content I’d chosen my own fate, even if I’d made a mistake in my choice of woman.

  No, I couldn’t think of Eva as a mistake. No one understood how my family’s talent worked, not anymore.

  No one had ever figured out the specifics of why our line needed the perfect woman so badly. Knowledge wouldn’t help much, either. An anonymous donor had given me extra years, but I remembered Dr. Hampford’s warning: it wouldn’t last forever.

  The spring would confirm if Eva was the one for me, and if she wasn’t, I’d make the most of my time left with her.

  It was the only choice I had.

  Montana’s king evened the thick stack of papers before packing them into an envelope for certified copying and distribution. “All right, Kelvin. I’ve received a text claiming Mackenzie is finally satisfied with her efforts.”

  I doubted I’d ever get used to being on a first-name basis with Montana’s king. William. He preferred Will. In a conspiratorial whisper, he told me I could call him Dylan if I wanted, too. Birds of a feather needed to flock together, and he had a feeling we’d be seeking each other out to escape our wives for a while.

  Strong women made wise men go into hiding when they rampaged.

  “William, when you married, how much disapproval did you face?”

  “About Mackenzie? Very little. She’s lucky; her talent’s so rare no one dares to criticize her ability. People are more concerned about my talent. If mine blends with hers, our children will be, well, terrifying. It’s a lot like your family’s talent. Rarity gives you rank, not strength.”

  “An extra-long lifespan helps with that.”

  “Indeed. The desire for eternal life does influence things.”

  “But it comes at a price.” I’d been paying it since I’d turned fifteen without knowing it.

  “So we’ve seen. Don’t worry so much. You’re liked across the board. You’re fair to a fault, and you’re so honest it disgusts people. The Royal States, as a whole, doesn’t want to see an economic powerhouse like Illinois fall into disarray because of a poor monarch.”

  “And my cousin isn’t making the cut.”

  William sighed. “No, he’s not. He might learn over time, but he doesn’t have your knack for ruling. He also lacks your charisma. Your father learned, but he was never as well-suited for it as you are.”

  “He’s a cat. He’d rather sun himself, annoy me, and nap.”

  “Insist on a few years to enjoy married life before he steps down and joins the rest of the royal freeloaders plaguing your palace.”

  A plague of royals certainly applied in my family, although most weren’t freeloaders. After ruling a kingdom, boredom set in, so most of my family found something to do. That something typically involved making money.

  I needed to figure out how to get the royal freeloaders to spend more time at their homes rather than plaguing the castle all the time. “Good idea.”

  “I certainly thought so. I expect Mackenzie has given Evangeline a rundown of what it’s like going from nothing to a queen. Honestly, I think your bride will have an easier time adapting.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “Evangeline has accomplished a great deal she takes pride in. Mackenzie was so terrified of losing our daughter she never was able to see how incredible she is. She still doesn’t see it. One day I’ll convince her. Until then, I try to reinforce when she’s done yet another amazing thing. I haven’t had much luck in that department, but I’m going to have spoiled children with complexes. Julia’s already trying to please everybody.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  “I’ll need it. Come on, then. Let’s go find out if Mackenzie has scared your bride off yet.”

  “If you’re trying to worry me, it’s working.”

  “You’re invested. I’d bet my crown you’re a leech. You act like one. Add in her viciousness regarding you, she’s likely one, too. Leeches are becoming more and more common. The talent likes to develop in those who want loyalty and avoids those with a wandering gaze. It sometimes surprises me Mackenzie isn’t a leech. Hell, with her talent, it surprises me we were able to bond at all.”

  It seemed obvious enough to me. “Maybe that’s why you could bond with her. Her talent only needed to make way for yours. Yours handled the rest. Both in the pair need not have the talent, right? North Dakota’s queen isn’t a leech.”

  “No, she’s not. It’s entirely possible. I suspect Mackenzie, had she had the leeching talent, would’ve latched onto me the instant she’d found out about her pregnancy if it’d been an option. Then again, I’d already bonded us together by that point, she just didn’t know it. She’d gotten a hold of me from the day we’d met. She doesn’t believe that, either.”

  “Why wasn’t it an option, really? I’ve heard rumors, but I try not to believe in everything I hear.”

  “The official reason is the real one. I wanted her to have a chance to change the world. She did. A lot of broken families have been reunited. Null rights still have a long way to go, but the castes are shifting. By the time the dust settles, I expect history will repeat itself. Civil wars will become more common as the lower castes fight for equality. Royalty will be forced to use their talents to restore order. When magic flooded the world, anarchy ruled for an entire generation. Civil war tore people apart. Montana fought to end the conflict without adding to the bloodshed, though that proved a miserable failure. Ultimately, my family’s talent was used to crush the rebellion and stop the murders at the price of free will. For a time. Long enough to send the various armies home so the kingdoms could establish themselves. Montana had ultimately proposed the caste system to appease the greedy and offer some hope to those who lacked magic. I like to believe he had good intentions, but one simple truth remained: he was named the Monster of Montana for a reason. I hope change is better this time. I don’t see the monarchies fading back to democracies or republics or democratic republics. Too many fear war, and for all its flaws, our system is working.”

  “Wars happen. Look at North Dakota.”

  “When a war is counted in days and the bloodshed is minimal, everyone walks away happy. Wars just haven’t happened on the scale they used to. If all the kingdoms ganged together to wage war against the rest of the world, the Royal States would be feared. No, it’s better this way. Kingdom versus kingdom squabbles are far better than the alternative. I think we’ve worried about this enough for one day, though. Let’s concentrate on something more pleasant. There’ll be time enough to debate how the Royal States might collapse in on itself. Let’s not keep the ladies waiting.”

  I’d fallen for Eva in leather, loved her in jeans, admired her in a suit, but the sight of her in a pale blue, floor-length dress with her hair piled on her head in perfect curls ruined me. Beauty and strength waged a vicious war, neither bowing to the other. In the end, she balanced both the same way a sword became a masterpiece of lethal art.

  She stood with Montana’s queen and fidgeted while I stared.

  William saved me, buying me time with a bright smile. “How many did you enslave to work your magic this time?”

  “You’re awful,” the queen complained. “If you must know, Geoff helped, thank you very much.” Mackenzie’s attention drifted to me, and her smile was brighter than her king’s. “You’re looking better, Princ
e Kelvin. The few pictures in the news were concerning.”

  “Your Majesty.”

  “Yuck. Mackenzie, please. If I could bar titles in my house, I would.”

  William winked at me. “It took me over a year to convince her the castle really is her house.”

  “Dylan!” his queen wailed.

  Eva cocked her head to the side, and I marveled how her curls stayed contained without the artistic wonder collapsing or becoming tangled in some horrific fashion. “Dylan?”

  “My middle name. She saves it for when I’m being particularly heinous. I’m sure you’ll find your own special way of expression your frustrations with Kelvin soon enough.”

  “I think she’s covered there,” I muttered.

  With a roll of her eyes, Eva planted her hands on her hips. “You’re both nutters.”

  “Is Carlos here yet, Mackenzie?”

  “Armed with the paperwork we need, vital records, and all that extra crap you royals think is necessary.”

  William sighed. “Mackenzie, darling, you’re a royal, too.”

  “That’s your fault, and I curse you every morning for it. You could retire.”

  “What part of your duties has you annoyed this week?”

  The queen deflated, and she pouted at her husband.

  No wonder the Royal States loved gossiping about the pair; if I had to point out a couple who obviously loved each other while dancing the oddest line of conflict I’d seen in my life, I’d pick them.

  “I have to go to New York next week.”

  “I do, too. We’ve both agreed this is not our favorite task in the world.”

  “My parents sent another letter this morning.”

  With a pained groan, William bowed his head. “They found out you’re pregnant again?”

  “Yep.”

  “Give me the worst news first, please.”

  “They want to meet the girls and us. During our visit. Next week.”

  Eva eased away from Mackenzie and stepped to my side to whisper in my ear, “She’s terrifying. She told me I’d be wearing the heels or I’d be relocated and required to babysit for a year. Geoff looked really worried, which led me to believe she’d do it.”