A Curse of Shadows

There’s a rumble in his chest as he speaks. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re not going to let me see her? She was my best friend and I know you didn’t like me back then, but you’ve got to be kidding me. Haven’t we moved beyond childish jealousy?”

Schooling my features, I won’t let him see that he’s partially correct. “This has nothing to do with the past and everything to do with the right now. She’s only just got her sister back last night and felt her connection to Grayson?—”

His eyes widen and his face reddens. “Grayson’s returned as well? Fuck, Asher. What else aren’t you telling us?”

Noen takes a step toward me, but Declan is quick to move between the two of us. “Let’s remember who we are. First, Asher is our Alpha King. If he made the decision not to call us back, then we need to trust he did so for good reason.” His stare lands on mine. “But you need to remember that we’re not supposed to be just your royal delegates. You’ve made us believe all these years that we’ve become more than that. Unless you’re ready to tell us that we’re nothing more than your ambassadors, I’d consider your next decisions carefully.”

It’s not often someone questions my judgment as Declan is now. If he were anyone else, I would banish him from the castle, but he’s right. He and Noen have become more than two wolves who work for me. They’ve been by my side for centuries.

“This has been more complicated than I expected,” I state. “And as you can imagine, emotions have been high. I needed time to process Isla not knowing who I am to her or where she’s from. I believe we’ve sorted those things out now, but the situation is still fragile.”

Noen huffs. “Fragile how?”

“She has only remembered a few small moments from her past,” I explain. “Until we know why she disappeared all those years ago, then I’m going to be cautious when it comes to anything to do with my mate.”

“She’s not just your mate, Asher,” Noen points out. “She’s her own person, a daughter, and a friend. If you think you can control whom she sees, then you don’t remember the past very well. Or maybe this woman isn’t who you think she is. Why aren’t you calling her ‘Isobella’?”

He doesn’t trust me with this, just like I didn’t trust him when Isobella disappeared. I’d even considered that he could have taken her from me at one point, but when he never left to go after her, I had to dismiss the idea.

“She doesn’t want to be known by her previous name, so I’m respecting that and I expect you to do the same. Even if you don’t agree,” I say pointedly. “Isla needs more time to adjust. I won’t keep you from her, but I also won’t let you overwhelm her. If she needs space, then she’s going to have it.”

Noen’s shoulders stiffen, and he raises his jaw as if he’s going to challenge me further, but then his eyes cast briefly to the side. “I would never do anything to hurt Isla.”

“I know that, Noen,” I tell him. “Still, I need you to respect that she’s more than my best friend. She’s my mate and I’ve had to live five centuries with a gaping hole in my heart that her absence left.”

Mates have always been a touchy subject for Noen. Whereas Declan prefers his single life, Noen has always wished for someone of his own. He grew up with a father who blamed him for his mother’s death, which left a scar time never healed. I feel for him, but he can’t fill the role of the mate he has yet to find in this lifetime with just anyone else.

Best friends or not, Isla is mine and only mine.

“Understood,” he says, still keeping his gaze averted, a sign of respect and the only reason I say my next words.

“Let’s go see if she’s still awake and you can see her.”

His head snaps up and the anticipation is clear on his face, but he keeps his mouth shut.

Declan nudges me, brows waggling. “Can I come? I’d love to see Estee.”

It’s no secret the two of them hooked up before. Still, I warn him. “Don’t push her, either. While she seems to be remembering more clearly, there are holes. You very well could be one of them.”

He scoffs and grins. “Like she could ever forget me.”

“I guess we’ll find out. She’s sleeping in Isla’s room for now.”

“Cain,” I reach out through mind speak. “Are you back to working the portal or are you still within the castle?”

“I’ll be returning to the portal shortly unless you believe Princess Isla still needs me, my king. Plus, Malimorte said he would take care of anything pressing now that he’s back.”

Of course he did. That’s why he’s my top advisor.

“Very well,” I reply. “I’ll reach out to him.”

Disconnecting the link to Cain, I mentally call for Mali.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Do you know if Isla and Estee are up?” I don’t want to knock on her door and disturb them, when I assume after my evening with Isla that she didn’t get much sleep.

“They both are and they’re enjoying breakfast on the balcony as we speak, my king,” Mali answers. “I brought food to them myself so that I could apologize to Princess Estee for stabbing her with a needle. She was not pleased with me before passing out.”