MATES

T H I R T Y - F O U R

Rose 

"Is there a particular reason why you summoned us this early?" I glared at the Queen, who sipped her tea contently from the comfort of her throne. 

"There is." she wiped her mouth daintily on a silk napkin. 

She said nothing more and I let out a noise of exasperation "Care to share?"

She nodded to the two chairs opposite of her "Join me for breakfast first." 

"I just ate" I lied, not wanting to be in her presence more than I had to "So, you can begin." 

The Queen looked passively at me, not breaking eye contact until Greyson stepped into her line of sight. 

"The faster we sit down" He murmured softly in my ear "The faster we can go back to bed." 

I scowled and he pulled out my chair, grinning when he saw my face. 

"I hate it when you're right." 

He winked at me and my smile cracked a bit. 

The Queen cleared her throat and the scowled slide right back onto my face. 

"We're sitting" I said sarcastically "Care to begin now?" 

She nodded, not catching (or choosing to ignore) my tone. 

"In two weeks time," she began "You will begin you Royal duties as the newly crowned Fae Princess." 

My eyes widened and my mouth gaped open "What?" 

She started to repeat herself but I stopped her. 

"I heard what you said" I snapped "But I don't understand why you're crowning me Princess after we agreed to me staying only for a few days. You know, the one where you promised to send us home after I listened to whatever you had to say!" 

"I know what I said" She took a sip of her tea "But I cannot do anything until you have proven yourself as the true Fae heir." 

I stood up so fast, that my chair knocked back into the floor "That wasn't our agreement!" 

She gave me a dainty shrug "You should have specified your terms more before making a deal with the Queen of Faes." 

"You no good piece of -" Grey clapped his hand around my mouth before I could finish spewing my curses. 

"I think it's best if we reconvene at a different time" Grey said softly, holding me close to his body "Because she won't listen to whatever you have to say after you just dropped that bomb."