Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(80)

Elder Fergus hummed quietly, his voice reassuring. “I’m sure it’s not as bad as what you’re saying.”

My chuckle blurted from my mouth. “Oh yes. It is.”

Elder Kincaid, at the far back, stated in a helpful fashion, “Queen Ruckler had an adjustment period too, when she took over as Prodigy from my son.”

My brows puckered and my footsteps almost faltered.

I hadn’t realized his son had been the original Prodigy—not Queen Ruckler.

“Dominic Kincaid was Queen Ruckler’s mate, and the power moved to her similar to how the power moved to you,” Elder Fergus stated quietly. I quickly glanced back and saw his head was down as he walked, his hands casually in the pockets of his black dress pants. He shrugged a casual shoulder. “In case you were unaware of that fact.”

“Oh.” I peered back to where I was walking. “Thank you. I wasn’t aware.” And it was probably best to keep my mouth shut about who her long-time beau was. “Were your facilities so poor in South America that none of you had a television to watch…or even a radio?”

Elder Nelson grunted. “Too put it bluntly, we’ve been living in squalor for months.”

I hummed quietly.

“The radio…” Elder Fergus hummed calmly. I could feel his attention on the side of my face. “Did something happen on the radio we should be aware of?”

I hoped I spoke too softly for them to understand. “Just a little incident with me and the President.”

Elder Venclaire choked, then he quickly mumbled to the others, “Nothing to worry about. I’m sure it’s all been handled by now.”

“It has,” I muttered on a sigh, running a hand over my face, a bit tired. I stopped in front of the closed, wooden green conference room door. Not glancing back, I explained, “And when you four get to the mud wrestling part on the internet…” I cleared my throat. “Just do me a favor and skip past it. That’s been handled, too.”

Silence behind me.

Elder Kincaid choked as Elder Venclaire had. “Truth.”

“Mud wrestling,” Elder Fergus stated slowly. I saw him staring at me from the corner of my eye, and if I wasn’t mistaken, his voice was a bit hoarse. “As in, women fighting each other, wearing hardly—”

I held up a stopping hand. “Just skip past it.”

More incoherent words from Elder Kincaid. “Did you win?”

My lips twitched. “I now hold the record there for most fights won.”

Elder Nelson chuckled, but the sound quickly cut off with a grunt.

And still I stared at the closed door as the silence extended.

Elder Fergus cleared his throat. “Is this the room we’re meeting in?”

I nodded once. “Yes.” I only eyed the door.

He took a step closer, tilting his head, his green curls dangling. He watched me with a careful gaze. “Is there a reason we’re not going inside?”

“A few.”

“Such as?”

I sighed heavily and crinkled my nose. “I’ve been grounded recently, like a f*cking child, and banished to my room. I’m not particularly interested in being cooped up inside this room for much longer than I already have been.”

Green eyebrows slowly lifted. “Grounded?”

“Yes.” I waved my hand. “For the drunken mud wrestling bit.”

“You were also drunk?”

“Bingo,” I mumbled, staring back to the door. “Caught on film for the whole world to see.” I rubbed at my forehead. “Plus there was the fact the announcer caught me on tape placing an illegal bet.”

Elder Fergus didn’t even blink an eye. “How much did you make?”

My lips lifted. “You’re only the second person to ask me that. It was ten large.” My eyebrows bounced once. “And it’s all mine.”

“Not bad.” He cleared his throat. “And the first person was?”

“Sin.” My lips pinched, and I blinked at the door. I cracked my neck and placed my hand on the doorhandle. “I really don’t want to go in there and see the One.”

His warm hand darted out, landing on mine on the handle. “Has he done something to you?”

“Nothing bad,” I stated instantly, hearing in his tone what most others probably wouldn’t: the sound of a calculated death in the works. “The bad came from the other one, which I’m sure you’ll read in the report King Collins has for you. The real One,” my laugh was cynical, “well, he’s dangerous in a whole other light. And he’s way more intelligent than he’s letting on. He’s also not too happy about my decision to have a break from romantic relationships.” My brows lifted slowly and I glanced from Elder Fergus’s hand over mine to amber eyes. “I’ve sworn off any romantic relationships until I can get my head screwed on straight, after what that bastard did to me.”

Eyes roaming my face, Elder Fergus lifted his hand from mine. “It’s all in the report?”

I snorted, twisting the doorhandle. “All of it, I’m sure.”

I pushed the door open, walking inside the room.





Chapter Twenty-Seven

King Collins stood to introduce the Elders to the spirits…after his eyes had narrowed on the dirt debris remaining on my clothing. He silently cast a glance at my chair, a direct order to sit my ass down. It was probable that in his eyes I was a disaster waiting to happen.