“What the fuck is going on here?” I asked, putting my arm out, dragging Faith back so that her body pressed to my chest, my arm around her waist. She didn’t resist, but Travin and the other guard, the dangerous one, scowled at the move. Faith wasn’t going anywhere without me, and I was a fucking Lord, one of the most powerful, wealthiest males on the planet. They could start answering my fucking questions. “Why are you in my apartment? You cannot think, even for a moment, that I am a traitor to the queen.”
“I can answer that,” a female voice called from the doorway, the distinct tone carried a regal bearing I recognized.
Princess Trinity was here?
In confirmation, her mate, Leo, entered my bedroom first, in a uniform matching the others. Her Royal Highness, Princess Trinity, walked in behind him. No longer in the large blue gown she’d worn to dance with me just days ago, she had donned a soldier’s uniform, and she was livid—if the glare she sent my way was any indication.
“Get your fucking man-paws off my sister, you asshole. How dare you?”
My brain stalled and I tried to process. To understand. To think.
“Leave him out of this, Trin. He didn’t do anything wrong.” That was Faith’s voice. Defending me. And referring to the heir to the throne by a nickname of sorts I’d never heard before.
“The Ardor fried your brains, little sister. Step away from him. He’s a traitor. We’ve found evidence that the Jax family was involved in the plot to kidnap Mother.”
“What?” Faith stepped backward, pressed her body to mine, just for a moment, as if she couldn’t bear to leave me. But then she did the unthinkable. She pulled free of my embrace and walked to her sister.
The princess wrapped her arms around my mate and Faith melted against her as if it was right, as if they were trusted allies. Bonded in love. Family. “I’ll tell you all about it once you’re safe… and away from him.”
Sisters? My mate was Trinity’s sister? A princess?
And here I’d treated her as a servant. Believed her to be common. Been proud of myself for accepting her lower status. I’d been an arrogant prick.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
As one, they turned to face me and my knees threatened to buckle.
They looked nothing alike, the two females. One dark, one light. One with blue eyes one with brown. But there was no denying the straight lines of their shoulders, the noble bearing of the heads, even with Faith wearing nothing but my sheet, and my seed.
Unlike my mate’s, there was no pain in Princess Trinity’s eyes. No torment. Only rage.
“I am not a traitor, Faith. I promise you. This is a mistake.” I held my hands out at my sides, practically begging her to believe me.
Faith blinked away tears, as if this was ripping her in two, as if her heart and body believed me, but her head didn’t. Princess Trinity had no such qualms. “Nix, take him to the palace and lock him up. Nix will get answers out of him. And for Pete’s sake, put some clothes on him.”
I had no idea who Pete was, but he probably wasn’t a nice guy.
“It will be my pleasure, Your Highness.” The tall one, the killer, Nix, bowed to his princess and smiled ruthlessly at me.
Fuck.