Page 71 of Fated to the Wicked King

I couldn’t imagine anyone else getting away with how the Duchess was treating the Wicked King of Wünder.

Then I saw something I never thought I’d see in a hundred years.

The most powerful tyrant king across all of Wünder tilted his head in a low bow of deep respect. “It is good to see you again, old friend.” He cast a glance to one side. “You too, cat.”

Chez jolted, as stunned as anyone.

My jaw was on the floor.

The Duchess snapped her fan open once more to fan her reddening face. “Oh, golly, my darlings. I think I had better see to the tea before I start tearing up and creating a whole new river.”

“And I walked in there, His Majesty’s face was completely red.” Chez thumped his paw against the table in amusement. “How was I supposed to know he wasn’t done casting his seduction spells and whatnot?”

The Duchess’s peals of laughter erupted in uncontrollable spurts and snorts.

Even the king’s lips were pursed tight in silent bemusement, if a little annoyance.

Looking around the tea table, I couldn’t help my grin.

The bright, playful warmth of old friends slipping back into familiar rhythms was surprisingly rejuvenating. Despite the thin thread of overarching tension at the king’s daunting presence and everything his title carried, it was clear that he, Chez, and the Duchess had all missed each other’s company.

“Allie had slipped something in his wine,” Chez went on. “He was growling and yelling that he was about to die, and that she’d poisoned him, but it was utterly hilarious.”

“In my defense—” I put my hand up. “I had no idea he would be so sensitive to a few, simple herbs.”

The king averted his gaze coolly. “You say herbs. I say poison.”

Chez snickered. “And after all that, we discovered that Allie was impervious to such spells anyway.”

“Oh, I do recall this!” The Duchess piped up. Leaning closer, she casually put a hand on the king’s forearm. “You all dropped in for a quick visit. I was absolutely baffled that our handsome king’s magnetic charms didn’t work on our lovely Allie.”

“Of course, at the time, it didn’t work,” Chez added.

The king’s retort was flat. “It never worked.”

“Well…” The Duchess’s eyebrow rose in suggestion. “Not never.”

My gaze caught the king’s for the briefest moment before we both looked away immediately.

He cleared his throat.

I bit my lip, my cheeks reddening.

This rehashing of the past, catching up over tea and stories, had been a truly welcome reprieve, but this topic was treading on particularly thin ice.

Even if nobody but the four of us were aware that the king’s charms eventually did work on me, I wasn’t willing to explore the story further—let alone its bitter end. Let alone its current, highly awkward present.

Of course, the Duchess needed no encouragement. “What an enchanting story! Anyhoo, I am so glad you two have found each other again,” she cooed, eyes glittering.

Startled, I almost choked on my spit. “Oh, no, no, I can assure you⁠—”

The king spoke over me. “This is a temporary arrangement.”

“Very, very,” I added with a dismissive wave. “Very temporary.”

“Hmm.” The Duchess narrowed her eyes and took a sip of tea, clearly not believing a single word. “I suppose,” she mused. “To have managed to dismiss such things as the past, here we thought you’d forgotten all about us.”

The king merely narrowed his eyes at her.