I’m confident that Kalen didn’t even want to allow me into the room. I imagine the only reason I was allowed is because the King is with Faye and her family.”
Benji.
Jesus, I’d practically forgotten about him. “He hasn’t gotten better, has he?”
Tanner shook his head sadly. “He is…he is lost to us.”
Sadness found its way into my already crowded heart. “They’ll…” What had Caden said? Peace. “They’ll give him peace now?”
He nodded. “Yes. Our King is there in case they have need of him.”
I glanced at the door, wanting to go and find where they were. I wanted to be there for Caden, even if he didn’t have to be the one to end Benji’s young life. That suddenly seemed as important as why I’d asked for Tanner.
“I wouldn’t want to further displease the King,” Tanner said. “What did you want to see me about?”
“Understood.” I drew in a shallow breath, fighting the urge to run off and find Caden. While I’d threatened to do that earlier, even I wasn’t that stupid when there was someone out there actively trying to harm the baby and me. “I want to ask you something, and I hope you’ll be honest. It’s an uncomfortable question.”
Tanner nodded for me to continue.
“Did you tell anyone that I was pregnant?” I asked, watching him closely. A muscle twitched near his right eye. “And I’m not suggesting that I think you told someone thinking they’d do what they did, but I know I told you to do whatever was necessary to make sure Caden chose a fae as his Queen, and I don’t think you would’ve told just anyone because of the panic or risk it could cause. I know you would do anything to protect your Court, and maybe that included telling someone that I was pregnant. Maybe so they’d pursue Caden, knowing that Caden would eventually find out that I was pregnant.”
Tanner stared at me in silence for several heartbeats. “You think I spoke to Tatiana?”
I nodded. That’s exactly what I suspected—that he’d told Tatiana, maybe even her brother. “It would make sense. Tatiana and Sterling already knew what was happening in terms of the engagement. They would have a reason to view the child as a real threat. I don’t want to believe it,” I quickly added as Tanner’s eyes widened. “I honestly think that Tatiana came to me in the beginning out of concern and not to get me to leave Caden. So, I’m not saying this out of jealousy or anything like that. Caden loves me.” Even if he wasn’t quite sure about that now. That thought hurt, but my suspicion wasn’t coming from making the other woman who wasn’t even really the other woman the villain. “It just makes sense.”
Tanner leaned forward. “Tatiana would never do such a thing. Neither would her brother. I know you don’t know them well, and I can even understand why you’d think it was them, but those misdeeds cannot be placed on them.”
“Are you sure? How well do you know them?” I asked.
“I don’t know either extremely well.” Lifting a hand, he dragged it over his head, clasping the back of his neck. “But I know they had nothing to do with this tragedy.”
Tragedy? As if what had happened was due to an unexpected car accident. “You mean attempted murder?”
His silvery skin paled as he tipped back, recoiling from what I’d said. A moment passed. “You’re right. It was attempted murder. I…” He dropped his hand to the arm of the chair. “Caden gave you the Summer Kiss. He did this years ago?”
Caught off guard by the change of topic, it took me a moment. “Yes. When I was injured by Aric and the other fae. It was why I didn’t die then.”
“You are his mortuus,” he said, his voice thickening as his gaze roamed over my face. “You hold a piece of his soul. That makes you a far more worthy choice than any fae that could be presented to him. The entire Court, once they are aware, will not only support his choice but will celebrate such a union. It is rare for one to find their mortuus.”
“That’s what Caden told me.” Emotion clogged my throat, and I couldn’t think about how things were now. “I didn’t know what it meant until yesterday. He hadn’t wanted to overwhelm me. If I knew, I never would’ve tried to hide my pregnancy from him, and I wouldn’t have asked you to do that or to