"What did he say?" Cedric prompted.
Her eyes dulled with long entrenched bitterness.
"He said nothing." She pursed her lips. "His only response was sending a carriage to take me back to his kingdom."
Cedric blinked.
Sibyl looked away, her hands wringing in despair.
"The entourage that he sent told me I had to return with them to the kingdom of Betaluse to be his Fifth Consort."
Sibyl turned back with bitter eyes. "Fifth Consort! Do I look like a Fifth Consort to you?"
Cedric again said nothing. As someone whose mother was also a Royal Consort, he did not see anything that was so terrible about that, but it must have been unacceptable to Sibyl at that time.
She pursed her lips. "I was a High Seer of a powerful coven. My destiny would be to become the High Priestess, and he was about to consign to me the role of his lowest-level Consort."
"So what did you do?"
"I told him it was unacceptable and refused his carriage. He sent word back that regardless of whether I accepted or not, the child inside my body was also his and I needed to return to Betaluse to ensure that my childbirth experience would be safe and pain-free."
"Let me guess," Cedric gave her a sympathetic look. "You turned him down."
Sibyl shook her head. "I didn't even do that. I completely ignored him. In response, he sent more people to try to convince me to return to his kingdom."
Cedric winced. That was probably the worst thing King Jero could have done.
This was something that had to be done in person. Sibyl was not someone who would go willingly with some attendants into a situation that would seem as if she was thrown into a 'last place' position within King Jared's harem.
"He connected with me mentally and told me that if I didn't go with them, he was going to send people every week until I got tired of seeing them."
She grimaced. "In desperation, I escaped to Earth realm and hid away with my attendants until I finally gave birth to my firstborn child."
"Wait a moment," Cedric raised a hand to stop her stream of words. "You and he mentally communicated?"
Sibyl sighed. "During our first time being together, he marked me and claimed me as his mate. We've had a mental link ever since. I just ignore him when he tries to contact me mentally."
Cedric blinked.
"You were marked? But he has five wives. How is that possible?"
Sibyl shrugged. "I have no idea. I never asked him for any details."
Cedric frowned.
He wasn't sure how King Jaro was able to have more than one marked Mate. He had never tried to mark anyone other than Talia so he had always assumed that there could only be one marked mate.
Perhaps King Jaro knew of a way that would allow a werewolf to have more than one Mate…not that Cedric wanted anyone other than Talia.
"I did not know he was a werewolf."
"He's not. He is a werelion."
Cedric whistled with appreciation. Maybe that was the difference.
Maybe werelions could have more than one Mate.
"Is that right. So you and King Jaro are a mated pair."
"Yes."
Cedric scratched his jaw.
"I don't understand. If you two are Mates—"
"We're not married."
"But you are Mates." Cedric reiterated.
Sibyl looked at him as if he was mentally slow.
"He's got a wife and four consorts. I'm not part of his harem."
Cedric stared at Sibyl, unable to say anything. This felt familiar to him. She, like Talia, did not grasp the enormity of what a Mate was.
"I need for both of you to come to some agreement. Talia is my wife. Since King Jero has claimed her as his daughter, I need complete acknowledgement from the both of you."
"I will never talk to him." Sibyl hissed.
"You must. I will introduce Talia as Queen of Faria very soon. There must not be a hint of illegitimacy that touches her."
Sibyl's nostrils flared but she did not dispute his statement. As Queen of Faria, Talia could not be considered an illegitimate child.
Although Cedric had no issues with Talia's illegitimacy, the truth was, the entire kingdom would look upon her with unfavored eyes. This was not something Sibyl wanted for her daughter.
"Hubert." Cedric called out, as if sensing her acceptance of what he needed done, begrudging though she may be.
Within seconds, his personal attendant appeared by his side.
"Yes Sir."
"Coordinate a mutually convenient time for all of us to meet King Jero here at the palace."
"Yes Sir."
"Might I also give a suggestion, Sir." Hubert spoke in a demure fashion.
"Of course."
"Sir, it has been almost three weeks since you have returned to Faria."
"And?"
"Well Sir, there has been no word as to who your mate is and what position she occupies within the kingdom. King Jero's confusion is completely understandable."
Cedric sighed. "What do we have to do to clear up the confusion?"
Hubert blinked. Was this a trick question?
"Sir, the best thing to do is to throw a very large and showy wedding, and introduce her to your subjects as Queen Talia."
Cedric nodded. This was something he had been wanting to do anyway.
It had just been one minor emergency after another that had kept him so insanely busy that he did not even have a moment to breathe.
He needed help.
"Send a request to my mother to join me within the hour. Tell her I need her help."
"Yes Sir." Hubert went off to do his bidding.
It was as if Athena was waiting for Cedric to call her because it did not take an hour for Cedric's mother to arrive. It took a mere ten minutes.
"Cedric." Athena called from the doorway.
"Mother." Cedric strode to the doorway and gave her a brief hug. "I'm glad you're here. Please have a seat."
He indicated at the vacant upholstered chair in front of his work table.
Athena approached the table and smiled as she saw Sibyl sitting there.
"Fancy seeing you here." She slid into the seat and reached out to clasp Sibyl's hand.
Sibyl laughed. "It's been awhile, Athena. We seem to be drawn towards the same fate no matter how much we fight against it."
"Isn't it amazing how this has come full circle?" Athena chuckled. "It has all unfolded just as it was foretold to us a long time ago."
Athena turned to Cedric. "I got word from Hubert that you wanted to speak with me. Is there a problem, Son?"
"Not so much a problem as it is an oversight on my part." He grimaced. "I've been so busy that I have neglected to do a very important thing."
"And that is?" Sibyl prompted.
Cedric heaved a sigh. "I have failed to introduce my bride to the kingdom. No one knows she is the Queen of Faria but the people living within the palace."
"I am asking both of you here to help me plan a wedding."
Athena and Sibyl smiled at each other.
"I want for it to be a grand wedding, something that Talia deserves, but I am not sure how to—"
Athena stood up and waved a delicate hand.
"Leave it to us."
Sibyl rose at the same time.
"I'll call my daughter and we will get everything organized. The wedding must happen soon. If we wait too long, my daughter will not be able to fit into the wedding dress."
"She's with child?" Athena turned large amber eyes at Sibyl.
"I believe so. You can verify if you wish." She took hold of Athena's arm and the two began walking towards the doorway.
"It's been awhile, Sibyl." Athena said with some hesitancy. "I don't know if I will be able to utilize my abilities."
"You know the gift never goes away."
"Still. I'll be needing your help…"
"Just say the word."
Athena smiled with anticipation.
"I most definitely want to meet her. Let's go pay a special visit to my new daughter-in-law." She gave Sibyl a curious eye.
"Does she also have…the gift?"
"Very strong. Very powerful." Sibyl's head lifted with pride. "She only needs to be trained."
"Oh?" Athena smiled. "Interesting. Is she getting the training she needs?"
Sibyl nodded. "I am training her at the moment."
Cedric stood there watching the two women banter back and forth as they left the room.
He was not quite sure exactly what they were talking about but his mind was set at ease. With those two involved in the wedding arrangements, it would be a spectacular affair!