“I want to start this meeting by stating unequivocally that I will not be reclaiming the throne,” Frederick began, shocking Mitch with his words. “Mitchell Gustavson won the seat of power by right of challenge and I have seen with my own eyes that he carries the Goddess’s favor. I followed Her direction when I went into exile all those years ago. I follow Her still.” Frederick looked directly at Mitch and his blue eyes were sparkling with emotion. “You have served Her well, Mitch, and you are the rightful king of our people now. Candis and I have discussed this at length. It’s time for you and Gina to rule. We will support you in any way we can, but our time on the obsidian thrones is over. Let this be a new start for our people. And may the Mother of All continue to bless your path.”
Silence reigned and Mitch felt at sea for a moment. He hadn’t expected this. He’d been fully prepared to turn over what little authority he’d gained since the battle to Frederick…and now this. Mitch was stunned.
“Sire, I…” Mitch had to clear his throat before continuing. He wasn’t sure what to say. “I’ve never imagined I would rule. I am a simple soldier. A Royal Guard. I serve. It’s what I’ve trained my entire life to do. I don’t know the first thing about ruling.”
“And yet you are a leader of men. An Alpha all other Alphas look up to. You have served the monarchs among the big-cat shifter Clans. It is time you came home to your rightful place. Time you served the tiger Clan in our time of need. You alone have the mandate of the Goddess, Mitch. And you have proven able to call on the sacred mountain as it was of old. I’ve heard about your battle in detail. All our people know that you are one with the Grim. You are the leader they will follow. You are the leader I place my faith in, now and for the rest of my days. Whether you like it or not—whether you are prepared or not—this is your time.”
The weight of Frederick’s words hung heavily in the air and on Mitch’s shoulders. He was at a loss. But some of the things Frederick had said rang true in his heart. Mitch had read accounts of the kings of old in the histories of their people. It was often said they could command both fire and ice. Mitch had done that by being one with the mountain. He still didn’t quite know how, but he’d done it easily during the battle with Gisli. It had felt natural.
In the history books Frederick had asked him to read, that was one of the main signs of kingship among the tigers of old. And it had happened to Mitch. For the first time in centuries, a Tig’Ra could tap into the full power and magic of the Grim. He couldn’t deny it. If he thought about it, the mountain was there now…in the back of his mind…an ever-present well of ancient energy just waiting for him. It welcomed him. It was eager to serve.
As Mitch had served all his life. His had been a life of service. He’d honed his Alpha tendencies in a specific direction. As an orphan with no family of his own, he’d chosen to serve the monarchs of their kind. It had been his life’s work.
Maybe… Mitch paused, allowing a few moments for his thoughts to process before he responded to Frederick’s words. Maybe his old life had ended that day. Maybe, with Gina’s help, he had been reborn into this new existence where his chosen role of protector and servant had expanded to include the entire tiger Clan rather than just a few monarchs of other big-cat shifter Clans. It made a lovely sort of sense if he was willing to accept it.
He realized belatedly that he really had no other choice. He could not argue with the vision the Mother of All had granted him at the stone circle any more than he could argue with Her allowing him to feel her presence in the Grim, in her guise as Gaia, Mother Earth. He could not argue that She had taken a very personal interest in him for some unfathomable reason, and he had no choice but to accept and serve Her, as he had always tried to do. It was his nature, and his personal honor demanded he do no less.
“Although I never thought to rule, I will accept the role.” Mitch reached for Gina’s hand. “But I want it made clear from the start that I serve the Clan, not the other way around. I will not repeat Gisli’s mistakes. The good of the Clan comes before my own. I promise to do all in my power to restore the peace and prosperity we once knew, and heal the schism that has kept us scattered and apart for all these years.” Mitch looked around at everyone, judging their responses by the expressions on their eager faces. There was a sense of joy in the room that could not be faked, and he could read approval in almost every gaze. He’d said the right thing. Thank the Lady. “And I don’t intend to spend all my time up here in Iceland. I’m sorry, but the world has changed and our business interests are all over the place. I think we’re going to have to form a secondary headquarters closer to where the action is. Maybe London, New York or Los Angeles. Maybe elsewhere. Maybe it’ll be a more mobile presence, but if we’re going to rebuild our finances, we need to be more agile.”