The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

3. Set Up

the worst. No one wanted that part of history to repeat itself.“It looks like they are up to something,” Kai muttered, checking the latest budget. “So, it’s really not the time to piss Gideon off.” Elene pursed her lips. For years she was dying to get at least a fraction of the western king’s attention. And now she suddenly hated him because he dared to find his true mate.“You are not seriously thinking of marrying Savannah!” The princess stood up and slammed her fists over his desk, almost leaving a dent.“God, no!” Kai chuckled. “But we need to play it nicely. Gideon wanted this alliance very much if he was ready for me to have his sister as a wife. You know how many times he rejected my proposals for her.”“As if you’d wanted her!” Elene rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. “I saw her today and, trust me, she is nothing special. I don’t know what all the fuss is about.” The girl polished her well-manicured nails and her brother sighed, placing the budget papers back into the pile. He had already found two mistakes and that meant that he would have to go through them all over again, despite the fact that all he wanted was a hot shower and some sleep.“But she is the least of my troubles thanks to you now,” he reminded her. “Elle, I really did not plan to get married any time soon. And you set me up with this big time.”“Don’t be dramatic!” his sister smiled innocently. “You need a Luna and you know it. But you are not even meeting with anyone suitable. And now this is your chance. Just take a look at these girls and who knows, maybe you will even find your true mate!”“Yeah… sure,” Kai snorted. A mate was the last thing on his agenda. Although his annoying sibling did have a point – he needed a Luna. And a capable one at that. Someone who could lead by his side and take care of things like budget and many other tasks he had no time for. But something told him that this wasn’t the best way to find her. Not to mention that his inner voice, aka his wolf Asgard, was insisting that simply taking a partner who wasn’t their mate was out of the question.“Just give the poor girls a chance!” Elene quirked her brow.“It’s not like I have a choice now, do I?” The northern king did the same. “And all thanks to you.”“No, all thanks to Savannah Stormhold,” the Princess corrected him. “Anyway, if you don’t like anyone, we just fail them all. Trust me on this one, I have prepared tasks that no one will be able to do. But who knows, maybe closer to the end you wouldn’t want to let go of a certain girl.”“Why do I have a feeling that you already have someone in mind?” Kai closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.“No one in particular,” Elene giggled, and this was how he knew that she was lying.“Who?” His voice sounded much lower than usual because he was tired of controlling his emotions now.“A few contenders,” she tried to straighten the creases on her dress.“Who?!” Kai was on the verge of letting Asgard handle all of this for him.“Say what you want, but Penelope would make a great Luna for you!” His sister