Page 56

“Back up,” I barked, shocked at the boldness in my voice.

This only elicited a short burst of laughter from the fae and his posse.

“Malachi won’t like hearing about this,” I added. I hated that I had to resort to Malachi as a threat, but I’ll be damned if I was going to let anyone mess with my sister. I would set my pride aside for this.

But the fae didn’t even blink. “It doesn’t look like your big, bad husband is anywhere in sight, now does it?” he asked.

Another step forward.

My blood was hot in my veins, beating loud in my ears.

I couldn’t use my magic. Not now. Not with Tessa so close. If I hurt her…

And that was if I was even capable of wielding it right now with so much pressure.

If I lost control, I could kill us all.

“Do we have a problem here?” another voice asked from the tree line. I snapped my attention to the figure who stepped into the light.

Adonis.

I could have dropped to the ground with relief.

The fae in front of me backed up immediately, as did the few behind him.

“No problem,” he lied. “We were just introducing ourselves to our queen. That’s all.”

Adonis eyed me, and I watched as his eyes flickered quickly to the tight grip I had on Tessa.

“Right,” Adonis sneered, stepping forward. He seemed as calm as ever, arms lazily crossed behind his back and shoulders relaxed. “And I’m sure my brother won’t appreciate hearing about this, either.”

The fae mumbled a slur of words I couldn’t understand.

Adonis took another step forward. “If you approach her again, it won’t be me you answer to. Understand?”

“Bastard,” one of the fae in the back of the group mumbled.

I tightened my grip on Tessa once more.

Adonis only laughed, low and cruel, before drawing the sword from his belt.

Tessa squealed behind me.

“Care to say that to my face?” Adonis asked.

“Five against one?” the fae in front started. “Your odds are low, Adonis. We meant no trouble.”

Bullshit.

“I’ll take those odds,” Adonis sneered, pulling his sword into position between them.

My heart raced in my chest. I knew what I needed to do. I was the queen. I was the peacemaker. I was powerful.

I was no longer the helpless girl begging for her life.

No, I would never be that girl again.

I felt the rush of power in my body, the same way I had felt it in the dungeon with Esther. The same way I had felt it at the tithe.