Page 102 of Queens

Rexton glowers.

“You look like an angry little boy waiting for his mom to pick him up,” I tease.

Rexton rises, and my heart lurches when he winces halfway through. There’s a large bandage on his chest, and it’s already stained red.

“How bad is it?”

He shrugs. “It’s not ideal, but I’ll survive. The spear didn’t hit anything vital.”

A healer approaches from my left. “That’s untrue. Rexton won’t let us examine and bandage his back, so we have no idea of the full extent of the damage. Hence why he’s been prohibited from leaving.”

Rexton looks away. Our bond snaps shut for the first time since forming.

I run my tongue over my teeth.

Aziel’s power fills the tent. He strolls inside with his head held high and his emotions expertly masked. I can tell he’s upset, probably at me. He raised my siblings and me to cherish the mate bond, and I’m sure he’s hurt to learn that I’m not only in a relationship with Rexton, but bonded to him.

I wasn’t intentionally keeping anything from my family. It happened so fast that even I haven’t had time to adjust to it.

“You left so quickly after Raum’s declaration,” Aziel says. “I was eager to see for myself whether or not it was true.” His gaze flickers between Rexton and me. “Rexton.”

Rexton blinks. “Aziel.”

This is awkward.

Aziel clears his throat. “If you’ll excuse me…” He brushes past me, moving toward the small cluster of healers standing off to the side.

I should ask them for an update on the injured. That’s the right thing to do, but I also want to go somewhere private andlook at Rexton’s back. I need to make sure he’s healing properly. I reach for him through the bond, but the wall between us remains firmly in place.

“Go ahead,” Rexton says. “Talk to them. I’ll wait here.”

He begins to plop back into his seat, but I grab his arm before he fully sits. I should be ecstatic that he’s willing to sit here like a child while I handle this. I suspect I know why.

When the demons of Wrath learn I’ve bonded with Rexton, there will be assumptions. They’ll think our bond was a calculated move orchestrated by Rexton, me, and my parents. I’m the next in line to take the throne, but I’m not heavily liked. Rexton has no real claim to my father’s title, but he’s the popular option.

They’ll say our bond was a political move meant to prevent any possible uprisings when I inevitably take over. People will be happy to have Rexton leading beside me, and they just might consider him Wrath’s true leader.

I’m sure Rexton recognizes that, and by so publicly taking a bystander role in this battle, he’s sending a clear message to Wrath. Rexton may be my mate, and he may eventually be king, butI’min charge.

I should let him sit. It benefits me, and it enforces my position as Wrath’s clear leader.

My fingers curl around Rexton’s wrist, and I ignore the pain in my shoulder as I tug him into a standing position.

“Do you understand that you will never outrank me?” I ask. “Despite the royal title that being my mate grants you, I will always be in charge. Wrath ismybirthright, and I’m not sharing it with anybody—not even you.”

The corners of Rexton’s lips twitch. “I understand, Cassia, and as I’ve already told you several times, I have no interest in taking Wrath from you.”

“Good.” I lick my lips. “Then stop belittling yourself for me. I’m not attracted to weak men.”

“Thanks for that, Cassia.”

I shrug, then head toward the healers. Rexton follows.

Our bond remains locked down. I continue pushing at it, urging Rexton to open back up, but he pretends not to notice. I know he notices. There’s no way he doesn’t. I’m not being subtle.

The update with the healers is quick. The most gravely injured Wraths are from the backup unit that Raum brought in. First Unit soldiers are powerful, and they have faster healing than most demons. We lost a few, fewer than fifty, but the others will heal.

In total, the healers have seen almost six hundred soldiers today.