Page 11

I waited until they were gone through the trees and then a few moments longer before I rushed to Rebecca’s side, pushing through the barrier with ease.

There she was exactly where I left her. Blood red hair spilled out on the ground around her, her chest moving up and down showing she still slept on.

Now I was back to where I was before. Sit and wait, or try to move us back to the house with my powers?

I didn’t know where this new confidence came from. I didn’t have it before. Maybe it was because of Luke and Blake. The way they made me feel safe, like the queen that was inside of me. Or the fact that I had kept her at bay when she wanted to come forth earlier.

But I felt it down to my toes that I could control my magic and I would, starting with getting Rebecca home safely.

Ignoring the quacking of the ducks, I lifted Rebecca’s sleeping form into my arms, holding her as close to me as possible. Then I drew on my magic, letting it wrap around me and Rebecca in the sparkling purple mist.

It resisted at first and then, with a bit more coaxing, I pulled Rebecca with me, whipping us away from the clearing and across the sky and clouds until we were once again in the home of my unlikely friend.

Rebecca didn’t have servants in her home. At the beginning, I was happy about it. She actually practiced what she claimed to be, a human supporter. However, with her weight pressing me down, I wished for those servants to help me get her to her bed.

Since I didn’t have that, no matter how much I wished for it, I lifted her off my lap and stood. I opened the first door near us, finding a bathroom, then the next until I found a bedroom.

I wasn’t sure if it was hers, but it would work either way.

Looping my arms beneath hers, I dragged Rebecca down the hallway. I grunted and groaned and was covered in sweat by the time I got her into the bedroom. Getting onto the bed was another matter, but I finally did it.

Out of breath, I sank beside the bed and put my head in my hands.

This day did not turn out like I had hoped. Getting some practice in, finding some semblance of control, that was what I had hoped for today.

Now, while I had accomplished what I wanted for the day, not as much as I planned but some of it, I had also gotten closer to Luke and Blake.

My fingers traced my lips, still sore and swollen from their kisses. My body ached and still yearned for their touch. Every part of me wanted to rush back to their arms. To lose myself in them.

A small voice reminded me that it wasn’t safe. I wasn’t safe for them, and I hated it.

I needed to find a way to come to some kind of agreement with the queen. Except the last time I’d tried to get the queen to listen, she’d tried to drown me, us. Would she really prefer death over working with the mages? I didn’t know.

Since it didn’t seem like Rebecca was waking up any time soon, I shoved up to my feet and brushed my hands down my dress, grimacing at the grass stains on the silky material. My legs shifted, reminding me of the sticky mess still coating the inside of my thighs.

My body heated at the reminder of what the twins and I had done. Shaking my head to get the images that were barreling through it out, I found my way back to my bedroom after a few wrong turns.

Tripping my dress off, I stalked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Thankfully, I’d become used to the plumbing in this time, so I wasn’t immediately sprayed with icy water as I stepped into the shower.

The more I tried not to think about what it had been like with Blake and Luke, the more my mind pulled me there. Each swipe of the scrubber down my body found a new spot that they had left their imprint on.

My eyes closed in sweet bliss, wishing I was back there in the clearing with their hands and mouths on me. I didn’t know if the queen spent a lot of time being worshipped by two gorgeous men, but I knew it was now my new favorite thing.

After I finished showering and dressing in a new dress, this one a deep purple with a large slit up the front, showing off my legs with each step.

The gowns Rebecca dressed me in were much different than the sweet summery type dresses the men gave me. Theirs made me look like the damsel they had rescued from the tower, while hers made me feel powerful, like the queen she thought I was.

I found my way back to the bedroom I'd placed Rebecca in. One look at the bed and I could see Rebecca was still out cold. I sighed and walked over to the window, staring out into the garden.

Part of me wondered if I should just go back to the others. They kept telling me that they wanted to help me. That they wanted to keep me safe.

I wanted to be safe. I felt safe with them. It hurt to be so far away from them. To keep them at a distance so my little evil queen didn’t blow them up.

A groan pulled me from my thoughts.

“Rebecca?” I turned and moved to sit on the bed beside her.

Her eyes fluttered open. Her gaze shifted back and forth taking in her surroundings and then found me. “My queen. What happened?”

I leaned closer to her, patting her hand. “You passed out. Exhaustion I think. I brought you back home.”

“This was my sister’s room.” Rebecca grimaced as she tried to sit up.

“You have a sister?”

“Did.” Rebecca shifted until she could sit up against the head of the bed. “She died.”

My lips pursed together. “I’m sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter now.” Rebecca blew out a breath and rubbed a hand over her face. “Did I miss anything?”

“Not much,” I evaded, not willing to tell her about what transpired mere feet away from her with the twins. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get control over my fireballs. I suppose it will have to be for another day.”

“Yes, I suppose so.” Rebecca shifted and I moved out of her way so she could get out of bed. She walked over to where the television sat and clicked it on.

A reporter came on the news standing alongside Adam and Rebecca.

My brows furrowed at the sight. I didn’t completely understand their new inventions. How Rebecca could be here and also on the screen? Luke tried to explain it to me once, but it was all over my head.

What I was interested in was the words they were saying.

“You must be overjoyed with the news of your engagement to the new Arch Mage,” the reporter asked Rebecca with a grin on their face.

Rebecca clung to Adam’s side, her breasts pushed up against his arm while she peered up at him as if she would devour him right then and there. “Oh, you have no idea. I’ve been chasing after Arch Mage Adam for years, and I finally caught him.”

Adam kept a pleasant smile on his face until Rebecca grabbed his face and captured his lips with her own.

Rage boiled inside of me so quickly that I couldn’t catch my breath. A combination of the queen’s rage at seeing the Arch Mage and my own at seeing another person kissing someone that was mine. I shoved up to my feet and strode across the room toward the mage who claimed to be my ally.

“Fucking leeches, always looking for some new gossip,” Rebecca spat, turning from the television toward me.

My hand wrapped around her throat and shoved her against the wall.

“My queen,” Rebecca gasped out, her eyes widening. “Please.”

“You touch what is mine?” I snarled, my hand tightening around her throat with strength I didn’t know I had. “You put your lips on him? You say you want the mages to pay, but what you really want is to be the pretty little arm candy to the new Arch Mage. Admit it.”

I slammed her up against the wall once then twice when she did not answer immediately.

She grabbed at my hands but didn’t use her magic against me, like she should have. Why? I hadn’t trusted her from the moment I saw her, and now she pawed Adam like he was nothing more than something she can fuck, like she has claim to him.

“I’m sorry, my queen. It’s–” She gasped and struggled to get her words out. “It’s all a trick. I promise you. An agreement. Adam knows. I have no interest in him at all. He’s yours.”

“Break it off,” I growled, leaning in close to her face. “Now.”

“I can’t.” Rebecca made a strangled sound as my hand tightened on her throat. “Please, my queen.”

I drew in a breath and my rage, releasing her abruptly. “Speak carefully. I cannot promise what will happen if you don’t.”

Rebecca sagged against the wall, rubbing her throat. “I didn't mean to offend you, my queen. The plan was already in place before I knew of your...” I glared at her. “Affection for Adam. I can’t end it without discussing it with Adam.”

“Fine,” I snapped, my hands clenching and unclenching at my sides. “If you cannot end it, then I will.” Later, I would ponder on how I could do it but, at that moment, without barely an inkling of a thought, my magic wrapped around me and pulled me from Rebecca’s home.

I reappeared in Adam’s empty study.

Our rage still bubbled beneath the surface. I swallowed it down, knowing that if I saw Adam with it so close to bursting forth, I couldn’t be sure that the queen wouldn’t kill him.

With more calm than I knew I had, I stepped around his desk and went behind his desk, sinking into his chair. Papers and books were spread out around the surface, one of those screens the size of a book sat to one side.

I ignored the screen and flipped through one of the books.

Reports of all the humans and their masters in the city. Even longer reports of those humans who had been abused by their masters. Those that had reported the abuse, in any case.

It did seem like he was doing something that was good, at least.

The door to the study twisted open. I threw my feet up onto the edge of his desk and leaned back in his seat waiting for him.

Adam appeared, his face haggard. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, his eyes closed as he sighed.

I didn’t wait for him to find me this time. This wasn’t a friendly meeting. There was no Zane sleeping to keep me quiet. The rage inside of me rolled with the need to cause destruction. I flexed my fingers and breathed out, jerking his gaze to me.

My lips curled up at his wary expression. “Hello, Adam.”