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I ignore the dizziness and sip some water as I look around.

We are all worse for wear, all lost people.

“Well, that was a shitshow,” I start, making them all laugh as I smile.

“But we won, and that’s what counts. They won’t be fucking with us again in the near future, but now we have some hard decisions to make.

I want to meet you all at The Ring in a few days, once you have had a chance to mourn and celebrate with your people.

Tonight, we will be having a feast to honour our warriors.

You are all welcome to stay or leave. Thank you for fighting at my side. ”

Nan pulls a bottle from her shirt and takes a sip, winking at me.

“I already started celebrating, lass.” She passes it to me, and with a laugh, I take a swig before handing it to Dray.

He leans down and kisses my hand before taking the bottle and, eyes on me, places his lips around the rim and drains some, his throat working.

I shake my head of my dirty thoughts and clear my throat, looking around again.

“I will meet with the new Cities leader I put in place, and make sure they respect our boundaries. I also have some ideas on how to strengthen our people, but it can wait for now. We are all tired and hungry and need some time to process what happened.”

“Those who no longer walk with us will wait for us as angels. We have fulfilled the great prophecy,” Priest intones, making me blink.

Piper shifts closer. “Does he always talk like that?”

Leaning into her, I conceal my mouth with my hand. “Always, but he’s a scary motherfucker, don’t cross him.” I smile at him. “Great. ”

Dray grabs my legs and places them on his lap so I’m spread out between them. It’s not very dignified, but when he starts massaging my calves, I can’t find the energy to care. “Shall we say three days and meet at The Ring?”

“Make it four, lass, ya need to heal.” Nan looks at my bleeding wound pointedly, the bandages more red than white at this point. Doc is going to flip.

“Fuck, fine, four days. Now…how many did you each lose?” I ask. It’s a hard question, but I need to know.

“Forty of my angels.” Priest sighs. “Good believers, our church won’t be the same.”

“Around fifty or so,” Jon adds, swigging the bottle. Nan plucks it from his fingers and downs the rest while we watch, wiping her mouth on her hand and letting out a loud burp.

“Too fucking many, but it was all worth it, girlie. Now, stop stressing. Ya don’t need to act all queenie today, we won.

Fucking celebrate! Screw your harem of men and drink too much.

Tomorrow, ya can go back to never letting ya hair down.

” She pulls another bottle and tosses it to me.

Drax catches it on my behalf as I shake my head.

She stands and glares at the others. “Come on, you bastards, I’ll let ya buy me a drink.”

Priest stands, as does Jon, and Piper winks as she gets up. Nan points in her face. “Not you, ya look like a lightweight. I don’t do puke.”

I watch them go, and when they leave, my men surround me again, and I just relax back into them. The bottle gets passed around, but I can’t concentrate, my mind on everything to come.

There is still so much to do before I can relax.

Who knew the woman who used to drink herself to death every night and fight to feel something would be the one passing on the drink? I guess it’s the burden of leadership, or maybe I have grown up and finally healed from my past.

Ivar still haunts my memories, and my body is covered in reminders, but I am so much more now than that slave girl. I’m a queen. Nan was wrong, a queen doesn’t get a night off, not ever, but in the shelter of my men’s arms, I can relax enough to let my body heal.

For a night at least.

“Soulmate, look at me,” Dray demands.

Blinking, I turn my head and meet those cold eyes.

“I have led my people for a long time. They don’t need you to stay apart from them and never relax to know you care.

Go, join them, show you are still one of them, still the champion who stole the heart of a Seeker King and killed a Berserker King.

The woman who saved The Wastes. Enjoy it, you deserve it, and we will be at your side. ”

“He’s right, sweet cheeks. Killing yourself over those who died and what is to come won’t help them. Your people love you because you are there with them.”

“Sing their songs with them, drink with them, eat with them, and hear their grief and stories,” Jax murmurs.

“You’ve got this, Mi Alma .”

Are they right?

I never saw myself as above anyone out there, how could I? I came from bloodshed and anger, a creature formed from the ashes of darkness and pain. I might be a queen in name now, but I am still the Champion, the one who rode The Wastes. Who hunted and captured.

Who joked and battled.

I am still her, and maybe they need to see that. Maybe I do too. I grab the bottle, drain it, and wipe my mouth. “You’re fucking right, but if I get too drunk, someone needs to make sure Dray doesn’t kill everyone.”

They laugh, even Dray, who leans closer and bites my lip. “Soulmate, you would be right next to me, helping.”

Too fucking true.

Sands below, I love these men.

They help me to my feet, and we head outside as the sun is setting. The fires are burning, and meat is already cooking, while bottles are being passed around. There are men arm wrestling, some playing drinking games.

It’s rowdy, and laughter and song fill the air. It feels like home, it feels like being back at The Rim, but this time, the five men are at my back.

It relaxes that last part of me, and I pluck a bottle from Bern’s hands as he lounges near one of the fires with a leg of an animal in one hand. Downing some of it, I hold it in the air as I look around. “Let’s fucking celebrate!” I yell.

A cheer goes up when they finally realise it’s not disrespectful. I head over to Archel and Piper, who are staring each other down over a makeshift table. I lean into Dray, wondering what they are doing, when suddenly, Piper blinks and lets out a curse, slamming her hand onto the table.

“Cock sucking dogs. Don’t you ever blink?”

Snorting, I watch as they stand and two men take their places, their arms bare and facing up. I smile, knowing exactly what they are playing.

“Soulmate, want to play?” Dray murmurs into my ear as he steps around, pushes one of them off the barrel chair he was sitting on, and takes his place, straddling it. His cold eyes watch me. “I promise not to make you bleed…too much.”

I can almost hear Evan scolding me, so I smirk, watching as the other man quickly moves and takes the other seat, facing him. “What we playing?”

“A Seeker game,” he coos as he grabs a knife and places it on the cricket table between us.

“Usually, we would do stabbing, but you have lost too much blood, so we will change up the rules. You spin the knife, and the person it lands on has to cut the place of the opponent, first to die or pass out loses.” He leans in and almost presses his lips to mine.

“I’m hard imagining you cutting me right now. ”

I smirk and push him back. “You always are when it comes to knives.”

“What can I say, a woman with a blade gets me hard as hell.” He grins.

Did he say woman…or women? Narrowing my eyes, I grab the blade and press it to his throat. “Women?” I murmur as he smirks and leans into the blade.

“Only one, soulmate. You, always you. Even when you hated me, even when I could taste the blood on your lips and see the ghosts in your eyes. There has only ever been you. Feel it.” He grabs my other hand and drags it over his heart right in the middle of everyone.

“It beats for you. Taste the truth on my lips.”

Well, shit.

He sits back, and I try to slow my racing heart.

“Ladies first.” I grin.

He smirks as he grabs the knife and spins it. I watch it glide in a circle before slowing down. The crowd around us is huge now, the Berserker Queen versus the Seeker King. I know they are all excited, especially with the booze flowing.

When the knife finally slows, it’s almost on me, but it slowly moves until it is pointing at him. “Fuck yes,” he mutters, dragging his eyes across me. “Better cut me, soulmate, and make it deep.”

I’m pretty sure this is foreplay for him right now, just with a crowd, but I can’t back down. It’s not in my nature, even if I love the crazy bastard. Though I bet by the end of this, he will be coming in his jeans while in pain and viewing our blood.

“Worth!” I hear my name chanted as I watch him with a smirk, making him wait. “Berserkers always win!” comes a yell, and I hear a scuffle, no doubt a fight starting.

I grab the knife and lean forward, pressing the sharp tip to his skin, right above his heart and his brand.

His eyes are heating quickly, his tongue tracing his lips as he waits.

With a harsh downward strike, I carve the blade around the brand, cutting a heart into his skin, the red of his blood bright as it starts to drip.

Happy with it, I sit back as he looks down, a groan leaving his throat. “Fuck, I almost came.”

Yeah, I don’t fucking doubt that.

I have to shift as well, the sight of his blood making me wet. When Dray bleeds, it usually leads to hot as hell sex, and my pussy is well aware of that, even if I’m too injured to really do anything about it.

Dray leans forward and spins the knife as a bottle is plopped down next to me. Nodding my thanks, I take a swig as I watch it rotate before landing on Dray again. Laughing, I grab the knife and lean over, slicing across his arm quickly before sitting back.

He groans, his eyes closing for a moment. “How are you so perfect?” he murmurs, low enough for only me to hear.

Not answering, I spin the knife again, and this time, it lands on me.

I brace for the pain and blood as he picks up the knife.

Watching me, he leans closer. I keep my eyes on him, not flinching when he grabs my arm and slams it onto the table.

He strokes along my flesh before the blade is suddenly there.

Tracing where his fingers did, he makes a deep cut.

I feel the blood fill it and drip instantly as he relaxes back and, eyes still locked on me, he licks the blade clean.

Holy fuck.

Looking down, I watch the blood trickle across my skin, just another scar to add to the collection. At this point, nearly all of my skin is covered, and anyone who is offended by that can fuck off.

Scars are a sign of strength, a big fuck you sign to those who tried to take you down. Kill you. Hurt you. Destroy you. They show the world that no matter what, you never give up.

I used to be ashamed of them, used to hide them and my brands. Now I let everyone see what I have survived. I’m a fucking queen. If a slave girl can become one, anything is possible. They need to know that.

We play for a bit longer, until cuts and blood cover both of our bodies. I even slice Dray’s lip, which I swear he came over, making everyone laugh. The booze flows, and it loosens my inhibitions enough to relax.

Once, I was dependent on it. I used it to forget the pain, to black out the memories until I could function and sleep. Now it’s the taste of victory, it’s a shared celebration between my people and my loves. It brings us together where I was once alone.

I stand and stumble from a mixture of blood loss and booze, making those around us laugh. My other men are there, watching and waiting. I wink at them to let them know I’m okay when I hear someone grumbling and pushing closer.

“God fucking dammit!” Evan yells as he comes up on us. “I’m not stitching that up too, you crazy bitch! ”

It goes silent as everyone waits for my reaction. Looking at Doc, I wink and laugh. The sound is taken up by the crowd as I clap him on the shoulder, grabbing the bottle from his hands and knocking some back before lifting it into the air.

“To The North!”