Page 152 of Gemini Wicked

Zara. Zara. Zaaaarrraaaaa.

Sweet Jesus. Well, hello there, crown.

Zarina Selene Gemini. Queen of dragons. Lady of lightning. A silvery voice shimmers through me. If I cede you my power, showgirl, how then will you wield me?

I swallow hard under the cold caress of that tinkling inner voice. Last time I saw that crown, Zephyr’s mom was wearing it.

At least then, that crown was silent.

Now it’s all chatty Cathy.

I tilt my chin and eye the suddenly vocal bling across the kiva. Well, I won’t be a homicidal psycho like Queen Maeve, that’s for sure. Hope that doesn’t disappoint?

When my snark doesn’t trigger a comeback, I clear the chalky taste of nerves out of my mouth and unbuckle my fighting straps. Meanwhile, Zephyr (who disdains the harness like a child’s safety seat and never uses it himself) scrambles nimbly down Xhev’s foreleg.

The Dark Fae King’s regal as fuck tonight, with his lithe sinewy frame encased in diamond dragonscale, winking with facets of teal and emerald. His moss-green hair spills down his back under a circlet of charmed silver (much less flashy than the queen’s crown). Twin spikes of silver cap the tips of his pointed ears. The narrow slash of his green eyepatch divides the cold beauty of his cruel face.

He doesn’t even need the crossed swords rearing over his narrow back or the snarling dragon at his command to make him lethal.

I lean back to help Lucius with his buckles, because my headmaster’s hands shake when he’s on dragonback. (Another nervous flyer in my harem, poor wolf.)

So I aim my remark at Zephyr. “What kinda power do we think we’re looking at, Your Radiance? I mean, once I’m crowned.”

Yeah, I’ve asked before. And he’s told me.

Now that I’m within reach of that Dark Fae crown and the thing’s all talky and shit, I need to hear the intel again.

“’Tis difficult to be certain.” Zephyr adjusts his swords and leaps to help Neo (who’s also wearing the royal dragonscale and looks cute as fuck) climb down and almost fall off Max.

“The Unseelie crown,” Zephyr says, patiently steadying Neo on his feet, “amplifies and magnifies the powers, both physical and arcane, of any queen who wears it. You may, perchance, develop the ability to assume other forms, above and beyond your dragon. Or more of your witching world recessives—genes that are yet unknown—may be triggered.”

Yeah, I need the power.

But I still don’t like hearing that shit.

“Maybe you’ll be able summon earthquakes like me, babe,” Neo suggests hopefully, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Because you have Kryll DNA you’re totally not using.”

“I think one of us making the earth shake’s enough, baby,” I say gently. My sweet fated mate summoning earthquakes is one thing, but the thought of having that kinda power myself is not exactly comfortable. Hurling lightning is bad enough. “Maybe I’ll start transmuting lead into gold like you, though. You might not be alone anymore in Honors Alchemy.”

“Then I could tutor you,” Neo says happily. Clearly nothing would make him happier.

Zephyr turns toward Ronin to help him off Max, but my Brit’s already unbuckled and jumped down on his own. Ronin lands in an Avenger-like crouch on the kiva rim just as Zephyr turns toward him.

For a breath, all action on the rim freezes.

Max, who’s twisted around sniffing with hopeful interest at Vasili’s genital slit, rumbles a warning at Zephyr.

Vasili, who’s baring those sharp fangy teeth and snapping at Max, lets rip with a sinister hiss.

Lucius stiffens in the saddle behind me. “Zephyr, don’t—”

Undaunted by all the hostility, Zephyr gives my guys a narrow look, then reaches a gauntleted hand to pull Ronin easily to his feet. Ronin unfolds to tower over him…

But neither guy releases his grip.

“You are a natural, Ronin Kilcannon Pendragon,” the Dark Fae King says quietly, “on dragonback. ’Tis as though you were always meant to fly.”

“Always wanted to.” Ronin looks down into Zephyr’s upturned face, a blazing flash of eye contact that crackles with suppressed emotion, then clears his throat, unhands his ex, and looks away. “Talking about Zara’s new powers, weren’t you?”

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