Page 20 of Gemini Wicked

I grimly resist the urge to hug myself and shiver in my skimpy dress. With Messalina throwing around ten-cent words like debauchery and whoredom, I kinda wish I had a wrap to cover my cleavage.

But fuck that shit. I’m decent. Me and my guys, we’re in love with each other. (I mean, leaving Zephyr and Ash outta the full poly love equation, just for now.)

Anyway. We literally did nothing wrong.

While the breeze raises goosebumps down my bare arms, I try to think warming thoughts and glare down at this royal witch who’s turned into such a pain in my ass.

“Look, sure, I’ve got personal shit I’m working through, okay? I never said I was perfect. That doesn’t mean Cleo would be an improvement.” I twist around to glare at my ex-BFF. “I mean, where the hell were you when Avalon was dying? Where were you when I laid my ass on the line and almost got killed by Mad Queen Maeve breaking that fucking Unseelie curse? You do realize what happens over there affects what happens over here, right? That these two separate planes are, like, linked?”

Cleo’s supermodel lashes fall over her gaze.

Figures that when I actually need her to talk, she’s totally silent. She’s a goddamn sphinx.

I huff out a breath of frustration and spin back to the cameras. “Sweet Jesus. Do any of you even know this woman?”

“That isn’t your call to make,” Messalina says sternly from the stage. “Renounce your claim. Acknowledge Cleopatra Aquarius as your rightful queen. Then you can return to your schoolbooks and your homework—or abandon the classroom and return to your budding career as a cat burglar, for all I care. That’s all you have to do. Renounce your claim and bow to her. Then Theo Mercury will convene the Senate to ratify the vote.”

Neo rushes over and wraps a protective arm around my chilly shoulders. “Don’t you agree to that, babe. I’m gonna call my dad as soon as we’re off this boat.”

I don’t know anything about Theo Mercury. I don’t even know if I deserve to be queen. I really don’t.

But what I do know is this.

I don’t like the way I’m being manipulated. There are way too many unanswered questions still lurking. At the very minimum, we all need time to talk this through, like Lucius keeps saying. I mean, what’s the hurry?

And I’m definitely not gonna tolerate my guys getting spied on and violated.

Just the thought has my power rising.

“Zara,” Lucius growls through his fangs, so guttural I can barely follow him. He’s literally struggling with human speech, because his wolf perceives a threat to me, and he’s clawing at Lucius to let him rise.

Still, Lucius drags a taloned hand (practically a paw at this point) through the falling-down knot of his chestnut hair and manages to say, “Let me handle this from here. I beg you. There’s—a time and a place—for this discussion. It belongs with—the scions and—the Senate.”

Yeah, he wants me to stay calm and show restraint. But he’s barely staying bipedal himself.

Bottom line up front? I feel like the time for restraint has passed.

That’s why I glare across the deck into Messalina’s gloating face and announce where I stand, loud enough for the whole witching world to hear. “Keep dreaming, dancing queen. I’m not renouncing shit.”

“That’s truly unfortunate, Zara.” The queen’s voice hardens. “Because I’m not asking.”

She snaps her fingers like some kinda cartoon character of a witch.

Then it’s mayhem.

Doors fly open to port and starboard from the living quarters on my level. A double row of purposeful guys in police uniforms, with broad shoulders and stern faces, tromp out on deck, clutching literal electric shock sticks like you read about. Only these guys are wearing indigo instead of blue.

In a flash, I recognize those unis. They’re enforcers from the AIB.

The Arcane Investigative Bureau.

Those boys are like Imperial stormtroopers from Star Wars. They’re bad news. They’re muscle for the queen. And their reputation is, like, unsavory.

Electricity crackles through me, my hair swirls around my shoulders, and my feet rise from the deck.

But I don’t dare summon lightning.

Not with my guys and a bunch of civvies standing right here. Not with the memory of what happened with my mom at the Double Gem front and center in everyone’s mind.

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