Page 9 of The Queen

By the time they’d run out of cherries, after having turned on one another to defend my honor, we were all laughing, even Grey, who’d tried to stay out of it as much as possible. He couldn’t fool me, though. I’d seen him take a couple of cheap shots when no one else was looking.

I sprawled out, catching my breath as everyone settled around me. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed like that. Maybe never.”

Ghost’s hand slipped into mine and gave it a squeeze from his place at my side. I snuggled up to him and Lex slotted in against my back. I felt him inhale as he nuzzled against my neck, breathing in my scent.

A bank of dark clouds was rolling across the valley, and as much as I would’ve liked to stay there forever, I’d had enough rain for one day.

“We should head back soon. A storm is coming,” I said as I dragged myself up to a sitting position.

We’d made a mess, and it’d be a shame for the cherries to go to waste, so while the guys cleaned up the picnic site, I gathered up as much of our spent ammunition as I could. I hoped it was still edible. I’d have to check with Violet about making a pie or something.

The trip back to the well-hidden door was quick, and we smiled as we trudged through the deepening shadows. I caught glimpses of the perimeter team as they scouted ahead and watched our backs. For a little while, I’d been able to forget the danger, but they were stark reminders that this wasn’t really the paradise I’d dreamed of, and we weren’t really safe, even this far from the Hive.

Chapter Seven

Saphyra

The afternoon had been perfect. It showed me what life could be like, if only my mates would listen. We could build the fantasy I’d hoped for, if only they were willing to try.

They left me at the door to my quarters, saying they had duties to attend. Doing what, I could only imagine. The alphas had lives and important jobs before they’d come to get me. I was sure their responsibilities had piled up in their absence. Grey was a trained physician, which was in high demand, no matter where he was. They were all much too busy to spend any more time with me. I should be grateful for the time we had, and I was, but the pull to be with them was strong. Too strong to just ignore.

Everything I wore was slimy with rain and clung to my skin. I toed off my boots and peeled out of my damp clothes, and dropped them on the floor. There must be something else in here to wear. The closet attached to my quarters was large, and I wandered from rack to rack, searching through the wide array of gowns. The space was more like a dressing room than a wardrobe, but it was usually filled with maids, so I hadn’t realized quite how large it was, and I hadn’t had time to explore it on my own.

Most of the contents were heavy brocade and velvet dresses with delicate matching slippers, but I found a small selection of pants, shirts, and boots that were better suited for the outdoors. And even better, I could put them on by myself.

I stripped out of my underthings, pulled on a fresh set, and slipped into a clean outfit. The pants were a bit snug in the hips, but the shirt was stretchy and soft and felt wonderful.

As I was wiggling into a pair of fuzzy socks, I heard a noise from the other room. My heart rate picked up as anxiety raced through my veins. Ever so quietly, I padded to the connecting door and peeked through the crack.

A sigh of relief whooshed out of my lungs, and I walked into the bedroom. It was just Violet, Aster, and Hazel, the maids most often assigned to assist me.

“Stars, you three surprised me. Say something next time,” I said with a smile to soften the harsh bite of my startled words. They’d scared me, but I was being paranoid. No one was getting inside the mountain, let alone into my chambers.

Violet was the first to reply. “Your Majesty, I apologize. I didn’t know you were here. We can come back later if you prefer.”

“No, don’t be silly. Stay if you’d like. I’m sorry for the mess. It rained a bit and I never quite got all the way dry.” I hurried over and gathered up the clothes I’d left on the floor.

Aster’s brittle blue eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed together in distaste as I passed her to drop the soiled garments in the basket by the door. When I turned my attention back to her, she was the picture of demure friendliness. Maybe I’d imagined her sour expression. Hazel was busy studying the rug, no reaction on her face, as if she hadn’t picked up on anything unusual either.

“Your Majesty, don’t bother yourself with that. We came to tidy up,” Aster said in a clipped voice as she moved to my bed and dragged the blankets off.

The half dry puddle Ghost had left on my sheets earlier wasn’t obvious, but the maids must have noticed because they stripped the bed carefully, avoiding touching the mess from my earlier activities.

Stars, how embarrassing. Would I ever not be embarrassed in this place? It seemed like my perpetual state of being.

Violet must have recognized my discomfort because she said, “That’s enough for now, girls. Run that down to the laundry. I’ll finish up. Thank you.”

Dismissed, Hazel and Aster snatched up the wash and headed for the door. Just before it closed behind them, Aster glanced over her shoulder, staring daggers at me before vanishing down the hall.

After a few moments, with only the rustling of Violet making the bed to break the silence, she spoke. “You needn’t concern yourself with those two. They’re discreet. They won’t tell anyone any of your personal business. It’s just that…” She trailed off, as if considering the best way to explain. “It’s just that Axion, Valyx, and sometimes even Alexi were favorites among the girls. And I think they might be a bit jealous of the attention you’re getting. I’m sure once you’ve bonded with whomever you’ve decided will be king consort, they’ll settle down.”

Her comment surprised me. The thought of anyone being jealous of me, or interested in my mates, wasn’t something I’d considered. I knew they were virile young men, and I couldn’t have expected them to be celibate before they’d met me, but veiled hostility from my own maids? No, I didn’t like that at all.

While she’d been talking, I stood frozen in place, but I shook it off and hurried over to help her make the bed. “I see.”

“Don’t worry yourself, Your Majesty. They’re just silly, young things.”

They must have been near the same age as me, maybe slightly older, and Violet herself couldn’t have been much older than that. Irritation thrummed behind my eyes, and I worked to even out my breathing. Violet was only doing her job and trying to make me feel better. There was no use being upset at her for any of this.

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