Page 103 of The Queen

Edeth cocked her head, studying me like a science project. “Oh, I’m very certain it is possible and timely, too.”

She was going to take my baby. That’s what this had all been for. She’d just been toying with us until I got pregnant.

This day couldn’t get any worse.

Mik strutted from the darkened corner of the dungeon and approached the table to rifle through the weapons. “That means we don’t need him anymore, right?” he asked, nodding toward Shadow, who was sprawled on the dirty stone floor.

Edeth headed to the doorway that led to my only possibility of freedom. “That’s correct. But be careful not to harm the girl. I’d hate to have to borrow a drone from the Imperatrix if her pregnancy was compromised.”

They all knew. Not a single person in the room flinched. I sent a look toward Violet, pleading for help, but her eyes stared right through me.

Aster called out to Edeth, turning to catch her. “Mother, does this mean we can have Lex and Axion?”

Hazel echoed her sister as they pleaded to keep my mates as if they were property to own.

Edeth stopped in the doorway, her hands on her hips. “Don’t you silly twits see her neck? I was trying to avoid this very thing. As soon as the rest are in custody, they’ll have to be put down like the rabid dogs they are. She’s trapped them in a mate bond. They’ll only ever be mindless animals now. If the bonds are not complete, perhaps something can still be salvaged, but don’t get your hopes up.”

My fingers flew to the fresh marks along my neck, covering them protectively, but no one was paying any attention to me. How dare she threaten to kill my mates and degrade our connection? Everything about what she said was wrong.

Indra tucked her supplies back into her basket, bumping her way past the three women who’d once been my maids to catch up with Edeth. Jostled by Indra’s hasty exit, Violet stumbled into the table, causing the weapons to clatter and bang against one another.

“Clumsy, useless girl.” Indra called over her shoulder before leaving, following behind Edeth with Aster and Hazel yapping at their heels.

Mik was happily digging through the assortment of guns and knives laid out on the countertop, bouncing from foot to foot like a greedy child. So when the maids left, he didn’t notice the dagger that skittered across the floor and landed next to the cell bars.

Violet must have knocked it to the ground when she stumbled and stepped over it so no one would see. That couldn’t have been an accident. She would’ve had to kick it in the opposite direction that she’d been walking for it to have made it that far.

Whatever the case, I wasn’t going to pass up my only chance at protection.

I inched closer to the barrier. Once I was within arm’s reach, I snatched the knife from where it lay next to the bars. Before Mik bothered to look up from the table, I had it tucked up into my sleeve. It was big, reaching all the way to my elbow, but it fit.

Shadow was still out, but I heard a muffled groan and felt a flicker of consciousness through the bond.

Wake up. Wake up.

I glanced back at Mik. He was holding a massive serrated knife and had a wicked gleam in his eye. He took a step toward the cell door, and I scrambled backward, putting myself between the deranged looking beta and my unconscious mate.

“I am your Queen. I command you to stand down.” My voice trembled, but I kept it as steady as I could, not wanting to show this little turd any fear.

“You’re not the queen of shit. No one likes you. No one respects you. How do you think you could rule anything? What a joke. You’re just a body to incubate babies in and as soon as you pop this one out, you’re going back to the Hive. So is that baby Robin had. That’s where omegas belong.” He stuck a big iron key into the lock and turned it over with a clank.

The door squealed open, and he stepped in.

I hissed, staying between him and Shadow, who I felt stirring through our connection. I just needed to stall a little longer, and he’d be awake and would have no trouble taking the beta out. A growl rolled in my throat and I bared my teeth.

He wasn’t getting past me.

“You’re actually trying to protect him?” Mik laughed. “Do you think he loves you? You really are as stupid as Edeth said. No one wants you here.”

In the beginning, I might have believed him, but after what we’d been through, I questioned it. Maybe he was right, and some people wanted me gone, but when I thought about the way the guards outside the throne room smiled and the residents in the pit looked at me with hope, I was sure that he had it wrong. Even if he was correct and there were some that would rather I leave, it didn’t matter. I was here to protect my citizens and my planet. A little weasel like him wasn’t going to stop me.

“Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?” Mik smirked at me. “It would be easier if you just gave up.”

He moved further into the cell, but I held my ground, a low growl rolling in my throat. His eyes narrowed, and he made a mock shrug. Then his fist flew, knocking into my jaw and sending me tumbling across the floor, my head ringing.

“Don’t get in my way again or it’ll be worse next time.” Mik didn’t even bother to look at me when he said that, too intent on murdering my helpless mate.

I pulled the knife from my sleeve and charged at Mik, who was kicking Shadow in the ribs.

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