Page 210 of Rise of the Queen

Misha stared at me for a moment, like he wasn’t quite sure what to say. “I love her so much,” he said very seriously.

Viktor joined us in the back room while we all waited for Sephie to return with Ivan and Stephen, all of us trying to pretend like that definitely wasn’t what we were doing.

“How does it work with Kostya, Viktor? Do you see him or you can just hear him?” Misha asked. Misha was always the curious one. He always wanted to know more. I had originally thought he would grow out of it, but now I hope he never does. I have to admit to wondering the same things he does and it saves me from having to ask.

“It’s both, depending on what’s happening,” Viktor said.

“What does he look like to you when you fix people?” Andrei asked.

“I think the same as you. A ball of light,” he said. “I can see him like he’s a real person when he comes to me in my dreams. I can also see him when I’m awake, but he looks more like a ghost than anything. He’s see-through. That one took me a while to get used to. I’d just randomly see him when he needed to tell me something.”

I tried to hide the shudder I felt thinking about turning around and just seeing a random kid in front of me. Of course, he saw it.

His deep laugh filled the room. “It’s okay. It’s disturbing. I think he enjoys it. He told me what happened when he went to Sephie.”

“She’s still creeped out by it,” I said. “But only because she wasn’t expecting it. She’s only ever talked to her dad or my mother.”

“How much can he tell you about what’s coming with Ricardo and Martin?” Andrei asked.

“Not as much as we’d like, that’s for sure. I think Sephie’s dad told her this too, but they’re not allowed to interfere or tellus anything that might change the outcome. They can nudge us along and give us hints, but we’re supposed to figure it out on our own,” Viktor said.

“I wonder how Battista’s psychic gets around that rule,” I asked.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Andrei said. “I would like to know what she’s communicating with.”

“Do you get a bad feeling about it? Or just curious?” I asked.

Andrei thought for a minute. “I wouldn’t call it a bad feeling.”

“I wouldn’t call it a good feeling either, though,” Misha said.

I looked at Viktor. “Since we don’t know who this psychic is, do you think Kostya could find out more information for us? I would like to make sure we’re not being fed incorrect information from her.”

Viktor’s eyes glazed over slightly as he asked Kostya to see what he could find on her. “He’s going to check. He’s not entirely sure who she is either.”

“I would feel better with as much information as possible,” I said.

“If we can find out who she is, I can look for her,” Misha said. “I’m not sure that looking for a nameless and faceless psychic will yield any results.”

I suddenly felt an extreme sharp pain shoot through my chest. Even Andrei and Misha felt it. I knew it was from Sephie. It hadn’t even subsided and I felt Ivan’s anger.

“Tell me you’re okay or I’m coming out there,”I said to Sephie, only barely able to contain my own growing anger. I knew my eyes were black, which made Andrei’s and Misha’s switch too. Viktor caught on something was happening when he saw our eyes.

“All good. Stephen needed this more than I thought. I love you for checking,”she told me. Ivan’s anger stayed present, but it was at a very low level. I’m sure whatever they were discussing was likely difficult for him as well. Anger was his go-to emotion.

My own anger completely disappeared as soon as she told me she was fine. I knew she was helping Stephen get over the small hiccup he was struggling with lately. She was probably helping Ivan with something he didn’t even know he needed help with. I felt the pull in my chest as I thought about how much I loved her. I was hoping it would replace the sharp pain from whatever she was feeling before.

Misha’s laugh broke me from my worried thoughts about Sephie. “I’m still getting used to being able to feel you more strongly. I’ve never wanted to destroy something so badly in my life right now, but it’s not me. It’s you.”

“My bad. I can’t help it. I want to annihilate anything that might cause her pain. You felt the pain in your chest. Nothing will send me into a rage faster,” I said.

“Don’t apologize. I feel the same. I just wasn’t expecting the extra fuck you boost from King Demon over there,” Misha said. “I could definitely get used to it though. Full disclosure.”

“Lord King Boss Demon, thank you very much,” I said, trying to keep a straight face.

Andrei laughed. “I would love to see Sephie’s eyes turn red at that title.”

“You don’t think they will?”

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