Page 17 of Tortured Royals

Right…I think of Nate being in the queen’s clutches, and my mood sours.Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to bring him back here.

“Why can’t a party ever just mean drinking, dancing, and stuffing yourself with food?”Shade grumbles.“Or you know, fucking. I mean, everyone loves a good orgy. But no, this Queen Vespera lady sounds like another psycho.”

Prince Callan’s warnings to stay away are slowly starting to make more sense, and I keep my gaze alert, watching the angelsaround us. In the past, I’ve always pictured my mother as this innocent female who fell for my dark, depraved father, but now I’m wondering whether she was just as crazy as him because clearly angels aren’t the pure souls I thought they were. Maybe it never was an opposites attract relationship, but kindred spirits?

Clenching my jaw, I force the thought of her from my mind and focus on the present.

It takes a long while before we reach the very top floor and the stairs end, leading out into a short corridor where there’s a single golden door. We gather as a group, and I’m surprised when Prince Callan pulls me to the side, his hand brushing my arm before he jerks back, his gaze darting to the angel guards stationed outside the door. “Let me do the talking, Blake. The queen isn’t someone you want to cross, and she has a way of twisting your words in her favor.”

“Ah, so she is like your dad then,”Shade comments nervously in my head.

Lines of worry cross Prince Callan’s face, but I can’t give him the answer he wants. “I’m not simply here because I’m your mate,” I say slowly, though it was one of the big reasons why I stepped through the portal to Toralyn. “I’m here because I’m the princess of Seral, and I’ve been given an order to converse with the queen about the war with the witches. So, I’m sorry, but I can’t promise that.”

His temple pulses, but his expression is severe. “Then just…be careful and promise me you won’t touch anything.”

“Now that I can do,” I reply. “And are you finally going to tell us about this weapon she has?”

His gaze shutters, his face closing off completely as the vulnerability is replaced with the cold, hard expression I’m accustomed to. “No.” He spares a glance to the others, and then he turns, marching toward the door.

“Tell her we’ve arrived,” he barks, and one of the guards dips his head, disappearing inside the room. A moment later, the door swings wide open, and the guard strides out, moving to the side of the doorway.

“Enter!” A husky voice calls out to us, and Prince Callan glances at me one last time before striding inside. We file into the room after him, and Nate, Mason, and Dante keep close to me. Alaric scowls as he takes up the rear.

“Uh, Blake, what the heck are those?”

“I don’t know…”I trail off, trying not to show my surprise.

We’re in a large, dome-shaped room, and light filters in from the glass panels above us. Along the walls there are rows of shelving that curve the whole way around. Above the shelves, small storm clouds hover on each ledge, separated from one another.Or are they clouds of smoke?Whatever they are, the hairs rise on my arms as I get a horrible feeling.

With my senses on alert, I turn my attention to where a seemingly middle-aged female sits behind a massive glossy stone desk. A jeweled crown rests atop the female’s cropped golden hair which is a shade darker than Prince Callan’s, and golden piercings run down her right ear. She continues writing on a piece of parchment, and it’s not until Prince Callan clears his throat loudly that she finishes whatever she’s inking and looks up.

I expect her to be glad to see her son, but irritation flashes on her face as her shrewd gaze sweeps over Prince Callan and the rest of us. Prince Callan’s body hardens, his expression devoid of emotion.

“Yes?” she barks, her voice loud in the otherwise silent room.

“Your highness,” Prince Callan says coldly, bowing before straightening again. “We come from Sailyn. The witches attacked with force and a large portion of the township has been destroyed. There is some loss of life.”

Queen Vespera doesn’t look the least bit bothered or surprised by the news. Nor does she comment on the fact that her son has returned after being away for some time. “And has the threat been neutralized?” she asks, her voice even icier than Prince Callan’s.

“We’ve beaten back their forces for now,” Prince Callan reports. “But we should acknowledge the aid we received from the demon?—”

“Then I suppose you’re good for something,” the queen says, not letting him finish. She smiles, but there’s no warmth in her eyes. “See to it that the rebuild is completed.” She waves her hand dismissively and turns her attention back to the parchment in front of her.

Shade whistles in my head.“Well damn, did it just get colder in here or what?”

Anger simmers inside me as I stare at the queen. The demon king has always been hard on me, and the challenges he’s put me through have nearly killed me on multiple occasions, but in his twisted way, I’ve always known he did it because he thought it would make me stronger. He’s never spoken to me with such disrespect, and I bristle at the way the queen is speaking to her own son.

“You need to do more than oversee the rebuild,” I say before Prince Callan can speak again. “The witches are organized and dangerous. Who knows how long they’ve been planning their attacks. You must call for aid from the allied realms.”

The queen places down her quill pen, and her ice blue eyes lock onto me. “Ah, the demon princess decides to speak even when her voice is unwelcome. I had wondered if you’d be bright enough to keep quiet. Though, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised your father has sent you. Even if I had made it painfully clear to him that there is no need for a call to aid. The angels have it inhand. Perhaps, you should worry more about your own king. He doesn’t seem quite as…spirited as he once did.”

I grind my teeth, wondering just what happened when Dad visited the queen. “If you ignore this, it’s not only your kind who will suffer.” I’m vaguely aware of Shade moving from my shoulder, but I’m too distracted to take note of where she’s going.

“Ignore it?” Queen Vespera’s eyes narrow on me. “My forces have been directed to where they are required, and should the need arise, I will reassess the situation. In any case, according to your father, the witches were all but eradicated all those years ago. Now, I’m expected to believe that they’ve amassed enough forces to bring down the realm of angels?” She laughs cruelly. “I understand the need for excitement, but I don’t have time to entertain such a ridiculous notion as a false war. Now, if that’s all.”

“They should not be underestimated,” Prince Callan adds.

Queen Vespera bares her teeth. “And neither should I. When my mother agreed to unite with the other realms all those years ago, we were left with no choice. The realms were all suffering, and the witches had created a force that could not be ignored. But now they are but shadows of a defeated race. If the time ever comes for us to see them as a real threat we will, but for now, there are much more pressing matters at hand.” She turns to the doorway and calls out. “Guards!”

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