Page 44 of Consort

The soldiers begin to snicker at me. “It’s true?” one asks. “You’re the queen’s new toy?”

Another chimes in. “That’s why you think you’re too good to hang out with any of us!”

“Are you sure you’re really a soldier?” Lynoss, asks, thrilled with the chance to embarrass me after what I did to his throat. “I think you’re lost, little dewdrop. Get back to yourroyalduty.”

“Don’t forget to warm her sheets first! She’ll love the extra touch!” a dreamweaver says, staring me down with her drunken, watery eyes.

I ignore their comments and head toward the door. If I don’t leave now, this whole room is going up in flames. Before I make it through, a fae called Nydal stands and spreads his glamoured wings in front of me, blocking my path.

“You think your little heat can handle our frosty queen? I’d love to see the icicles hanging off your raw cock when she’s done with you.”

I’ve seen this asshole fly up into the trees and kick lesser fae out of the branches, just for laughs. I already had him labeled. He was easy. He’ll meet his fate when it’s time. But I refuse to let him provoke me until then without consequences.

“Icicles would make better feathers than these gaudy ones you’ve glamoured,” I say. “Sorry that your fake wings weren’t enough to seduce the queen. Maybe you should have focused on your ugly face instead.”

He growls and reaches out to strike me, but I grab his fist with my hand and let my fire blaze. He cries out in pain and falls to his knees, trying to break free of my grasp. I hold on until just before the hand is beyond repair. He shuffles backward, pathetically blowing on his blackened skin.

I look down at him and laugh. “A sprite’s wings would suit you better than a Gryphon’s. Go flutter away and find a healer.”

I reach down and rip out a handful of his glamoured feathers.The wings aren’t real, but he still feels it. He arches his back and hisses at the sting. With a small flare of my magic, I reduce the feathers to ashes and sprinkle them at his feet.

“Fuck with me again, and the healer won’t have a hand to repair.”

The hall is dead quiet as I walk away. I glare at Folas as I pass. He presses himself against the wall, avoiding eye contact with me. If only I knew what his role here was. I’d know how bad my punishment for killing him would be.

Once I reach my room, I immediately begin examining all the walls. I check every inch within my reach. If there are illusions, I’m going to find them. When I’m done with this room, I’ll work my way through the rest of the castle.

Folas just made my job a lot more difficult. I can’t afford to waste any more time. And as determined as I am to put another flirty smirk on her face, the feisty Omega will just have to wait.

Chapter 18

Rue

It’s been weeks since Durin’s visit. On the first few days, I checked the bush each morning, hoping for more gifts. But the anticipation consumed me, and I soon found myself checking multiple times a day. There has yet to be a single thing. Now, I’m trying my best to resist the urge to check because I’m tired of being disappointed.

Maybe I was too gruff with him at first. His words really touched me, and I wanted to hear more. I just panicked a bit, knowing Mother was on her way back. But I thought I was being cute when I left him standing there. I pictured him leaving with a grin on his face, but maybe I was way off.

I’ve replayed our meeting over and over in my mind. Each word he spoke, every detail of his gorgeous face as he looked up at me, the warmth of his touch, proving he was being truthful. I have memories of him now. They aren’t the ones I’m desperate for, but at least I have something. Thankfully, my Omega didn’t act up and give me anything embarrassing to remember.

She’s been too quiet, though. It’s strange, and I’m not sure what to make of it. I’ve had a lot of time to sit around and think. The one thing that stands out the most is that my Omega has never been afraid of Durin. She didn’t react after my heat. She didn’t react when I found any of the gifts. She didn’t even stirwhen he stood right in front of me.

She’s not afraid of him. And she’s afraid ofeverything.

I’ve tried pulling her forward. She was always popping up when I didn’t want her to. Now that I do want her here, she remains buried. I wish there was someone who could tell me how to deal with her. Someone who understands the weird, frustrating parts of my designation.

It suddenly hits me why Omegas are given the waiting period before being mated. I thought they were just trained how to be good slaves. I couldn’t see the value in learning the intricate stuff. I guess I’ll just have to figure it out on my own.

I didn’t notice her absence at first. I haven’t been an Omega long, so it’s not like I knew a part of me had gone missing. Now that I realize it, I’m frustrated. I have a lot of questions for her. She may remember the heat. She could have the missing pieces I’ve been scrambling for.

I want them badly. I drown in my boredom, starting up at the sky and pretending to know what happened. How I touched him. How he touched me. How his fingers felt on my skin. What faces he made. How his body felt inside mine.

But I know nothing. My mind draws a blank, and I’m left pissed off instead of stimulated.

There are bigger answers I need from her, too. Simply knowingifshe remembers the heat would tell me a lot. If she does remember and still doesn’t fear him, it would validate this urge I’ve been having to trust him.

You know what, fuck that. I don’t need her input. I’m fully capable of appraising others on my own. I refuse to be afraid of him anymore. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have done it already. And he would never have said he meant me no harm becausehe cannot lie.

Fate literally forced him into my lap. Who am I to defy fate? Instead of running away this time, I’m ready to fling myself at it.If Durin gives me the chance to, that is.

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