Page 39 of Chess

“Did you justsave me?” Chess asked the Hatter as Ever helped him to his feet. Specks of fiery ash burned on the ground—all that remained of the werewolf.

“Someone needed to end our lovely feud. It was either that or shoot your arse,” she sang, waving her hand in the air. “We waited for you at the edge of the forest and doubled back when it took too long for you to show up.”

The queen wrapped his good arm around her shoulders. “Let’s get you some blood.”

“We need to move before more werewolves show up to investigate all this noise,” Ferris called.

Chess glanced farther into the woods and found him waiting with Noah and Mouse. Noah approached the incapacitated werewolf. It whimpered where it lay.

“Leave him,” Chess told Noah. It was only acting on instinct and was no danger to them in that condition. Coming into Ivory was foolish but he was young and had lost a mother as a result. That was enough punishment—he knew first hand. “If another werewolf comes, they will haul him home instead of chasing us down.”

Noah lowered the gun and looked to Maddie who nodded. Chess released a breath. He cast the werewolf a knowing glance as Ever led him back toward the castle.

“That was really foolish of you,” she whispered.

Chess chuckled. “I do a lot of foolish things.” His chest warmed as he studied Ever’s heart-shaped face and her deep brown eyes. The way they bantered, the way he felt when she touched him… Realization struck him like lightning, his heart pounding as if there were thunder beneath his rib cage.

He was falling in love with the fucking Queen of Ivory.

Chapter Eighteen

Ever

Chess had saved Ever’s life—the prince who’d once tried to murder her had risked himself. Forher. Maddie had then killed the werewolf and saved Chess’s life, even though she could’ve easily killed the prince instead. But she hadn’t, and Ever knew it wasn’t because she was a queen—it was because they were friends.

Yet if Chess had harmed a single hair on Mouse’s head in the Ruby Heart Palace, a very different fate would’ve occurred by the Hatter’s hand. Mouse had told Maddie she’d been treated fine in the palace, but after hearing Chess’s confession, that wasn’t the truth. Her stomach sank at what Rav and Imogen could’ve done to her during the “interrogations,” but Mouse wasn’t ready to talk about it and she wouldn’t push her to.

“Thank you,” Ever murmured to Chess as they came to a stop further away from the werewolf. Her scalp still ached from where her hair had been yanked, but it was quickly dissipating. “Truly.”

The prince licked his lower lip. “It was nothing, Queenie.” It wasn’t nothing. It was something.

Maddie handed Ever a scrap of blue silk from her backpack to wrap around Chess’s torn shoulder.

The prince eyed the fabric as though it were poison, and shrugged it off. “It’s just a bite and is already healing,” he muttered, his voice weak.

“Just take it, Princeling.” Ever sighed as blood continued to blossom across his shirt.

With a smirk, he took the silk and placed it over his wound. “Only because you said it oh-so-nicely.” The smile left his face and he stumbled, beads of perspiration sliding down his forehead.

“Quit wasting energy,” she reprimanded, then peered around the group. “Can someone get me some blood?”

Noah fished out a pouch and poured the contents into his canteen, shoving it into Chess’s face. “You owe me,” he grunted to the prince.

“Staying under the same roof shall be fun,” Chess taunted, taking the canteen and chugging it down as though he’d never drank before in his life. He wiped a drizzle of crimson creeping down his chin and drew his shoulders back, grinning.

Maddie rolled her eyes and Ever nudged him forward. Even though they were tucked in the woods, she didn’t want to linger so close to the fresh blood, especially with everyone in the group being wanted by Rav.

It wasn’t long before they reached the palace and crossed the bridge toward the door, the silver water of the moat rippling from the wind. The smell here didn’t seem as cold as before, but that may have been in her head. Ivory remained quiet as though the vampires in the city hadn’t wanted to leave their homes.

That would change soon.

“Finally, home sweet home,” Maddie sang after Ever unlocked the door and they entered the palace. “Hmm, it seems we will be redecorating.” The Hatter studied the bare walls, the unkempt areas, and dirty furniture. A hint of blood from the dead guards still drifted through the air.

March rounded the corner, no longer wearing Scarlet’s uniform but dark leather trousers and a tight white T-shirt. His eyes widened at the group, obviously not expecting Ever to have brought everyone home, then a bright smile formed on his face as his gaze settled on Ever, Maddie, and Mouse.

“It’s been a while,” he said to Maddie.

“Indeed, it has.” The Hatter laughed and skipped to him. “But we can resume our tea parties now that you’re back. Although, there will be a few new guests.” She motioned to the side. “This is Noah and Ferris.”

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