Page 134 of Valpar

I snarled, careful not to jostle my miresa in my arms.

The pixie hated her because she was human, hated her because she was different and got the attention that he thought he deserved.

The pixie had put me in a position where my miresa may not want me to touch her when she woke. She may fear me, think of me as a monster because the darkness of her memories will bring back her fear of life. She may fear all.

That part hurt the most, and it felt like my own sword had stabbed me in the chest.

“Your time is short, you flying piece of glittery shit.”

The pixie’s eyes widened, and he stopped struggling.

“I hope you know I will kill one of your own, Osirus. I don’t care if we are in your territory and I don’t care if he is your subject.”

Osirus’ lip curls into a wicked smile. “I didn’t see or hear anything. Guards? Did you?” All of them shook their heads and pitifully gazed upon my female.

I shuffled her face away from their gazes and toward my chest.

Mine.

No one could pity her. She was strong.

I thrust out my hand to the guard, who shaking in fear himself. “Give me the pixie.”

The guard didn’t even glance towards his king. Instead, he extended his hand, offering me the pixie’s wings he had tightly pinched between his fingers. As I reached out to take the delicate wings, tiny flecks of gold shimmered and fell from his body, causing a wave of disgust to wash over me. The sound of bells resonated from his lips, piercing my ears with their sharpness.

I was ready to end him.

“W-would you like me to hold Calliope while you take care of him?” Theresa asked. Her hands were covering her mouth with her wings drooping behind her.

I tightened my hold on my miresa and shook my head. “I need her.”

I needed my mate in my arms where I could feel her, where I could touch her. It was the only way to make me feel better knowing the storm was raging inside her head.

Birch nodded for me to continue. I did not need two hands. It was embarrassing that I was fighting off her last enemy, a pixie. A tiny thing that I will squash with my fingers, but I will do it with her sleeping in my arms.

I flicked my wrist once, the force strong enough for the wings to stay between my fingers, and the pixie to fall to the ground with a thud. I rubbed the wings between my fingers, crumbling them into tiny pieces of dust and sprinkled it above his head.

“That is the worst punishment you could give any flying creature, clipping their wings.” King Osirus muttered to his female, who was still learning the ways of their people.

I lowered myself to the ground, my knees popping as I stared down at the blasted creature. A tiny nuisance that had destroyed my female’s life.

I picked up the pixie once more, my hand so large it covered his entire body when I fisted it around him. His head was the only thing that poked out, from the top of my hand, and I brought it to my face.

With a sickening grin, I squeezed. His wails were music to my ears as I felt his bones snap like twigs between my fingers. My grip tightened, fueled by an insatiable desire for destruction, until I heard the satisfying crack of his back, breaking under my fist. As the darkness in my eyes deepened, I watched with sadistic pleasure as the light began to fade from the pixie’s eyes.

But I was not finished.

I continued to tighten my grip, relishing the feeling of power coursing through me as I slowly crushed the life out of him. Pixies are strong, despite them being small. Then, I droppedhim to the ground with a thud that barely registered in my ears. Ignoring his high-pitched shrieks, I lifted my foot and slowly brought it down, letting my big toe feel the gratifying crunch of his skull shattering beneath it.

I closed my eyes, running my hand up and down my female’s leg. It was over. Her enemies were gone.

It was far too quick. I could have made him suffer more but my miresa’s health was far more important.

“Put his body into a bag. I’ll drink his essence in my ale.”

Before I could celebrate the small milestone, Queen Melina shrieks.

“Oh gods! Simon!”

---