Page 17 of The Queen
He holds the door open for me at the regular lecture hall for Medieval History, and I pass by, close enough to catch his scent, a mix of cologne and something raw, inherently male. His gaze burns into me with an intensity that’s almost tangible.
Soon, I promise myself. Soon I will taste that darkness and when I do, it will be magnificent.
10
ELIZA
The whispers ceaseas everyone notices me enter the room. I can feel their eyes crawling over my skin, sizing me up, trying to sniff out weakness. Too bad for them, there isn’t any, and now they are going to see why these consistent snide remarks and accusations are a bad fucking idea. I’ve called this meeting of the mafia leaders for one reason and one reason only: To show them who the Queen is here.
“Alright, let’s cut to the chase,” I say, my voice slicing through the thick silence. The gathered leaders of Castle University’s underground sit stiff in their chairs, their postures betraying the rigid tension that fills the air. They’re a motley crew, each one representing a slice of the power pie, but right now, they’re all mine to command.
Raphael stands by the door, his broad shoulders blocking the exit. Tarquin leans against a wall, arms folded, a smirk playing on his lips as if he knows secrets no one else does. James watches from the corner, his eyes sharp and calculating, while Oliver scans the crowd with hyperfocus.
“You’ve seen what’s been happening. Attacks on campus, chaos stirring up, shitstorms all over, and somehow,myname gets tossed in the ring. But we know better, don’t we?”
Nods and murmurs ripple through the group, although I’m not convinced they’re sincere. Not yet. They know the game, the delicate dance of power and fear. But I’m about to change the tune.
“From now on, you answer to me. We’re going to clean up this mess, and anyone who thinks they can challenge that will answer to me personally. You have all seen what I’m capable of and how much it takes to get me on my knees. If any of you think you’ve got that kind of power, by all means, challenge me, but be prepared to go home in a body bag.”
Wide-eyed stares at my bluntness are directed at me, but they seem to finally be getting it.
Shifting my gaze to Imogen, the one I think I can trust in this pit of vipers, I ask, “Are we clear?” My question isn’t really a question, and they know it.
“Crystal,” she mutters, and a chorus of agreement follows.
“That’s good because this storm involvesallof us, not just me, and we’re in the eye of it. It’s time to show them that Castle University doesn’t sit idle and fight internally when we are threatened.”
As I cast my gaze over them, I see the dawning realisation of who holds the true power here. This is my domain, and these are my subjects.
I lean forward, placing my hands flat against the cool surface of the table in front of me in this lecture hall, and scan the faces before me, each leader of their own little empire tucked within the university’s walls. My voice slices through the heavy silence like a blade.
“There are rules we’re going to follow. Break them, and you’ll wish you hadn’t. Rule one,” I continue, staring at a burly guywho’s trying hard not to squirm under my gaze. “I call the shots. You toe the line, or you deal with the consequences. And trust me, you do not want to find out what that means.”
A murmur ripples through the room, but I raise my hand, silencing them instantly. They watch, some with narrowed eyes, others with barely concealed respect.
“Betrayal or disobedience won’t be tolerated. Not now, not ever. If you think you can stab me in the back and live to tell about it, you’re fucked in the head.” I pause, letting my words hang in the air, heavy with threat. “You cross me, and it’ll be the last mistake you make. I will come after you, and I will gut you.”
Giving them a second to absorb that, I pause.
“Are there any questions?” I ask then, my voice deceptively calm. It’s a challenge, an invitation for someone to test me.
No one questions it; no one dares.
Silence greets my ears, and I nod, satisfied with the fear and understanding I see reflected back at me. This is my court, and these leaders, however reluctant, are my pawns in the game for control. They know it, I know it, and the Kings at my side are the enforcers of this new world order.
“Unity. Loyalty.” My voice echoes through the room like a gunshot. “These aren’t just words; they’re our foundation. Alone, we’re targets—easy prey for anyone looking for a slice of our world. Together, we’re a fortress. An empire made up of kingdoms that can’t be shaken.”
“What’s to stop us from being picked off one by one? Trust is thin on the ground here,” Conrad Clinton asks. I’m not surprised. He is lower level than most and has never had to deal with this shit before.
“Protection,” I answer swiftly. “You watch my back; I watch yours. We keep our enemies guessing, and we strike as one. When they hit one of us, they hit all of us, and they’ll think twice before trying that again.”
Imogen, her eyes like ice with her reputation to match, asks. “And what if one of us steps out of line? How do we deal with traitors among us?”
“There is only one way to deal with traitors,” I state and receive some murmured responses.
But then a murmur of assent ripples through the room, and I know I’ve got them. They’re mine, and together, we’re going to shake the foundations of this university and rewrite the rules of the game.
“Dismissed,” I say, and watch them file out, a united front ready to unleash chaos on my command. As they disappear, I turn to my Kings, the cornerstones of my rule.
