Page 17 of The Fae Queen's Harem

I yanked up my magic from my depth and threw it at her. I had to destroy this vermin.

But her dark magic was immense, and she’d had millennia of practice.

Soon, I would exhaust my magic, and my mates couldn’t fight the endless army pouring in.

Our former plan of coming in, overcoming Tianna, and grabbing Elvey hadn’t gone well. I hadn’t known my enemy’s true power. I’d underestimated my evil aunt. I thought I could have killed her the way I’d vanquished Lysandra. I’d thought my White Light was all I would need to kill her.

“You already have three gorgeous mates, niece,” Tianna said, winking at Rai. “Yet you want one more. Do you just open your legs for everyone?”

“Shut your filthy hole, you hell bitch,” I said.

I didn’t intend to have a conversation with her.

I wanted her dead.

But no matter how hard I pushed my magic to destroy her, her dark magic just matched up to mine and more.

“Would you like to know how I trapped Elvey, niece?” she asked sweetly, but her voice dripped with venom. “He had this prophetic dream about his destined mate and it led him to me. He was seeking you before you were even born. I tricked him into a blood bond to me. He did it in order to prevent your death. When he found out what a mistake he’d made, it was already too late for him. He’s been hating me for robbing him of a life with his true mate for centuries, yet there is nothing he could do but serve me. Did you know your mate used to warm my bed? Are you sure you still want my leftovers?”

“He rejected you,” I hissed. “He turned you down. Tied by the blood bond, no one could refuse you, but he did it again and again. No matter how hard you’ve been trying to get him to your bed, he still rejects you time and again. Just like he and I can always see right through your glamour. I’m so proud of him, and you’re but an ugly crone who possesses nothing but evil.”

I couldn’t be prouder of Elvey. For centuries, the dark queen had been trying to crush his spirit, but she failed. While he didn’t get any sunshine, he still gave sunshine to others. He’d secretly helped many Fae escape Tianna and promised them that one day the true queen would return. He had no hope for himself, yet he constantly inspired hope in others. Only a pure soul could do that.

Tianna snapped her fingers, and another of Elvey’s bones cracked.

“Still proud?” Her bloodred lips bit out the words.

It felt like my own rib cage had just been shattered.

“You bitch! Stop!” I shrieked as I sent another wave of White Light to attack her, yet I couldn’t take her down. All I succeeded in doing was exhausting my own reservoir of magic. “Stop!”

My two dragon mates roared. Blaze spewed streams of fire at the dark queen, Iokul flung dozens of ice spears at her, and Rai sent bolts of lightning to crash on her.

But her shield diminished every assault.

“Boys, behave,” Tianna purred sweetly, and Elvey’s right hand distorted to a grotesque angle.

He didn’t even groan, but beads of sweat coated his face, and his star-blue eyes twitched from the pain.

“Cease the attack,” I told my three mates before turning to Tianna. “Please, don’t do that. Just leave him alone, please.” I breathed with difficultly.

I restrained myself from tossing another barrage of White Light at her. She would only turn to torture Elvey. She had found my weakness—all of my mates were my most vulnerable weakness.

Why couldn’t my White Light take the bitch out? Elvey had said it was the only weapon that could kill her. His intel wasn’t correct.

“Now you beg, niece,” Tianna said. “But you should not blame me. This is all Elvey’s fault, or maybe it’s yours. He’s done ton of dirty work behind my back in order to overthrow me. I only found out about it when you returned. He could hide on other planets where I couldn’t easily reach him through the blood bond, but he just couldn’t resist you. He couldn’t stay away from you, so he had to return, and now he has to endure this.”

She broke another bone.

I heard snickers from the court and snapped my head in that direction.

Some Fae turned their faces away, not having the stomach to continue to watch. Yet some of them held delight in watching Elvey’s suffering. I’d remember them, and none of them would walk out of here alive when all this ended.

“Stop!” I cried. “What do you want?”

“Are you ready to meet my challenge, Daisy Danaenyth, daughter to my dear sister Zuzana?” Tianna asked.

“Do not bargain with her!” Elvey hissed, pain lacing his voice, though he tried to contain it. “Get out and leave me here. I’m a dead man. Don’t waste your time on—”

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