Page 24 of Cruel Queen

“A portal? Me?” I question, my spine straightening with a shiver.

Maxilliam steps around Levy and comes straight toward me. He captures my hand, giving it a squeeze. “You. You have the power, but you aren’t quite strong enough, whereas I am. I can give you the right amount of power to do it.” Everyone goes quiet. Not one word is uttered. “Talia, I can give you the power. You felt it, correct?”

“I did.”

The king turns away from me and searches the crowd with his eyes. “Alan.”

A man steps forward, and I know straight away he is a seer as he has the same eyes as Viper.

“Alan, would you help me with Talia?”

He bows. “Of course, sir.”

Max starts walking away, guiding me along with him, and the villagers follow us, even Levy, who is glaring at me as if I am bacteria that grows on her feet. I probably am, but I’m going to take any chance I can get to return back to my family.

“We don’t need her help,” Levy yells as we enter the village, eyes on us the whole way.

Max stops and looks back to Levy, but chooses not to answer her before he points to the bench where Ron and I were sitting earlier.

“It takes a lot from you,” he states, and I nod my head. “But you also get very high on it.” I hide my smile, remembering that kiss.Would I have kissed him if I hadn’t taken his powers?

“Alan, can you read her?”

Alan steps from the crowd and walks over to me. He bends down until we are eye-to-eye and shakes his head. “I’ve never had this problem…”

“It’s because she is stronger than you. She is blocking you.”

I hear a loud gasp.

“But, my king, I can read you.”

“Her power is stronger, she just doesn’t have full access to it all yet.” Everything and everyone seem to still. “Alan, you have seen and heard the spell for the portal. Once I give her my power, you can guide her. I need you to guide her, Alan. She will be stronger, but she is also on a high. You have the ability to manage a high, so I need it managed.”

“You want to do it now?” I ask Max.

He simply nods.

I hear footsteps and see all the guards are now here. Glancing around, I take a deep breath.What if I fuck this up and kill everyone?

“You won’t kill anyone,” Max says, as if reading my mind.

“Max, I don’t know…” I shake my head. Someone grunts at the sound of my words, but neither of us pays any attention.

“You let her call you that? You just stand there and let her call you Max?” Levy shrieks.

“Levy, now is not the time,” Max replies.

She throws her hands up in the air. “I think nowisthe time. You have everyone who lives here in this village in attendance. We should vote. We should get a say in this. Our opinion matters too.”

Max stands, and he seems taller than almost everyone here. Actually, maybe he is.

“You wish to disobey me?” he asks darkly. And it’s then I see a different side of him. He is usually calm and relaxed. But now, his back is straight, form intimidating, and his jaw is set in a hard line. His hands clench at his sides.

When I look past him to Levy, I watch as she changes. She doesn’t change into just anyone, though. No, she picks me. The crowd gasps as she starts to speak. “Is this what you want? I can bethisfor you, King Maxilliam. Or do you prefer Max now?”

“Levy, I’ve let enough slide. Youwillchange back right now and get rid of this thing you have going on.”

“It was me you were meant to choose. Why do you let this abomination get away with so much?”

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