Pain gripped me in a never-ending flow. I couldn’t tell where it started, and it had no end.
Then delicate lips, like a butterfly’s wings, had touched mine. Giving me strength and hope.
Avery’s scream stirred something in me. I had to help her. I’d waited my whole life for the queen—for her.
Searched both the realms of the Fae and the human world with Malcolm’s crazy idea of opening three bars and testing the women we thought would be the queen with the Queen’s golden nectar.
A scared flower would tell us with her passing out, that she was the one. It didn’t harm other Fae or human women. Just made them giddy.
I believed as soon as I saw her, that she had to be the one we had searched for. I had been right.
I cracked my eyes open against the pain, my head splitting open from the movement. “Avery.”
The Gwyllion had her by the throat.
Using all my strength, and some I didn’t have, I shoved myself up. My arm hung at my side. I couldn’t move it, but I picked up my sword with my other hand.
I lumbered toward the woman who dared wear Avery’s face. Who had hurt Darrius and Malcolm and now threatened the queen.
I’d give my life for hers. I would protect her with my last breath.
Before I could thrust my sword into the Gwyllion’s stomach, she threw something at my chest. I couldn’t counter because my injured arm wouldn’t move.
Pain shuddered through me. My sword fell out of my hand as I gripped what had struck me. Disbelief filled me as I stared down.
A Gwyllion bone knife.
“No!” Avery’s scream tore through me, crushing my heart and my soul.
I’d failed her. After all my training, hope, and faith even when all others were ready to give up, I’d failed.
Avery
The Gwyllion’s laugh raked through me as I watched Simeon turn ghostly pale before my eyes. All of this was my fault. If I’d questioned more. Listened more. Believed in what Malcolm had tried to tell me.
Now it was too late.
Because of me, three Fae were going to die only because they believed in me. That I was this phantom queen that could help them.
I rushed to Simeon’s side, pulling him to my chest. “Please, hold on, please.”
“You’re too late.” The Gwyllion paced behind me. “They will rise as my court and do my bidding. And I will enjoy watching them tear you to pieces.”
I blinked back tears. Not wanting to give up, but what choice did I have? “Take me. Do what you want but let them live.”
Her laugh grated on my nerves. “Foolish girl. I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone. With their deaths and yours, I claim the throne. I will be the queen of all Fae and exact revenge on all Seelie Fae who aided in my sister’s death.”
Gently, I set Simeon down, brushing back his platinum hair. He was so handsome. Looked like one of those pretty boys from an anime come to life. And he’d been kind to me. A skilled warrior. Loyal to Darrius and Malcolm and I guess me as well even in the face of death.
My heart squeezed with longing. I wanted to get to know him. Wanted to hear his laugh and see his smile. To spar with him. And Malcolm had said he was better skilled with the sword than either of them and could teach me. There was so much I wanted to experience in this world, with all three of these men. Mine.
My gaze caught sight of my two iron rods beyond Simeon. I leaned forward, grasping the weapons.
“Come now and meet your death,” the Gwyllion boasted.
I rose, keeping my shoulders forward, my body trembling. I only had one shot at this. If I screwed it up, my men were doomed.
My iron rods in my hands, I kept them at my sides, slightly hidden.
“Bow before me. Announce me as your queen.”
Over my dead body. I looked up meekly and kneeled before her. “In my country, the queen kisses her subjects on the forehead.”
God, I hoped she bought my ruse and didn’t know anything about America.
After she paused a moment and she stared at me so long that sweat trickled down my back. If she didn’t believe me…if she suspected.
Then she leaned down, and I jerked both rods out, jamming them both into each of her eyes.
She howled, thrashing her clawed hands around. The iron wasn’t killing her.
Fuck!
I darted out of reach of her swings.
The bone knife! But if I yanked it out of Simeon’s chest, it would kill him even faster.
“Bitch!” The Gwyllion yanked out the rods, tossing them aside. “I will kill you now for that. Darrius, Malcolm, Simeon come forth. Honor your vows to your queen. Kill the imposter.”
All three men stood, their eyes rolled up in their heads, but they came at me.
I didn’t want to hurt them. Couldn’t. “Please, don’t. I was wrong about the Fae, about you three, about all of you.”
My thoughts snapped to my mom—or who I thought had been my parent—if she was a Gwyllion, she had changed her mind about killing me. So even Unseelie were good and bad, just like humans.
I’d judged them all based on their births and not on their actions and hearts.
Would words do anything now though? I backed up, keeping my three men from getting too close. The Gwyllion waved her hands in front of her wildly, searching for me.
If I spoke then she’d know where I was.
But I didn’t have a choice. I had to do something. “I accept the throne. I claim my court with Darrius, Malcolm, and Simeon. I accept my place as the Fae queen. Not only of Seelie, but all Unseelie too who’d fight on the side of good.”
Pain lashed across my back. I doubled over, unable to move or stand.
My three men fell on top of me. Their fists pummeling my body. And all the while, I couldn’t do anything but scream.