In Malice (The Stolen Queen Book 1)

by A. M. Hodges

  "I hate seeing the two of you on your knees for such an arrogant prick," I fume, "you bow to no one."

  "It's okay my love," he reassures, "we do what we need to, to survive."

  My mate drops down on one knee at my feet and Lucah following his lead and dropping down beside him as he bows his head. Jeb's eyes bore into mine.

  "I swear fealty to you, as my one true Queen. For you and only you, I will kneel from this day forward. I will fight for you, I will die for you, and I will stand by your side. Through war and peace, prosperity and famine. I will hunt your enemies to the end of any world, and I will cherish your loved ones as I cherish you. When you are weak, I will be your strength. Where you lead, I will follow. I will never let you falter. I will never let you fall. I will never betray you. This is my life oath to you. And I will go where you go, until the end of time."

  "Ditto," Lucah agrees. I can't help but smile at the utterly Lucah response. Then I turn serious, acknowledging them both.

  "I vow to you, that when we return to Malatia, I will be Queen. Together, Miles and I will unite the continents, and you will bow to no one for the rest of your immortal lives. I don't care if I have to destroy the entire court to do it, but it will be done. You were born fire in your souls, and I refuse to let it be snuffed out."

  Chapter 22

  My entire life is still centered around my training. Every waking moment is used to forge myself into something that my enemies will fear. The new muscle definition mixed with my height and Fae enhanced beauty (yes that's really a thing) gives me the resemblance of what I imagine a warrior goddess would look like. I even have my own Malatian armor coming soon. Each muscle is strong and defined, yet still feminine and elegant. My body is still mine but honed into a weapon. I can also feel my abilities growing stronger.

  I can now manifest waves like I did that night at the hospital with only half a thought. I can influence emotion without touch so naturally that sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing it. I have yet to out match Jeb in a fight, but I have picked my weapon of choice.

  Daggers.

  It is only slightly because of the beautiful onyx set with emerald dragon heads on the hilts that Jeb gave me for Christmas. Honestly, until he gave them to me, I never thought to try them. I always practiced with a bow or a sword. I've become equally proficient with but the daggers, they feel like they are a part of me, mere extensions of my arms. Their weight feels perfectly balanced in my palms and I knew the first time that I trained with them that they were meant to be mine to wield in battle.

  The sword and bow make me a worthy adversary, but the daggers make me lethal.

  Speaking of daggers.

  Jeb swings his sword down in an arc over my head and I catch it in between my crossed daggers just before it connects with my forehead. I shove the sword away before landing a kick in the center of his chest, sending him stumbling back a few steps before he charges again. Speed, that's another thing I picked up. I spin out of his path and evade his attack.

  To the human eye, we are just a blur of color, skin and metal. The occasional grunt or curse is the only give away that we are two people fighting. It is hard to imagine that Fae wars last hundreds of years without everyone being decimated at the speed that their warriors fight.

  I am vaguely aware that Miles and Lucah have stopped training to spectate from their position in the grass outside of the training ring.

  As I stand from the hit that Jeb landed on my chest, I watch him start sprinting at me from across the yard. My Fae sight is the only reason I can track his movements, slowing things down to make what is only seconds look like minutes. I watch him lift his leg as if he were about to climb stairs, and the ground rises to meet him.

  Oh, so this is what we are doing now.

  He continues his pursuit of me, the ground rising to meet his feet as he runs. He flings out his arm and a giant chunk rips from the earth and rises to hover next to him. I plant my feet and throw out my arms towards him, hurling a wave with the force of a tsunami. It obliterates his stairs of rock and dirt, sending him tumbling through the air before he lands with a thud on the ground at my feet.

  "Touché" he wheezes down the bond as he lies splayed out on his back staring at the sky, looking like a giant drowned rat.

  I hear a slow clap start from beside me and I turn to see Lucah clapping with a satisfied look on his face. Miles's has his mouth hanging open so wide I swear his chin is going to contact the ground at any moment.

  This was the first time that we combined our abilities with our physical training. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. The adrenaline high it gave me and the triumph of besting Jeb has a goofy smile plastered permanently on my face.

  When Jeb finally gets up, he prowls over to me, wings out in all their glory, with a predatory gleam in his eyes. He leans in like he is going for a kiss but turn his head at the last second and whispers in my ear.

  "Best two out of three baby," his voice sends shivers down my spine as his lips caress the shell of my ear.

  Then, a sinkhole opens at my feet.

  ∞∞∞

  By the time the sun goes down, Jeb and I are both dirty, beaten, and bloody. Lucah and Miles were thoroughly entertained taking a seat on the patio about halfway through the second round.

  Those assholes even started placing bets after Jeb beat me in our second standoff. It was a cheap shot starting out with that sinkhole.

  I almost got him with a boiling waterspout that I pulled up from the ground. He must have sensed the shift in the earth with his ability because he casually side stepped it and hurtled a giant chuck of the rock at me. Dodging his rock missiles was almost as fun and the random spots of ground that kept turning into quicksand and sinkholes. Not. Fucking Asshole.

  I did have some missiles of my own. After I figured out I could heat up the water, I quickly learned how to freeze it. Tiny icicles of death (or minor injury) were beamed at him simultaneously as I tried to dodge his incoming boulders.

  On the bright side, I did manage to keep myself hovering above his sinkholes a few times with my wings. That was a minor victory.

  Miles ended up losing the bet. My small victory over Jeb was quickly snuffed out as he beat me, mercilessly, the next two rounds. I got him pretty good though. I would have won if I weren’t so worried about drowning him or seriously harming him. With the way Jeb is gloating right now, I am starting to reconsider.

  He's even trying to play it off like he let me win the first time. Lying little shit.

  I know he didn't let me win, and so does he. I felt his shock and pride through the bond the minute his back hit the ground. For that alone, I will let him feed his ego. I'll make him pay for the gloating later.

  "So, Rey," Miles directs at me, "we doing the prom thing?" Great. Just what I want to be talking about right now.

  I groan. "I don't know, I hadn't really thought about it. I can't take Jeb. He looks nothing like a teenage boy and you already know the old spinsters have it out for me. And Lucah apparently transferred to a school somewhere in Europe to be with family."

  "I can go with you," he offers, "no one knows we are actually siblings. And we have been best friends since we were kids. It's kind of natural that we go together. Jackson would never forgive me if I didn't get pictures of you in a prom dress," he says jokingly.

  I hate when they do this. Every time they know that I'm going to argue they pull the Jackson card. Low blow assholes.

  "Fine, but I don't have a dress. And since you are forcing me, I will make very good use of that credit card that y'all keep hiding from me."

  "Oh, great," Lucah groans, "my heart still hurts from that penthouse you put on it."

  "You can have anything you want," Jeb silences Lucah's groaning.

  "And I have something special planned for you and I afterwards," he croons down the bond and very dirty images flash through my mind. My face heats as I glare at the knowing grin on his face.

  Our injuries have healed by th
e end of dinner and Jeb and I return to my house. He has stayed with me every night since I found out that Miles is my little brother. We go through the same nightly routine like an old married couple. Jeb kicks up his feet in Jackson's chair and either binge watches a show that I have recommended or reads one of the books from the very long reading list that I made him. I lounge on my chaise and eat snacks while studying and doing homework.

  Every night he closes his book or turns off the TV as I pack up my backpack and then leads me up the stairs to shower and get in bed.

  "So," he begins as I turn down the blankets and crawl in bed, "prom is in a month. Graduation is in two months. Then, it's finally time for me to show you MY world. Are you ready?"

  I think about it for a second, considering whether I should reveal the truth or not. I go with telling him the truth because with our bond it would be pointless to lie since he will find out anyway.

  "I'm terrified to be honest. I didn't like the feeling that I got from Rune. To say he wasn't what I was expecting would be an understatement. I know you aren't an empath, so you don't understand, but what I felt from him wasn't good in any form. If anything, he felt evil. Something isn't right, and I know that we are walking into a war. I'm just not sure what side of it I am going to be on. I know your loyalty to my brother, but I can't lose the three of you. You're all I have."

  "Don't you worry about that," he crawls up my bed and nestles himself between my thighs, "I meant every word of my oath to you. I am loyal to only you now. I promise I will not let anything happen to you, or Miles and Lucah, and I will spend every day for the rest of my life fighting to make it home to you."

  "Plus, I have a surprise for you in Malatia. I meant it when I told you that I want to show you my world. We will spend some time exploring before I throw you to the wolves at the Royal Residence. Although, I'm not sure those wolves realize what they are getting themselves into with you. They are expecting a cub, but they're getting an alpha," he smiles down at me fondly.

  "And if I choose to destroy the wolves? What then?" I reveal.

  He licks his lips as he lowers his face to mine, "Then I go where you go. Until the end of time. "

  I wake to cold sheets, the clanging of pots and pans downstairs and the smell of fresh coffee. My stomach grumbles as I hop out of bed. Like every Saturday, Miles and Lucah are sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee while Jeb cooks brunch. I had to explain to them what brunch was, considering my habit of sleeping in on the weekends. Unlike every Saturday though, there is a third person waiting at the table.

  "Hey Paisley," I greet cautiously, "what are you doing here?"

  I try my best not to sound rude or upset that she is here. I am just very confused, and I don't like surprises before I've had at least two cups of coffee.

  "Someone had to take you prom dress shopping," Lucah retorts without looking up from the newspaper he is reading, "and I'm sure as hell not going to spend an entire day in that hell. No thank you."

  I roll my eyes and swipe the fresh cup of coffee from the counter kissing Jeb’s cheek before I take my seat at the table.

  "Well that sounds like fun. Lucah is visiting on a break from Europe," I glare daggers at him since, according to everyone at Woodberry, that is where he is supposed to be right now.

  "Yes, that's what he was telling me," Paisley chirps, "He said that he would be finishing his senior year online too and that he would be sticking around for a while. I'll admit, I was a little confused. I didn't realize the two of you were so close until he explained that you were dating his cousin."

  I raise an eyebrow at Lucah as Jeb places a platter of pancakes in the center of the table.

  "Yeah," Jeb chimes in, "we ran into Reyna at the bookstore when we first arrived. Lucah introduced us and Reyna fell madly in love with my rugged good looks," he taunts letting his accent thicken, "Our family sent me to look out for this little twerp and keep him out of trouble."

  Ahh, I see.

  I get up and distribute plates and silverware as Jeb finishes placing the food on the table. We eat while Lucah and Jeb play off each other as they weave this elaborate story about their supposed family and home in Europe. I honestly don't know how they do it.

  Not once do they trap each other in a lie or get things mixed up. They even find a completely believable way to explain their extreme wealth.

  Every question Paisley asks they have an answer for. They even have fake, or what I assume are fake, childhood stories. It just flows out of them as if it were truly their life. Or a well-rehearsed lie with some truth mixed in.

  “The best lies are mixed with some truth,” Jeb smiles at me.

  I forgot how long the two of them have known each other. Jeb has known Lucah since he was a baby. He's the one that trained him to be a warrior. Their families probably spent time together and they've spent multiple human lifetimes together. I'm suddenly jealous of the time with them that I've missed.

  "So, P," I smile mischievously at Lucah, "since you are taking on the train wreck of taking me shopping, how about you let us treat you to a dress? We can go to prom together. Lucah didn't have a date since I'm going with Miles but now, he can go with you!" I watch all the color drain from Lucah's face at what I am sure is the thought of the amount of money that I am about to spend.

  "Oh no, thank you but I can't let you do that," she stammers shyly.

  Jeb grins at me and must have caught on to what I’m doing because he chimes in, "Please, it's no trouble at all. You are saving all three of us here, really. It would be our pleasure."

  Lucah huffs and pouts in the corner while Miles tries desperately to hold in his laugh behind his coffee cup.

  "Well, okay. Thank you," she relents and I grin triumphantly.

  "Great! Then it's settled. I assume you are here because the guys are tired of me and want me to go today. Let me go upstairs and get ready and then we can head out!"

  I already know the exact shops in Atlanta that we are going too. This is what Lucah gets for meddling first thing in the morning.

  Chapter 23

  We bounce between shops and sip mimosas all day, purposefully not stopping at any bargain shops. I am hell bent on going to every single designer boutique that I can find. Paisley gets shoes from Gucci and I get a pair of Louboutin heels. I walk into a high-end salon and book a person for each of us to come and do our hair, nails, and makeup the day of prom. We find the most expensive jewelry store in the area and buy earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

  After about six different designer stores, we find our dresses. Paisley goes with a strapless, light blue dress than is made of silk with a chiffon layer that falls to the floor around her feet. The bodice is encrusted with real crystals. She looks almost angelic in it with her long platinum hair and icy blue eyes.

  I have my measurements taken and sit down with a designer to custom make my dress, adhering to the very specific image in mind and no other dress will satisfy me. Lucah is most definitely going to regret this. I can't wait to show him the receipts.

  I have kept every single one. I’m thinking I'll make a little collage just for Lucah to look at every day. I might even frame it and hang it in the mansion. I spent even more today than I did on our penthouse. On top of everything I bought for our wardrobe, I also book a limo with a fully stocked bar. The look on Lucah's face is going to be priceless.

  We stop at a small café, which she insists is her treat, and I discretely excuse myself to the weapons store across the street. I quickly make my way to the section I am looking for and purchase a small sheath to wear around my thigh under my dress. It can only fit one of my daggers, but one is better than none. I've come to expect trouble when everything seems to be going right in my life.

  I return just as she grabs our lattes off the counter, and I stuff my newest purchase into the bag with my shoes. She didn't even notice that I was gone. Someone needs to teach this girl to be more aware of her surroundings.

  I spend the drive home in my own thoughts
, listening to Paisley's soft snores from the passenger’s seat.

  I check my phone when we stop at a red light and see a text from Jeb telling me that the guys went back to the mansion and he will be waiting for me at home. It's well after dark when I drop Paisley off at her house, helping her cart the various boxes and bags inside before agreeing on a time for her to be at my house on prom night so that we can get ready and saying goodbye.

  I'm exhausted by the time I pull into the driveway. My arms are full of bags as I walk into the house and find Jeb in his normal spot flipping through a book. When he looks up at me and sees the bags, he shakes his head. Lowering the footrest of the recliner, he closes his book and stand to meet me in the entry way.

  "Do I even want to know what you spent today?"

  "Nope," I let the last syllable pop, "but I did save the receipts to show Lucah."

  He chuckles and drags his hand down his face in exasperation while looking at the ceiling, "Of course you did."

  I shrug and drag my loot upstairs like a greedy treasure goblin. I have everything safely hidden in the back of my closet before Jeb walks through the bedroom door. He unceremoniously flops down on the bed and crosses his arms behind his head while he waits for me to wash my face and change.

  I turn out the lights and slip into bed next to him.

  "Please tell me we will have a highly uneventful day tomorrow full of snacks and laziness," I trace my fingers lightly between his hips while kissing his collar bone.

  "I wish I could. You missed an entire day of training. You can't start slacking off now, not when we are this close to returning to Malatia."

  I've noticed that he doesn't refer to it as "home" anymore.