by Meg Xuemei X
It hadn’t trumped the darkness. I hadn’t vanquished the evil queen. All I’d managed to do was lose three of my mates to her.
No, not yet. There’s still hope, a voice insisted in my mind. You haven’t lost them yet.
Elvey stirred, and my attention snapped back to him. I watched his long, lush eyelashes flutter, casting shadows under the hollow of his eyes. My mate was beautiful and in great pain, and he was struggling to regain consciousness.
“Elvey!” my companions called his name to guide him back to us. “Lord Elvey!”
I was not a healer, but if it was the spell that bound him, I would free him from it. I wouldn’t let anything of the evil bitch stay in him.
My probing magic rolled off me and sank into Elvey. Instantly, I saw a fog of darkness hover over his broken bones like vultures. That was Tianna’s spell.
My rage howled, and I poured my White Light into Elvey. He was my fated mate, so my magic—all I had—would never hurt him.
But I forgot to warn the others.
A wave of light tossed everyone away from Elvey, sending them crashing into the walls. Rosalinda, Zembyr, and Ginger yelped in shock. Fortunately, my magic didn’t mark them as the enemies, so they would only have a few bruises.
My light burned away every trace of the dark fog inside Elvey, exorcising Tianna’s spell. Elvey’s bones and tissues weaved together.
He opened his blue eyes and smiled at me. I bent and kissed him gently on the lips.
“More,” he whispered, his eyes sparkling with starlight.
11
I strode into the throne hall, with Elvey beside me as my equal. Zembyr, Rosalinda, and three of my royal guards flanked us.
The court was full, kneeling in front of Tianna. As soon as they caught the sight of Elvey, they uttered murmurs of surprises. They hadn’t expected him to recover in a day’s time after their evil queen shattered his bones.
I would always remember that none of them had helped him. As my cold gaze skimmed them, Elvey flashed them a devilish grin, as if he wanted to show them his fangs. But he didn’t have fangs, unlike my other three mates when they were in their dragon forms.
My stomach twisted. Were they still my mates?
My gaze sharpened and fixated on Blaze, Rai, and Iokul, who stood behind the black diamond throne where Tianna perched. They stared back at me. For a second, I believed that I saw intense longing for me in their eyes of different shades. Blaze’s throat bobbed. He was less adept at disguising his emotions.
Were they regretting what they had done?
When I blinked and looked at them again, the pining wasn’t there anymore. I might have just imagined it because I wanted to see that they still cared and wanted me.
The days when they fought to get me into their arms were long gone. They now looked at me as if they had never had a relationship with me. How could one just wipe away love, tenderness, and memories overnight? Never in a million years had I believed that they would be so heartless and detached toward me.
Their uninterested gaze left me but stayed on Elvey, and hate formed in their eyes.
At least, Elvey could still get a reaction from them by grinning at them in that wicked way of his.
Had they already served Tianna in bed? The way they had gazed at her yesterday, regarding her as the most exquisite being they had ever set eyes on, still made my stomach turn. And when they had chosen to go with her, I knew the hole they punctured in my heart would never close.
If Elvey hadn’t needed my care, I’d have fallen into pieces right in front of them and Tianna.
Now they wouldn’t even look at me. They couldn’t stand the sight of me, as if I sickened them. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from them, and kept drinking them in.
I wanted to trace their eyes—fiery golden, warm sapphire, and icy silver— that had always captivated me and still mesmerized me. I wanted to trace their cold masks with my fingers.
My heart jerked in pain. It was their masks that had undone our relationship. Tianna had said that I wasn’t the one for them, but she was, and that only she could lift their curse if they stayed with her.
And they trusted her words instead of giving me more time to find a way to remove their masks. I doubted she’d do that, but even if she could, they wouldn’t know that their last freedom would be at the cost of mine. Tianna was determined to send me back to the jungle as Furies again, knowing it would be worse than death for me, knowing it would finally break me.
My pitiful thoughts kept drifting, wondering if my mates had shared her bed, then a click of relief echoed in the chamber of my mind. No, they hadn’t. If they’d done that, I would have been condemned to be Furies already.
At least, I still had hope. I could still fight for them.
They wouldn’t have jumped into her bed so soon. They had never been cold-blooded bastards before. They wouldn’t start now.
But the way they had treated me yesterday…
I wasn’t so sure about anything anymore.
I’d never been so tormented.
The dragon princes might be able to kill love overnight, but I couldn’t. My love for them, for all of them, including Elvey, was stitched into the fabric of my soul.
Tianna studied me with a taunting interest in her cruel, green eyes. No matter how she flouted her beauty, she could never get rid of the foulness, malice, and death beneath it.
But only Elvey and I could see through her glamour.
The evil queen on the throne wore a red, nude fishtail gown of pure silk. Artfully embroidered pieces glimmered around her half-exposed breasts and her groin, drawing all eyes to those parts.
The shameless bitch was aiming for bold and exquisite sexiness. Judging from the lust coated in the eyes of many Fae males, she had achieved that.
A master at seduction, she would use every trick she’d cultivated for ages to lead my dragon mates away from me and doom me to eternity.
She won’t doom you. I startled as I heard Elvey’s fierce words in my head. I won’t allow it.
He could project thoughts in my mind, now that he was no longer blood bonded to Tianna. Had he also heard the dialogue between her and me when she dragged me into her glamoured world?
I doubted she could have blocked him, but he had been in the grips of agony as she cracked his bones.
You’re not alone, Daisy darling. And never will be. Elvey’s voice caressed me, offering me courage and comfort. His hand reached for me and held mine.
I darted my gaze to Blaze, Rai, and Iokul again, wanting to know how they took in Tianna’s glamoured sensuality. To my relief, they didn’t seem to notice her uncovered skin too much or that her breasts half-popped out of her flimsy gown. They were busy glaring at Elvey as their stares flicked to our interlaced fingers.
Elvey flashed them a grin, and the fire of hatred leapt higher in their eyes.
Maybe we shouldn’t rile them up, Elvey, I gently reminded him, yet I had no intention of extracting my hand from his. I needed his strength, and he had a plentiful supply of it, as he always had. They aren’t our target, in case you forgot.
I don’t forget, said Elvey. But they have no idea what they’re missing out on.
Now only Elvey thought I was still a treasure.
The dragon princes tore their gazes from Elvey and cast on me.
I was clad in a black armor that accentuated my figure in all the right places. Their eyes roved over the two cups on my chest that left one-third of my breasts exposed, before tracing on my thighs that weren’t concealed as well.
Knee-high boots hugged my long, toned legs like a second skin, and a wicked dagger was strapped on the sheath of my boots.
A white cape draped over my shoulders all the way down to the floor gave me a regal look.
I was showing them that I was a warrior queen. I didn’t come for a tea party or to play Tianna’s court games. I came to war, in court, in battlefield, and in bed, where I intended to win back my mates.
All the
princes lingered their gazes on my breasts a second longer before they tore their eyes away. Iokul’s gaze stayed with me longer than the others. Ice melted first, or at least it thawed a little. I hoped this image of mine would make them remember how we’d once battled our enemies together and how we’d once entangled with each other in bed, drenched in lust and sweat.
Game on, bitch!
They still drool over you, Daisy darling, Elvey said lazily in my mind.
I glanced at him, momentarily distracted by his taut muscles stretching under his classic, black shirt. His trousers were tailored to show off the powerful lines of his legs. He dressed more in the modern human fashion than in a Fae costume.
Fae males liked to wear either armor or tunics. Females usually chose an elegant gown. My dragon princes also had their armor on, as did all my royal guards.
My dragon princes? Were they still mine?
They frowned at me, noticing my brief ogling of Elvey, then averted their gazes. They hadn’t been able to stay away from me before, and whenever they’d looked at me, I’d been sure that their world started with and ended with me.
It had been intoxicating to know I’d meant that much to them, and now I no longer owned it.
Tianna noticed how my eyes drew to the dragons and how hard I tried to hide the devastation in my eyes. She didn’t miss a beat. I knew that even if I disguised it well she would still detect it.
She suddenly turned her head to check on them, a gloating smile ghosting her lips as she spotted the lack of affection for me on their masked, hard faces.
Tianna switched her gaze toward me, her despicable smile widening, as if she had already won the first round of the game. She had three smolderingly hot dragons, who had once been mine, lounging around her, defending her behind her throne.
She’d taken everything that was mine.
I’d only gotten Elvey back. I would get the rest back.
I would leave her with nothing but death.
Three of Tianna’s royal guards, who had stopped me from getting near the dais before, cut in before us.
“Go no further, Danaenyth and her escorts,” the lead guard in red armor said, drawing his sword.
The gesture was for show and completely pointless. Bloodshed was prohibited from either side during the Challenge, unless it was self-defense. Whoever drew the first blood would suffer the wrath of the unseen force that governed the Challenge.
Duel magic was as binding as a Fae’s promise.
“Know your fucking place, Jax,” Elvey hissed. “You’re addressing the true queen of Sihde.”
“How dare you blaspheme, Elvey?” Tianna snarled from her throne.
But her power couldn’t touch him now. I could see how she regretted breaking the blood bond between them.
“The dragon hybrid will never be my queen,” Jax said. “I’ve served the one and true queen—Her Majesty Tianna—since the beginning.”
He must have had a part in murdering my parents then—a blood debt he’d pay eventually.
Elvey ignored Tianna’s sizzling anger with a cold, lazy smile. He flicked his wrist, and a violent current shoved Jax and his sidekicks aside, sending them colliding and kissing the marble floor. Some other guards tried to move in and charge us, but halted as Elvey snapped his merciless gaze at them.
A chime rose in the air.
A new throne, made of gold, white diamonds, and emeralds, materialized on a new, raised dais, on the left of Tianna.
The splendid throne had the emblem of a dragon carved on the left armrest and a crest of a shield with stars inside—the symbol of Sihde—etched on the right.
It was a throne for the queen of both the Dragon Realm and Sihde.
Tianna opened her red-painted mouth in an utter shock and rage. “Elvey, you’re dead!” But bound by the rules of the Challenge, she couldn’t attack my companions and me.
“I’m more alive than ever,” Elvey purred with a satisfied, ruthless smirk. “For the first time in a millennium, I’m finally living. Unfortunately for you, Tianna, you didn’t do your homework, but I don’t blame you. You were never rightfully, legally crowned when you usurped the throne, so the spirits and guardians of Sihde, who only pledge to the true queen, have never bothered to inform you one of the ancient royal Fae laws.
“When you challenged Queen Daisy Danaenyth, you put yourself at the position as the heir of Sihde royal house instead of its queen, which you were never truly were and will never be. And when you issued the Challenge, you helped establish Queen Daisy Danaenyth as the true and returned queen. That’s why she could break your ward and summon her court and army.
“That throne is her rightful place. Pitifully, before the end of the Challenge, she won’t kick you out from your fake throne, but eventually, she’ll send it to the fireplace where it can find its true use. And you’ll stand trial in front of all and get what you deserve.”
The court gasped, yet none of them or Tianna’s guards dared to object or stop me from striding toward the throne. Elvey never broke from our interlaced fingers.
Zembyr, Rosalinda and my royal guards moved behind us, their heads held high and shoulders squared straight.
I sat on the throne Elvey’s magic had conjured for me. To my surprise, it wasn’t that comfortable. But thrones probably weren’t built for comfort.
Elvey chuckled at my thoughts, as he leaned against my throne.
Was he playing a prank, at a time and place like this?
He only flashed me an innocent yet damn hot grin. With Elvey, one never knew what would come next. The next second, his handsome face grew solemn and fierce. Formidable power—both ancient and new—rippled off him.
Rosalinda, who stood with my other guards near my dais, stepped forward.
“Behold your true queen to Sihde and the Dragon Realm, Her Majesty Queen Daisy Danaenyth,” she announced, her voice loud, clear, and musical. “Pledge your loyalty!”
Had they rehearsed this behind my back?
The Fae in the court darted their uncertain gazes between Tianna and me. They knew I was what Rosalinda had declared to be, and they’d seen my display of power, which was terrifying, even though I hadn’t been able to overthrown Tianna.
Some of them sent Elvey a resentful look for forcing them to choose and make a stand. Elvey grinned like the devil, loving the sight of Tianna’s court squirming. I’d learned that part of Elvey was quite cruel and unforgiving.
I wanted to see who had been loyal to my mother and would be to me. I wanted no traitors or cowards in my court. Looking at the terror in everyone’s eyes, I could tell that they feared Tianna much more than me. It would be a big gamble to throw their lot in with me.
If I lost the Challenge, they’d all lose their heads.
I could see some of them had made the decision, and some of them in the gray area were obviously struggling—mostly they wanted to go with Tianna, but what if I won? I wasn’t as cruel as Tianna, but whoever chose her would have no part in my realm if I took back the crown.
“Choose,” Elvey said again.
“Who are you to demand this of us?” someone shouted. “You’re but the Dragon Queen’s new plaything.”
“Have some respect if you want your tongue intact after this is over,” I said coldly. “Elvey Fionn is my rightful mate. He was destined to be my mate right from the beginning, but Tianna tricked him into a blood bond and cursed me. Now my mate and I have finally united. He’s my consort and king to both the Danaenyth dynasty and Sihde.”
I sensed Elvey tensing beside me. He hadn’t expected that I’d declare him as mine in public. I probably should have consulted him first to see if he was willing.
But we didn’t have time to get everything right.
Murmurs and whispers rose and fell, but I didn’t care for the court’s reactions. I turned my head slightly and glanced at Blaze, Rai, and Iokul. They stared ahead, bearing no expressions. Their masks helped to cover their feelings, but I had detected the muscles twisting on their
jaws.
“What about your other three mates?” someone sneered.
“That’s none of your business,” I said. “But if you’re so concerned, you can see that they’re pretty much occupied with my old aunt.”
The veins jumped on their temples. They could cover up their expressions, but they couldn’t hide that.
It felt good to know I could still hurt them a little. But did I really want to hurt them? Yes, yes I did. Rage and resentment had started to uncoil in me at their betrayal after the initial shock had gradually faded.
No, they hadn’t really done it, or I would have been turned to beasts by now.
What kind of game were they playing?
“Long live Queen Daisy and King Elvey!” Rosalinda shouted, and my royal guards echoed the words in a fierce roar.
They were the only few shouting in the entire court, which sounded pitiful despite their enthusiasm. If I had predicted this, I would have brought my army in to get more cheers and chants.
Tianna’s cat-green eyes marked my team with a death threat. If I lost, she’d torture my companions before killing them.
“Enjoy your short-lived grandeur, niece, since it’ll be more fleeting than you think,” Tianna said, venom brimming in her voice. She turned to her court. “Where’s your loyalty? The traitor Elvey demanded you choose. Show him where your allegiance lies.”
She wanted me to see how she had her court under her thumb and what a short leash she held on them. She wanted to show me I was but a self-proclaimed lone queen no one wanted.
All the Fae started moving. Most of them moved to her side, but surprisingly, one third of the Fae moved to the left side—my side. They stood with me, despite being terrified of Tianna.
“We pledge our allegiance to Queen Daisy and King Elvey,” a female Fae declared after taking a deep breath. Her violet eyes glued to me with determination, fear lurking beneath. “We serve the true queen Daisy Danaenyth, daughter to the crown princess Zuzana.”
A few voices joined her pronouncement, then as one, they dropped to their knees.
