by L C Taylor
Emersyn blushed, the phone pressed against her ear.
“Said yes to what?” Sarifena spoke into Emersyn’s ear.
“Um… Drake asked me to marry him.”
“Oh my, GOD, Emersyn. Congratulations! Is that why you’re calling?”
“Yes… no… kind of.” She sputtered. “Onika has the journal.”
“How did she get it?”
“It was delivered to her castle – left at the door with no note.”
“Shit. She’s going to know. I need to call her, Emersyn. I’d rather her hear it from me.”
“I agree. Plus, you can tell her about my engagement.” Emersyn paused. “although we haven’t set a date yet. I don’t want to do anything until we hear about Dimitra. It would feel wrong to marry with her missing.”
“Stop, Emersyn. Dimitra would want to see you happy.”
“I know, but I want to wait.”
“Fine. We can start planning together. Lord knows we need something happy to think about beside this mess.”
“Call Onika. See what she says.” Emersyn glanced at Drake, “I need to know what else she finds in that journal.”
“Will do. I’ll be in touch. And Emersyn,” Sarifena spoke, “Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you. Let me know what you find out.”
Emersyn disconnected the call, “Well. That’s it. It won’t be long before this gets out. Maybe we should tell the other queens everything.”
“No,” Drake tugged her into him, “Let’s wait and see what Onika does first.”
“I have a bad feeling about this.” Emersyn buried her head into his shirt. She inhaled his cool crisp scent and closed her eyes.
“It doesn’t matter. We will stand with you no matter what. Now…” Drake hugged her tight, “We should tell Cassie the news.”
“Definitely. Alex,” Emersyn glanced at the captain, “Would you two join us for dinner?”
“I will fetch her now. And congratulations again, Your Majesty.”
Emersyn stayed tucked into Drakes arms. She didn’t want to move from his warmth.
“We should head that way.”
“I don’t want to,” she squeezed him tight, “Can’t you just hold me here forever?”
“As much as I’d like to,” he laughed, “They will be waiting. But I promise to make you scream my name later.”
Emersyn captured his mouth in hers, “I will hold you to that. Let’s go before I strip naked and force you to fuck me.”
“You minx.”
Drake held her hand as they left the library. He couldn’t believe she was his. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to protect her from who ever was out to hurt her or Sarifena. He’d gladly give his life for hers.
Chapter 24
Emersyn couldn’t believe her eyes. Another letter had arrived for her. She sat on the edge of her bed, afraid to open the envelope.
“Do you want me to open it?” Drake asked.
“No. I need to do it. I’m just scared.”
“I’ll be right here with you, Emersyn. I promise, no matter what, I got you.” Drake squeezed her hand.
“Fine… here goes nothing,” Emersyn ripped open the sealed flap.
One lie can unravel a kingdoms trust,
Two lies can cause a kingdom to bust.
Words bound by leather will soon reveal,
Treacherous betrayal each kingdom will feel.
“What does this even mean?” Emersyn handed Drake the parchment.
She watched as Drake processed the words. He crushed the paper in his palm, “I fear the journal holds something far worse than Sarifena being your sister.”
“As if that’s bad, anyway. So, what. My father got the Sapphire Queen pregnant before he met my mother. Is that really enough to destroy the kingdoms?”
“Not necessarily.”
“This is making me crazy. Has anyone talked to Sarifena or Onika?”
“Sarifena said Onika isn’t taking her calls. Her commander said she’s been holed up in her quarters since the journal arrived.”
“Shit. This is bad.” Emersyn stood, “give me my phone. I’m calling Onika.”
Emersyn dialed the Onyx Queens number, but it only went to voicemail. “Shit.”
“The commander said she is refusing visitors, including her parents.”
“And have we heard from Amalee or Rory?”
“Yes… Rory was following up on a lead. She got word that Dimitra was possibly being held in the deadlands.”
“The deadlands? No one goes there. That area has been vacant for decades.”
“Well. She sent several men to check it out.”
“I need to go to the Onyx kingdom.”
“Emersyn, that’s not a good idea. You should not be traveling until we know who is behind Dimitra’s kidnapping and the letters.”
“I can’t just sit here and do nothing. What if Onika has found something terrible and that’s why she’s locked herself in her room?”
“Give her time, Emersyn. She will reach out. If not…” he clasped her hand in his, “Then I will take you to see her myself.”
“Promise?”
“Yes. I promise.” He kissed her knuckles, “Now…” he pulled her toward him, pressing his arousal into her center. “Can I have your undivided attention?”
Emersyn smirked and pulled her shirt over her head. Straddling his lap, she locked her legs around his waist, “Baby, you can have more than my attention.”
Drake’s tongue lashed out and licked the tender flesh of her neck. His hand palmed her breast as he sucked her earlobe into his mouth. Emersyn ground her pussy against his erection, “You have on too many clothes.”
Drake stood, tossing her to the bed and yanked his shirt off. He popped the button of his pants and shoved them down, taking his boxers with them. His cock sprang free, bouncing against his belly. Slipping his hands beneath the waist of her pants, he tugged them down her soft thighs.
His lips met the skin on the inside of her leg as he kissed his way to her center. Plunging his tongue between her folds as Emersyn bucked against his face.
“That’s it, baby, fuck my face.”
Drake slipped his hands beneath her hips and held her to his mouth. He sucked and bit the tender flesh. Circling her clit with his tongue, Drake pulled on the sensitive bud. Emersyn cried out, her legs locking his head in place.
Moving his hand around, he pressed his finger between the soft folds. She was so wet for him. Pumping the digit in and out, Drake sucked the juices as she cried out. Her orgasm ripped through her as her walls tightened around his knuckle. Easing his finger out, he crawled up her body.
“I love you.”
He plunged inside her. Her walls clamping down on his cock. Emersyn’s legs locked behind him, drawing his dick in deeper as she moaned out her release. Drake withdrew and pressed back in. He found a rhythm that didn’t let up. He fucked her pussy hard.
“Jesus… I’m going to come again.” She breathed out.
Drake picked up his pace. In and out, their skin slapping against one another. He could feel her cunt pulsating around his cock, signaling another orgasm.
“FUUUUUCK!”
He grunted out as his cock jerked inside her. His come filled her womb, spilling out as he moved in and out of her pussy.
Drake fell to his back, tugging Emersyn to his side. She draped one leg and arm over his body. Drake could sense her thoughts.
“I promise we will figure this out, Emersyn.”
“I know.”
“Let’s get some sleep. Perhaps in the morning, we will hear something.”
“I love you, Drake.”
“I love you, Emersyn.”
Chapter 25
Onika sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the words printed on the pages. How was this possible?
Sarifena was Emersyn’s sister.
Onika tossed the journal down and paced her room. King Virid had been involved with both Sarifena’s
mother and her own. What did this mean?
Onika called for her commander.
“Commander Fritz,” Onika greeted him at the doorway, “I would like you to ensure no one disturbs me. I need some time to understand what I am reading and do not want to be bothered.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Onika locked her door, sealing the outside world from her. Crawling into her bed, she pulled the journal into her lap. Opening the book to where she left off, she read it again.
October 12th
My past has come back to destroy us. Stephanie informed me that her baby is my child. The news devastated Phillip. He died of a broken heart. I didn’t realize that was a thing until now. Emmalyn tells me it was my past and she doesn’t hold it against me, but I can see the hurt in her eyes. She is round with our own daughter and dealing with the news that I fathered another child.
Stephanie has agreed this needs to be kept between the three of us. It could destroy the kingdom if it got out. I just don’t know how she will ever look at me the same. How am I to look at Sarifena and never tell her I am her father.
Onika continued reading, shocked at the lies that had been held close to the chest all these years.
December 14th
My past is still haunting me. My philandering ways got me into this mess. Do I even tell Emmalyn or keep this secret? I can’t look at myself anymore. She begged me to stay quiet. Insisting it would destroy her marriage and mine. But it happened in the past… It shouldn’t matter.
What did he mean? Onika furrowed her brow. She thought Emmalyn knew about Stephanie and the baby. Why would he struggle with whether to tell her?
Onika flipped the page. Maybe there was something else he had been hiding.
March 21st
She is beautiful. My daughter, Emersyn. Her hair is as black as mine and her eyes… they’re deep brown. When I see her face all I can do is feel happiness. Happiness I do not deserve. How can I hold this tiny bundle in my arms, yet pretend my other daughters do not exist? I am amazed no one has figured it out. Even at their young age, they look alike.
Emmalyn knows it is killing me. She swears she holds no grudges and thinks I should force the others to allow me a chance at getting to know them. But they refuse. Saying their life will not be ruined to pacify mine. So, I sit here, holding my daughter – wishing she would have the chance to know her sisters.
Onika pressed the journal to her chest.
Sisters.
Emersyn had sisters – not a sister… but sisters, plural.
Onika opened the book once again. She needed to see if there was something that could help her find the other sibling. King Virid had to write it down, he’d written everything else down, why not that.
The next several entries were about Emersyn. He loved her, there was no doubt in the journal entries. He talked about how much she was growing and changing. About how much he longed for her to know her siblings and how he hated to look at himself for the lies he was carrying around.
Onika flipped the page.
March 23rd
Today Emersyn turned two. We invited the other kingdoms to mend the tension between us. It was the first time I’d been around my other daughters. Seeing the girls all play together made my heart happy and hurt all at the same time.
Sarifena has the same black hair and brown eyes. She is just as spunky as Emersyn. And even though they are a year apart, I can see the resemblance. I think the Amethyst king, Charles, suspects something. I can see him looking at the girls and at me. It’s hard not to notice they do not look like their fathers – instead, they look like me.
Everything was going perfect, until it wasn’t.
Charles pulled me aside and said he wasn’t dumb, but he wouldn’t be the one to spill the secret. He suspected his sister had been involved with two men, he just didn’t expect it to be me.
It was hard to watch them leave. Emersyn cried. It’s almost as though she knows they are her sisters.
Stephanie promised to bring Sarifena around more. She could see the connection the girls had made. Emmalyn and she have become somewhat of friends in spite of everything. I just wish… one day the three girls will know the truth.
Secrets have a way of coming out.
Not even the darkness can hide it forever.
Onika gasped.
This couldn’t mean…
She had to find her mother.
Onika needed to know if her mother knew who the other sister was. King Virid had made it seem as though the other secret was being kept in the dark. She was the heir to the Onyx Kingdom.
The kingdom of Darkness.
Darkness where the secret was surely hidden.
Chapter 26
“I will take you there myself, as I promised.” Drake tossed a bag into the trunk of the car.
“Commander, are you sure this is a good idea?” Alex watched as Emersyn climbed into the passenger side of the car.
“No…it’s a terrible idea. But if I don’t take her, she will go by herself. She needs to see if she can get through to Onika. The entire kingdom is now bathed in darkness. You know as well as I do, that means something bad has happened. Her magic is tied to her emotions just as Emersyn’s magic is tied to hers.”
“Fine. But I am sending a convoy with you. She needs to be guarded.”
“I agree. Alright, we will call you as soon as we arrive.”
Drake slammed the trunk shut and climbed into the driver’s seat. “You ready?”
“Yes… let’s just hurry. I have a bad feeling.”
“Buckle up. And Emersyn,” Drake started the engine, “If anything happens, you do exactly as I say. Ok?”
“Fine. Just hurry already.”
Drake backed the giant SUV up and spun it around. Pulling slowly down the cobble path, he glanced one last time in the rearview mirror. It would be the last time they’d see the sun for a while. Looking ahead, he could see the dark clouds in the distance.
Whatever had Onika upset, had caused the sky to appear dark and angry. Emersyn had called the other kingdoms. Rory agreed to send several men to the Onyx kingdom as well, she felt the more protection everyone had, the better off the kingdoms would be.
Squeezing Emersyn’s hand in his, “You ready?”
Emersyn glanced through the front windshield. Her anxiety spiking as she took in the monstrous wall of clouds. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
To be continued….
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Thanks for reading!!
Next Up….
Ruby Queen: Book Two
Rory Vermilion is living a lie.
The walls erected around her heart hide the truth.
A truth that could destroy her.
Rory’s heart is torn between two.
When the kingdom is threatened,
Rory will be forced to make a decision…
A decision that will change everything.
Will she follow tradition and take a husband?
Or give in to her heart’s desire, exposing her truth?
One thing is certain,
Rory will burn everything to save the six kingdoms…
Including the walls around her heart.
Ruby Queen: Book Two
The Elemental Queen Series
About LC
Nerdy, Dirty, Inked, and Curvy, LC is Native to the Atlanta area and works as a Special Education Middle School Teacher. She is the proud mother/stepmother of 4 children - 2 boys and 2 girls. And, as if that wasn't enough chaos in the house, the family adopted 2 dogs. LC has been married for nearly two decades. Her husband is a huge supporter of her work and pushes her to excel at being a writer.
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Up and Coming…
Work planned for release 2020-2021
The Elemental Queen Series
Ruby Queen
Sapphire Queen
Onyx Queen
Amethyst Queen
Diamond Queen
The Houston Brothers
Huston Dilemma
Houston Desire
Houston Demand
Lipstick & Lead
Carmen
Dakota
Cassidy
Stand Alone
Pool Toys
Yes Officer
Cuff Love
The Naughty Chronicles: The Secret Life of a Housewife
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